Frequently Asked Questions

What are the registration dates for Spring 2025?

Registration is open through Friday, January 17 at midnight. If space is available in a division after we determine teams, there will be a $50 fee for late registrations.

What are the Spring 2025 season dates? 

Practices will start the week of March 3 and games will start the week of March 17. More specifics on practice and game times to come. In general:

• Tee Ball and 6U Coach Pitch will play one game per week on Saturdays, unless a game gets rained out and has to be rescheduled for another day
• 7U and 8U Coach Pitch will play 1-2 games per week
• Minors and Majors will play 2 games a week or more

We plan to field at least one All Star team for every division but Tee Ball. Per Little League rules, 12 regular season games must be scheduled and played to qualify for All Stars in the upper divisions. Additionally, All Star-eligible players must play in 8 of their team's 12 games, and must live or attend school within our league boundaries. We will schedule more games for those divisions but guarantee a minimum of 12. More info on All Stars below.

What’s new for Spring 2025? 

Our Spring 2025 divisions areTee Ball, 6U Coach Pitch, 7U Coach Pitch, 8U Coach Pitch, Minors and Majors.'

What inspired the change to the lower divisions? 

In the spirit of promoting a healthy, competitive balance and sense of community, the MPLL Board considered moving Coach Pitch to a draft. We solicited feedback from families and a clear majority were opposed to the idea. The Board listened and rejected the proposal to move Coach Pitch to a draft, meaning volunteer coaches are free to put together rosters as they have in the past, and families can request coaches and teammates. 

However, to accommodate growth in enrollment and set players up to success and have fun playing baseball, the league has realigned the lower divisions largely along the lines of League Age. The main change is that the two former Coach Pitch divisions (Upper and Lower) have been divided into three divisions based on age: 6U Coach Pitch, 7U Coach Pitch and 8U Coach Pitch. 

What’s the difference between 6U Coach Pitch, 7U Coach Pitch and 8U Coach Pitch? 

See our Divisions page for a detailed breakdown of each.

How do I determine my player's League Age? 

Click here for Little League International's League Age Calculator or here for the League Age chart.

How do I choose the right division for my player? 

In general, all players should play at League Age level. When you register, you’ll likely be offered the choice of three divisions. If you’d like your player to play in a lower or upper division than his/her League Age, you must email mccabeinfo@gmail.com for approval BEFORE you register. Please read the division descriptions on our website for more details. Still not sure? Ask your coach from last season to recommend the right division or email us.

How do I know if my child is ready to move up to the next division? 

This is the most common question we get during registration, and it’s an important one: It affects the amount of fun and sense of accomplishment your child will feel throughout the season and helps keep our league balanced. The McCabe Park philosophy is this: If they’re not ready, don’t rush them (no matter how much FOMO you feel).

If you can answer yes to these questions, consider a move up:

· Has your player mastered all skills required in the current division?

· Is your player showing willingness to work harder and focus?

· Does your player meet challenges and take criticism (relatively) well?

If your answer to any of these questions is no, consider another season in your current division:

· Is your player still building skills needed to succeed in the current division?

· Is it physically safe to move your player up — i.e. will he/she be able to handle faster pitches/baseballs coming at them?

There’s no one-size-fits-all right time to move a player up — it comes down to whenever that player (not the team) is developmentally ready. This helps keep baseball fun and appropriately challenging for all.

If you have questions, ask your previous coach for an honest recommendation or email us at mccabeinfo@gmail.com. 

Can my child be on a team that practices on the days that work best with our schedule? 

Practice days are selected by coaches in the weeks and months after registration closes and rosters are constructed. Once you receive your practice day, if you have a serious conflict that would prevent your child from playing baseball at MPLL, email mccabeinfo@gmail.com and we'll do our best to help. A $50 change fee will be assessed for any player who changes teams after rosters are set and practice schedules are announced.

Which divisions have a draft? 

Minors and Majors teams are formed by a draft. You cannot request coaches or teammates in these divisions, or bring in a fully formed team. 

How are non-draft teams formed? 

Teams for Tee Ball, 6U Coach Pitch, 7U Coach Pitch and 8U Coach Pitch are formed based on (in this order) volunteer coach requests, player requests, schools and other factors. MPLL attempts to accommodate coach and player requests but cannot guarantee that all requests can be accommodated.  

How many players are on each team?

MPLL aims to have 12 players max on each roster, though we try to have less in our lower divisions.

Do I have to request a teammate or coach to register?

Not at all.  You do not have to request a teammate or coach for your player.  All players who register will be placed on team.

I plan to coach: Can I bring a whole team? 

