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Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - Addresses common questions about our baseball program.

Q: I live in Irvine, should I register in your league?
A: There are two Little Leagues in Irvine.  Our league, Irvine Ranch, covers South Irvine and Newport Beach.  Please review our Interactive Boundary Map to make sure that your residence falls within the league boundary. 

Players who live North of the railroad track should register with Northwood Little League.

 

Q: I live in Newport Beach, should I register in your league?
A: All players in the former Newport Beach Little League boundary are now part of Irvine Ranch.  For an interactive Google map of combined boundaries, click here.

 

Q: When is the spring season played?
A: Practices will begin in February, with games starting in early March and running through the end of May. For players invited to our Tournament team, post-season play can last into June. The exact schedule will be released after all players have been registered.

 

Q:  When is the fall season played?
A:  The season will begin in September, with games starting in mid-September and running through the Saturday before Thanksgiving in November.  The exact schedule will be released after all players have been registered and teams have been selected.

 

Q:  How does Fall ball differ from the Spring season?
A:  The Fall season is primarily focused on instruction and player development. Teams play competitive games on Sunday, so as to not conflict with other sports traditionally played in the Fall.  Instruction is stressed over gameplay and some of the formality of the Spring season, such as team photos, trophies, and tournaments are not included to keep costs low.
 

Q: What is my child’s league age?
A: Players are registered according to their birth date.  The league age determination date for a Little League Baseball player is the actual age of a child as of August 31 of the current year.   For a current league age calendar and calculator, click here

Q: What are the spring season fees and what do you they cover?
A: Players are registered according to their League Age.  Registration fees cover the cost of shared team equipment, a team uniform, baseball cap, team pictures and a trophy (lower divisions and 1st/2nd place teams in upper divisions).

League Age Early Bird Registration (ends 11/1/20) Normal Registration
4-5 $149 $199
6-10 $149 $199
11-15 $149 $199

 

Q:  What are the fall registration fees and what do you they cover?
A:  We endeavor to keep fall baseball fees low for our players.  As such, the registration fees cover the cost of shared team equipment, a team jersey and baseball cap, field use
fees, and insurance. 

Q: Are player scholarships available?
A: We would like every child to be able to play baseball, regardless of their family’s financial situation. For information on our financial scholarship guidelines, please visit the Scholarship Information Page on our website.

 

Q:  Why does the league require a volunteer commitment?
A: To make baseball available to everyone, the registration fees don’t cover the cost of playing baseball. We keep the cost down and rely on fundraisers and volunteers to help run Little League. Irvine Ranch Little League is always looking for enthusiastic and responsible parents who want to make a difference for the children in the league. Volunteer positions vary from positions requiring a time commitment such as board member, coach, or team administrator, to jobs requiring less than a 10-hour commitment such as working with the board to plan events or staffing the snack bar one or two Saturdays.

 

Q: Is there an option to pay in lieu of volunteer service?
A: We are offering a $100 Buy-Out option for those families who are unable to donate their time.

 

Q: Which division is right for my child?
A: Please visit our Divisions Page to learn more.  If your question is not answered, please feel free to reach out to our Player Agent or the appropriate division commissioner.  Contact information for our league officers can be found here.

 

Q:  Now that I have registered, what happens next?
A: T-Ball, Rookie, and A players: You can expect to be contacted by the manager of your child’s team in early February with practice information.

AA through Juniors players: All players league age 8 and above are required to attend evaluations for the regular season.  Details  regarding  evaluations will be distributed via email. Following the completion of evaluations, the teams will be balanced and players will receive their team assignment by early February. 

Fall ball players can expect to be contacted by their Manager in early to mid-September.

 

Q: How are teams formed?
A: For spring lower division teams (Ice Cream through Rookie), players are assigned to a team at the discretion of the league. Buddy requests are honored whenever possible. If no buddy requests are made, we will make every attempt to place your player on the field closest to the home address or the school attended by the player.

For the spring upper divisions (AA and above), players are required to attend a player evaluation session that will occur in early January. Player selection will occur through a team draft, where coaches will select players based on their observations at the player evaluations. The intent of the draft is to create balanced and competitive teams. As such, buddy requests can’t be honored.

Fall ball allows players the opportunity to self-select the next division of play prior to the Spring regular season, assuming their participation in that division does not pose a safety risk.  The level of play in Fall Ball does not guarantee the level of play for the Spring season.

