Q. Which bat may be used in games for Mountain Valley (as of the 2018 Spring Season)
A.
Little League: All aluminum bats for Little League play must have the new USA Baseball stamp, please visit LittleLeague.org for full details. Any/all wood bats are eligible for use in games.
Babe Ruth: All bats must have the new USA Baseball stamp or the BBCOR .50 stamp, the 16-18 division will use only wood bats, please visit BabeRuthLeague.org for full details.
Q. What are the ages for Mountain Valley Baseball?
A. The ages for Mountain Valley Little League Baseball are 4 through 12. The age for next season play (i.e., "player age") is determined as of August 31st. For example, if your player turns 7 September 1st, then he or she is playing age 6. Click here for the Little League Age Calculator.
The ages for Mountain Valley Babe Ruth Baseball are 13 through 19. The age for next season play (i.e., "player age") is determined as of May 1st. If your player turns 13 on or before May 1st, they would be eligible to play in Mountain Valley Babe Ruth Baseball.
Q. What is T-Ball? Who is eligible?
A. Tee Ball Baseball is for players 4-6 years old who want to learn the fundamentals of hitting and fielding. In Tee Ball, players hit a ball off a batting tee. Rules of the game may be varied to accommodate the need for teaching. The primary goals of Tee Ball are to have fun, to instruct children in the fundamentals of baseball and to allow them to experience the value of teamwork.
Q. What is Coach Pitch? Who is eligible?
A. The Coach Pitch Division is for 6 - 8 yrs. old. Players learn the timing of hitting a baseball while also improving their base running and fielding skills. Catchers begin to develop in this division as well. More emphasis is put on learning game situations than winning.
Q. What is the Minors Division? Who is eligible?
A. Minors Division is for players age 8 - 11 yrs. old and is the first level of kid pitch baseball on the 60 ft. baseball diamond. Players learn the fundamentals of pitching, stealing and cutoffs while playing in game situations. More emphasis is placed on the rules of the game, but fundamentals are still taught and practiced. This division is competitive and scores are kept, as well as overall team records. The goal of the Minor league program is to prepare children for eventual selection to a Major Division team. There is a playoff at the end of the season for the minors division.
Q. What is the Majors Division? Who is eligible?
A. Majors Division is for players age 9 - 12 yrs. old. Players learn advanced fundamentals while in a competitive environment. Players improve on their pitching, catching, and fielding abilities while gaining more knowledge on the mental aspects of baseball. Emphasis is placed on playing as a team, and what each position needs to do to accomplish a team victory. Majors is more competitive than minors and scores and records are kept throughout the season. Games and practices will be held 1-2 days during the week and every Saturday. There is a playoff at the end of the season for the Majors division.
Q. What is the Intermediate Division? Who is eligible? *
A. Intermediate (50/70) division is a new competitive level division of Little League Baseball for players league-age 11-13 that offers a transition for players between the standard Little League field size (46-foot pitching distance and 60-foot base paths) and the Babe Ruth League field size (60-foot, 6-inch pitching distance and 90-foot base paths). Mountain Valley Baseball requires players to be registered for the Majors or Minors division baseball to be eligible to try out for the Intermediate Division. Players may register for this division on-line or in-person and will only be charged if they are selected for the team. * Note - the Intermediate Division is still under development with Mountain Valley Baseball and may or may not be offered for the Spring Season.
Q. How do I know to register for T-ball or Coach Pitch?
A. If your player is age 4 or 5, they will play in T-ball. If they are 6 or 7 and have played in T-ball for a couple years, Coach Pitch would be suggested.
Q. What area does Mountain Valley Baseball serve?
A. Mountain Valley Little League is part of Maryland District 2 and draws players residing in the Wolfsville, Myersville and Middletown School Districts. Click on the Mountain Valley Baseball Little League Boundary Map and click on the District 2 Little League Map.
Q. What does the League provide and what does the parent provide?
A. For the Spring Season, the League provides a jersey, pants, and hat, as well as the fields, catching gear, and baseballs. The player will have to provide baseball glove, shoes, socks, and athletic protector. As for the selection of a glove, we suggest strongly that you do NOT buy a glove that is too big or stiff for the player to open and close. There are no bats provided by the league at this time. For the Fall Season, the League provides a jersey and hat.
Q. Where are the fields located? Are all games played there? Is there sufficient parking?
A. For our "home" fields, we have 6 diamonds: three at Doub's Meadow Park on the corner of Rt 17 and 40 in Myersville, one at Harp Hill in Myersville (currently under construction and unusable), one at the Ruritan Park in Wolfsville, MD and one in the Middletown Park in Middletown, MD. Go to "Field Locations" for directions to these fields and directions to fields of teams we might play for "away" games. Most leagues do play some games on the road, so not all games will be played at our home fields. There is sufficient parking at all game locations.
