Q&A

Much of the information below are general guidelines and geared to new and younger players in Fort Lauderdale Little League. Your coach will have many of the answers you are looking for.

Is it Fun?

Baseball/Softball is a lot of fun for both the parents and the children. Baseball/Softball is also a very social game where kids spend a lot of time chatting and making friends. It is also a unique sport where it is both an individual and a team sport. During offense, the individual batter is solely facing off against 10 other players. During defense the players work as a team to defend the field against the batters.

Baseball/Softball is just a great, fun, character building game. It is also a skills game that requires years of mastery which also offers a great deal of challenge. Parents and kids get the Baseball bug and rarely let it go.

Baseball/Softball lends itself to being available to all types of players. Some kids will be great batters, fielders, pitchers and so forth. But rarely is someone all of the above and that goes for the pro leagues as well. You might be a slow runner, but a great hitter. Might be a great pitcher, but not the best hitter, you can be short or tall. If you ever watch pro Baseball on TV, you will see that body physique plays little role in your ability to play baseball. Because it is a skills game, the skill comes before the body. From that perspective - if you are wandering if your son or daughter could play, the answer is yes. 

Instead of TV or Video games for a couple couple of hours a week, get them out to the fields and come enjoy this great game.

Grab a lawn chair, grab a seat on the bleachers, hit the concession stand, and just enjoy watching your kids learn and having fun at this great game!

How can I help my son or daughter?

One of the first things you can do is be positive and encouraging. Reward the EFFORT not the result. With all sports there will be a learning curve and many failures a long the way - and while they are learning their will be more failure then success. If every time a child makes a mistake and is criticized for it, after a while, they just are not going to want play. If they hit a home run, if they tried hard and made mistakes, just let them know they are learning and tried hard. Focus on the effort, not the result, whether good or bad. 

Baseball/Softball can be played anywhere. You can go in the front yard and just toss balls to your player. If you are not skillful yourself, purchase wiffle balls and throw them to the player. You can go to the field and roll grounders. Other then that, just get them to practices on time!

Ask your coach, they will be happy to help and give some pointers.

What equipment will my son or daughter need for Baseball/Softball?

Dicks sporting goods will have all the equipment your son or daughter will need.

BASEBALL:
Generally, a Baseball Bat, Helmet and a glove. The league does supply coaches with extra equipment such as catchers equipment. Due to COVID we do not recommend equipment sharing.

SOFTBALL:

• Softball glove (softball glove not a Baseball glove – because of the size of the ball)
• Softball Bat (different then a Baseball Bat);
• Face mask (sold in the softball section at Dicks or on-line);
• Helmet with face guard; cleats are a plus. 
• 8U and 10U play with a size 11” ball.  12U, 14U and up play with a 12” ball. 
• We supply each team with a few helmets and face masks that can be borrowed for the season and returned (but most have their own). 
• We also supply catchers gear. 

What size bat will I need for Baseball

* Note: If the bat does not have a USABAT logo on it, it is not legal. Bat rules have changed for 2018. visit http://www.littleleague.org/learn/equipment/baseballbatinfo.htm

Bat sizing is dependent on the height and weight of the player. Some players like heavier bats for power and others like lighter bats for speed. It is strongly recommended for younger players 4-8 years that you do not oversize the bat, if you are in doubt, move to a smaller bat. They do not have the strength to compensate for larger bats and it will lead to frustration through crippled swings. Google "Bat Size" and you will find plenty of information on the internet to guide you through this process.

Big Barrel Bats (4-10 years olds): 2 5/8 bats compared to 2 1/4 bats are weighted differently. 2 5/8 bats can have a dramatic effect on a players swing and can even cause them to learn improper swing because of the weight of the bat and strength of the player. The League takes no position on this, but you are encouraged to do your own research.

Where can I purchase equipment

Dicks sporting goods located in Fort Lauderdale has a wide selection of Baseball and Softball equipment.

When is practice and games

For leagues Tee-Ball through Coach Pitch (4-10 year olds), games are traditionally on Saturdays. Practices are one day a week, some coaches may opt for more practices. General rule of thumb is one practice - one game.

Minor Division (Kid Pitch) and beyond will play during the week and have multiple practices (Normally 2 games per week & 2 practices depending on coach). Practices are set by the coaches and game times are set by the league.

Where is practice and games

Fort Lauderdale little league has a number of fields for games and practices. Practice locations are generally specified by the coach and game locations by the league. Our 4-10 year olds practice and game locations are Bayview Park, George English and Holiday Park.

What can I do to help the Coach

• Baseball is a game of repetition. Getting your players to practice and games is not only beneficial to them, but to the team. 
• Let your coaches know if your player cannot attend practices or games as soon as you can. Coaches plan games / positions ahead of time.
• Positively support all the players on the team.
• Ask the coach if their is something they need help with during the season.
• ******* Parents Coaching their kids from the stands (yelling out instructions to your child during a game / practice) is distracting to the coaches, other parents and to the players on the field. 
• ******* Your behavior can get you and your coach ejected from a game.
• Baseball is a skills game which takes years to acquire. When your child is trying hard and fails, support them! Please remember, they are kids learning one of the hardest games. THEY NEED YOU above all after a tough game.
• Believe it or not, studies have shown the more parents are involved in the actual game, the less children enjoy it (this does not mean practice time you may spend with your child). Cheer for the team, positively support your child after a bad game (just be their to listen - not criticize or tell them what they did wrong), security at home breeds confidence on the field.

Just remember what it is like after a bad day of work, the kids feel the same way after a bad game. Remember, Baseball is one of the hardest games for young children to learn. And yep, coaches feel good / bad games to! :)

Weather

Since we all live in the great state of Florida, we are all accustomed to rain. We strive to update parents and coaches if field closures are imminent. Our website has a few locations where you can check the status of fields. One of those locations is here in the Team Central called Field Status. When in doubt, call or email your teams coach - do not depend on the Field Status page for a final conclusion. Coaches may move games to dryer fields if available.