 

Q:  What happens at the player evaluations?
A: Player evaluations only occur prior to the spring season. Player evaluations are an opportunity for the team managers to see the players in action. Player evaluations will occur before the team draft, usually over successive weekends. Players run through a series of skill stations that allow the Managers to observe their fundamental baseball skills in the areas of fielding ground ball, fly balls, throwing, running, batting, pitching and catching (if desired). Each evaluation session lasts approximately 30 minutes and is organized by age groups. Players should come prepared as they would for a normal practice with baseball attire, a baseball cap, fielding glove, a little league approved bat, a great attitude and good work ethic. The evaluations for the Spring season typically occur in mid-January and are advertised through email announcements to the league.

 

Q:  My child has never played organized baseball. Do he/she need to attend player evaluations?
A: Player evaluations are mandatory for any player league age 8 or older, of any player league age 7 or older who wishes to be considered for selection in a spring competitive division (AA division and above). Managers will adapt their evaluations based on observed player skill and will group similarly skilled players.

Q:  When and where will players practice?
A: Spring practices will start in mid-February and run throughout the season. Practices typically occur on weekdays at local neighborhood grass fields. Practice field assignment will not be known until the beginning of the season when they are allocated by the City of Irvine. The Team Manager will set the day and time for team practices, based on his practice field allocation and personal availability.

Fall practices will start in September and run throughout the season. The team manager will set the day and time for team practices, based on his practice field allocation and personal availability. The practice days will not be known until after the player has been placed on a team.  Coaches are cognizant that children may be playing other sports such as soccer, basketball or football during the fall along with baseball and will take that into consideration when designating practice slots.

 

Q: When/where are games played?
A: All spring divisions (except Ice Cream) will have two games per week, one weeknight, and one Saturday.  The Ice Cream division will only have Saturday games.  Weeknight games are typically played on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday between 4:00 and 8:00 PM.  Saturday games typically occur between 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM. Fields will be determined by the City of Irvine in February. The exact schedule will be released after all players have been registered and the teams have been formed.

For fall ball, games are played on Sundays, typically between 11:00 AM and 6:00 PM. Fields will be determined by the City of Irvine in August/September. The exact schedule will be released after all players have been registered and the teams have been formed. Especially for fall ball, some games may be played in neighboring cities.

 

Q: What equipment does the league provide?
A: The league will provide a team jersey, baseball pants, socks, belt and baseball caps for all divisions.  In addition, the league will provide balls, batting helmets, bats and catchers gear for all divisions. To keep the prices low during the fall season, only the team jersey and baseball cap is provided.

 

Q: What equipment does my player need to provide?
A: Players are expected to bring their own fielding glove and cleats. Catchers are required to wear an athletic cup protection, but it is recommended for players of all ages.  Players are welcome to bring their own position specific equipment, such as catcher’s gear, if so desired.  Players may bring their own Little League approve baseball bats, but please note that Little League guidelines on approved bats are constantly evolving. For more information on approved bats, please visit Little League international’s Baseball Bat Resource Page.

 

Q: What happens if it’s raining, or had been raining, on a practice or game day?
A: To check field status on rainy days, or the days following a heavy rain, please call the City of Irvine MUDD Line at (949) 724-6833 or visit the website.

 

Q. How long do games usually last?
A: The length of the game varies by the division as follows:

  • Ice Cream T-Ball: 1 hour or 3 innings, whichever comes first.
  • T-Ball: 1.5 hours or 5 innings, whichever comes first.
  • Rookie, A-Ball: 1.5 hours or 6 innings, whichever comes first.
  • AA-Ball: 2 hours or 6 innings, whichever comes first. No new inning shall be started after 1 hour 45 minutes from official start time.
  • AAA-Ball: 2 hours or 6 innings, whichever comes first. No new inning shall start after 2 hours from the official start time or 15 minutes prior to the next scheduled game on that field, whichever is sooner.
  • Intermediate: 6 innings. There is no time limit on games unless a scheduled game follows. When a scheduled game follows, no new inning can start 15 minutes prior to the scheduled time of the following game.
  • Juniors: 7 innings. There is no time limit on games unless a scheduled game follows. When a scheduled game follows, no new inning can start 15 minutes prior to the scheduled time of the following game.

 

Q: I own a local business, what sponsorship packages are available for advertising to league members?
A: Little League is run 100% by families of Little League. We have over 80 Coach and Assistant Coach Volunteers plus over 50 team and league administrators who volunteer their time to make Little League possible. To operate, we rely 100% on monies received from player families and members of the community who generously show their support of IRLL each year. Sponsorships of local Little League teams by businesses in the community are vital to the financial health of ours local Little Leagues organization. The funds from these sponsorships help pay the significant costs involved in the annual activities of IRLL for necessities such as equipment and scholarships for players who without our support would not be able to play. Your generosity goes directly into the cost to run IRLL. For example, a $500 sponsorship covers the cost of ALL baseballs needed in our spring season or uniforms in our fall season. For more information on sponsorship opportunities, please visit our Sponsorship Information page on our website.