Q. When are games played? When are practices?
A. Practices are determined by the team head coach and are usually twice a week before games begin. After games begin, practices are usually once a week and could take place on any field in Wolfsville or Myersville. Practices begin in March, with games beginning in April and ending in June. Usually, teams will have two games per week. Teams will practice a lot between the draft at the beginning of March and the start of games in April (weather permitting). All parents are urged to understand that team and League schedules will change and that you must be adaptable.
Q. When will we know which team our player is on?
A. After evaluations (in early March) players will be notified of which team they will be on for the coming season. Player’s parents will be emailed by their new head coach (please be aware this will go to the email address you register your player with). Practices will start in March, weather permitting.
Q. Where and when are Player Evaluations being held?
A. For the Spring Season, player evaluations are held and email notifications are sent with details on time by level and location. Plan on arriving at least 15 minutes before your players' scheduled time to register.
Q. We’ve heard about the Opening Day Parade. When does that happen?
A. The Opening Day Parade has become a huge community event in which all of our teams’ parade through the Town of Myersville starting with the T-ball teams and ending with our Babe Ruth teams. Players form a line in front of Myersville Elementary School and parade down Main St through the town on their way to Doub's Meadow Park where there are games, contests, food and raffles. This kick-off event of the season is scheduled in early April. You will be notified by your team’s manager with more specific details.
Q. How can we sign up to volunteer and help the League?
A. Mountain Valley Little League, like all Little Leagues throughout the world, is a volunteer non-profit organization whose purpose is to teach our youth the game of baseball while also teaching them life lessons, sportsmanship, and how to be a good citizen. We need managers, coaches, concession stand volunteers, field maintenance volunteers, etc... If you would like to manage or coach or volunteer in other ways, please sign on our website and complete the volunteer registration. Little League baseball requires a background check be performed on all potential league volunteers by a Little League baseball approved background check provider. Please email to [email protected] with any volunteer questions. We need you!
Q. What can I do as a parent to support my child?
A. Parent support during both games and practices is critically important to the success of the League. Be supportive of the team by ensuring your child attends each practice on-time. Be a positive role model during games, whether you are a manager, an assistant coach, or simply a spectator. Finally, please keep the following in mind:
Always be positive and enthusiastic
Show your child positive reinforcement.
Observe practices and games to learn proper techniques to practice with your child.
Encourage your child toward skill improvement and good sportsmanship in every game.
Teach your child to always play by the rules.
Teach your child that hard work and an honest effort are often more important than a victory.
Applaud good plays by your team and by members of the opposing team.
Let the managers and coaches do the coaching.
Let an umpire be the umpire. Recognize that the umpire is the closest to the play and that each umpire will "call them as they see them".
Q. Can I choose the team my player is on?
A. Your player will be chosen onto a team by a head coach for the team, in the given division. There is no way to place a child onto a specific team, as we do our best to ensure the level of play of each team is consistent in order to provide similar levels of abilities on each team.
Q. What are All Stars at the Babe Ruth level?
A. Mountain Valley Baseball participates in the Frederick County Babe Ruth League (FCBRL). Prior to the end of the spring season, FCBRL selects an All Star Team at each Babe Ruth Playing Level to represent the Frederick County area in the Maryland State Qualifying Tournament. A player must play in at least 25% of their team’s season games to be eligible for the All Star Team. Tryout dates and times are communicated to all applicable players.
Q. What are All Stars at the Little League level?
A. All-Stars at the Little League level are to continue the competition for the best players at each playing age group while competing against the best from other leagues within our District. There are 3 playing divisions, 8-10, 9-11, 10-12, depending on how many players we have at each age group we could have anywhere from 1-3 All-Star teams in a given season. The 10-12 age bracket is the only group that can make it to the National level.
The players for the 8-10 and 9-11 if available that year, are decided on by the coach’s during the season. The players for the 10-12 age group is decided by the first phase of a democratic voting process of all eligible All-Star players in the Majors Division to select the first 9 players by popular vote to participate on the 11-12 year old team. The second phase will be discretionary selections by the team managers to fill out the remaining slots on the 11-12 team.
Q. Why does Highlanders cost more?
A. Mountain Valley Baseball started the Harmony Highlanders baseball program to offer players an opportunity to play a more competitive level of baseball along with receiving the baseball tournament experience. The Harmony Highlanders teams are selected based upon player evaluations. These teams typically play at a playing level above their age group within Frederick County Babe Ruth in addition to participating in a few tournaments over the length of the spring season. The additional cost paid by those players selected to the Highlanders teams, helps cover the cost of tournament entry fees and an additional uniform as needed for multiple games played during a tournament.
Q. What if my child makes the High School baseball team, and I have signed him up for Babe Ruth?
A. The high school baseball season is very short, and ends in early May, the two leagues do not overlap, your child can play on both teams. The Babe Ruth season goes much later than the high school season.
Q. How do I stay up to date on important information?
A. Visit our website at www.mountainvalleybaseball.com for the most up to date information, scores, schedules and registration information. Once you register and provide an email address you will receive emails from Mountain Valley Baseball.
Q. What if I have a question that isn’t covered here?
A. You can always contact us at [email protected] or follow us on Facebook and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have.