We welcome whole team requests for all non-draft divisions (Tee Ball, 6U Coach Pitch, 7U Coach Pitch and 8U Coach Pitch). If a coach wants to bring a team to MPLL, a full roster should be submitted for approval to mccabeinfo@gmail.com before anyone on the team registers. Formed teams have to have a coach and all families must register individually.

What happens now that we've registered?

Once coaches receive their final rosters, they'll be in touch to introduce themselves and share season details. The league will keep communicating as well via e-newsletter and our social channels. 

What if I need to cancel a registration?  

You can cancel your registration anytime. For the Spring 2025 season, a $50 fee will be deducted from the refund of all registrations cancelled after rosters have been announced. 

What if I need to switch teams after we receive our roster?

We will do our best to accommodate necessary changes, depending on availability. A $50 change fee will be assessed for any player who changes teams after rosters are emailed. A $50 change fee will be assessed for any player who changes teams after practice schedules are announced. 

All Stars vs. summer travel plans

All-Stars is a special time at McCabe. It's the culmination of our competitive spring season and offers the league's best players a chance to play in one of baseball's most inspiring moments: the Little League World Series. Being selected for these teams is a rewarding moment for players and generates great memories for them and their families. It can be a time of great growth for players, while they form deeper bonds with their teammates and friends.

Here's how it works: Teams cannot be formed until May 15 at the earliest, per Little League rules. Little League divides the teams into divisions by player age. For example, 10U is a team of players who are 10 or younger; 8U is a team of players who are 8 or younger, etc. Rosters will be set by McCabe coaches, based on a player's performance in the spring season. In McCabe divisions split into "upper" and "lower" tiers, All Star teams will be formed almost entirely from players in the upper levels, as those are our more competitive levels.

McCabe intends to field a 6U team, two 8U teams, two 10U teams, an 11U team and a 12U team. Please let your coach know if you are interested in being considered for All Stars. If selected, practices generally begin after Memorial Day and will happen a few times per week. The Little League Tournament happens toward the end of June and is finished before the July 4 holiday. Please keep that in mind as you plan summer camps and set your travel plans. We ask that players participate in 75% of practices as well as any weekend "warm-up tournaments" in June that the league will play to help get the kids ready for the environment of the Little League tournament. There will be an additional fee for All-Stars, which will be determined and communicated at a later date.

Do all practices and games take place at McCabe Park? 

Practices and games take place at either McCabe Park or other nearby fields depending on space and availability.

What clothing does my player need?

• Tee Ball players will receive a hat and jersey.
• 6U, 7U, 8U, Minors and Majors players will receive a hat, jersey, belt and socks.
• Parents are responsible for pants, belt, socks, sliding pants (if applicable), cleats and equipment.
• All players must wear closed-toe / athletic shoes at all practices and games. Metal cleats are not allowed. Baseball pants are required for Minors and Majors divisions during practices and games (to be able to slide). Players in lower divisions are encouraged to wear baseball pants to protect their legs, but athletic shorts or pants are also allowed. 

What equipment does my player need?

• Each player will need their own baseball glove and helmet
• Personal bats, cleats and baseball bags/backpacks are recommended but not required
• All bats must be USA Branded bats

Bats must conform to USA BAT standards and have the USA BAT manufacturer stamp on it. The length of a bat cannot exceed 32 inches. Please note, that USSSA BPF 1.15 bats are strictly prohibited. Please consider using a permanent marker to write your player's name on all equipment and water bottles. 

Does MPLL offer financial assistance or need-based scholarships?

Yes.  MPLL does offer financial assistance and wants to make sure that every child that has a desire to play baseball is able to do so. Please email mccabeinfo@gmail.com for more information.

Can I sponsor a team? 

MPLL offers local business owners the opportunity to have their logo on team jerseys and/or park signage that's viewed by the thousands who pack the greenway each week. Sponsorships are a critical part of the overall financial support necessary to give the more than 450 players and their families of the McCabe Park Little League a quality season. In addition to helping provide uniforms and equipment, sponsorship support helps us maintain fields and facilities, provide scholarships to those in need, invest in new resources and equipment and provide ongoing operational support. If you'd like to sponsor a team, please email mccabeinfo@gmail.com.

How do I volunteer to help out? 

MPLL is a volunteer-run organization and welcomes new volunteers!  Please email mccabeinfo@gmail.com if you're interested.

Is there a Lost and Found? 

Yes, and it's always full of water bottles and hats with no names on them! During the season, the Lost and Found is just outside the concession stand at the big field. 

What is your weather policy?

Click here for the MPLL Weather Policy.