AA Baseball (Ages 8-10*)
This division is primarily for 8 and 9 year olds who have successfully demonstrated all of the Coach Pitch skills. This division is also for 10 year olds who were not drafted or ready for the AAA level.
At the AA level, all games will be player-pitch and will use a hard ball for all innings. Players will be introduced to concepts such as stealing bases and have opportunities to develop greater understanding of how to play various positions on the field. Teams will play with a continuous batting order.
The AA Division is a division of baseball where a higher level of game understanding and ability is taught. Competition as it relates to winning and losing is introduced at this level. Winning and losing remain secondary to the essential goal of teaching each player to embrace success or failure with grace and to learn from both. Primary goals are to give players as much experience and playing time as possible and encouragement of ongoing development for all players in all phases of the game. This important developmental division provides a relatively even but not necessarily equal distribution of playing time among players. AA includes player pitch, scoring and umpiring. By the end of the season players are expected to have refined their skills so they may successfully participate at the AAA level the following year.
As with Coach Pitch, the primary objective is to ensure that each player has a positive experience with baseball and desires to play again the following year.
LITTLE LEAGUE AGE DETERMINATION*
Your player’s league age is determined by the Little League Baseball® and Little League Softball® Age Charts. The dates for baseball and softball are different, but each determines the division in which your Little Leaguer will play this season. The Age Determination Date for a Little League Baseball player is the actual age of a child as of August 31 of the current year. The Age Determination Date for a Little League Softball player is the actual age of a child as of January 1 of the current year.
SEASON
Practices typically start 1-2 weeks prior to the first game. The regular season typically starts in early April and runs through mid-June (for Spring Baseball) and late August through the end of October (for Fall Baseball).
GAMES
Each team plays approximately 12 games per season, depending on the number of teams. Usually two games per week inclusive of one weeknight and a Saturday game.
Games played during the week start at 6:30 PM.
Games played on Saturday will be scheduled at times ranging from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
Game length is typically 1½-2 hours, with no new inning starting after two hours and consist of 6 innings (maximum).
If a game needs to be rescheduled due to weather, it will held on Sundays (Spring ONLY).
PRACTICES
Practices occur 1 weeknight per week during the season. Practice schedules vary from team to team based on the requirements of the manager. Practices typically last 1-1/2 hours.
UNIFORMS
GFLL provides a T-shirt jersey, socks and cap. Parents must provide pants and rubber baseball cleats. (Note: No socks are provided in the Fall season).
PLAYING EQUIPMENT
Parents must provide a baseball glove, batting helmet and a USA Baseball-Approved bat. In AA, all players must have a face cage attached to their batting helmet. Some players also like to use batting gloves.
TEAM
Teams usually consist of 11-13 players, a volunteer manager and one to two volunteer coaches.
Teams are selected via a draft in February/March after a player skills assessment (tryouts) is conducted in February. The purpose of the draft is to ensure that skills are evenly divided among all teams, creating a fair experience for all teams.
VOLUNTEER WORK/FUNDRAISING
GFLL is an all-volunteer organization. We need everyone’s help! Parents are expected to serve two shifts at the Snack Shack during the season and to support the GFLL Opening Day and Closing Day activities. Managers will ask parents to also help with team-specific activities such as maintaining a scorebook or GameChanger during games, organizing team events, etc. We love our parent volunteers - thank you for your time and commitment to our league!
AA DIVISION (MINOR LEAGUE) - FAQ's
Q: Do you keep score, and are there umpires?
A: Yes. Every manager maintains a scorebook. League standings are kept in the Spring to determine a regular season winner and to determine playoff games. There is a home plate umpire and 2-3 additional umpires in the field.
Q: What size field do they play on and where is the field?
A: All games are played on a regulation Little League field with a grass infield and grass outfield. Typically, AA games are played on Nike #1 and Nike #2 with games occasionally on Nike #3. Bases are 60’ apart and the pitcher mound is 46’ from home plate.
Q: Can I have my child play on a team with their friends?
A: Not unless they are drafted on to that team. In this age group, player’s skills are evaluated in a skills assessment clinic. Then a draft is held.
Q: Can I manage or coach a team?
A: Yes, if positions are available. Prospective managers must complete an online volunteer form during the registration period for each season. All managers and coaches must be approved by the Great Falls Little League Board of Directors.
Q: Will my child get to play all the time?
A: Probably not all of the game. Specific playing time requirements are defined in the GFLL local rules.
Q: Are there walks in AA?
A: No. If a player has reached 4 balls, the manager or coach from their team comes to home plate to do soft toss pitching. The player maintains their strike count during the soft toss pitching. The player can strike out during soft toss after receiving three strike calls.
Q: What are the volunteer requirements?
A: GFLL is an all volunteer organization so there are many ways to volunteer. Help is always needed with tryouts, team parenting, assisting with picture day and Opening Day activities, helping with post-season tournaments, and working in the Snack Shack to name just a few of the many ways to help support GFLL.
Q: Why a draft? Sounds pretty serious.
A: A draft is the best way to evenly spread the various skill level of players throughout the league. GFLL holds a player skills assessment clinic. Each child participates in hitting, fielding and throwing during their assessment. The player’s skills are assessed and the manager then decides what child he would like to draft in the various rounds of the draft.