Columbia Little League Frequently Asked Questions

1) When can I register?

Online registration for CLL typically opens in late December to early January for the spring season. Registration typically closes in mid February, but waiting lists will be developed and filled depending on the number of managers (teams) available.

For Fall Ball, registration opens in late July and ends in mid August. Practices start in late August, games start around Labor Day and run “as long as Mother Nature allows” (usually mid to late October).

2) How do I determine which League I should register for?

Go to: https://www.littleleague.org/play-little-league/league-finder/

Any player who:

-does not reside in the league boundaries -OR-

- the school where they attend classes is not WITHIN the league’s boundaries must have an approved waiver issued by the Charter Committee at Little League International.

3) How do I register for CLL?

First, refer to FAQ #2 to determine if your address is in the CLL boundaries. Once confirmed, you can register for your program on the Registration Page - if either your home address is within CLL boundaries or the address of the school the player attends is in the boundaries, you can register for CLL. Homeschooled children and children attending on-line school must reside in the CLL boundaries.

4) How are team rosters formed for Minors, Majors, 50/70, Juniors divisions?

Rosters for baseball and softball minors divisions and above (Minors, Majors, 50/70, Juniors+) are established via a tryout and draft process. There are no “pre-designated” coaches or assistant coaches for these divisions (refer to FAQ #9).

5) Should my player attend try-outs/player assessment?

For competitive divisions (minors player pitch and above) that have more than one team, all players must attend one try-out/player assessment in order to be eligible for All-Stars.

6) How do I find my child’s “League Age”?

Go to: https://www.littleleague.org/play-little-league/determine-league-age/ and follow the prompts in the “League Age Calculator” section. Your child’s current age is often not the same as their “league age”.

7) Which division(s) is my child eligible to play in?

With few exceptions the typical League Age to division ages are::

Tee Ball – ages 4-6

Coach Pitch – ages 6*-8                 *with at least one season of tee ball experience

Minors – ages 8* through 10         *preferred with at least one season at coach pitch

Majors – ages 10*-12    *preferred with at least one season at minors

50/70 – ages 12 and 13

Juniors – ages 13 and 14

Seniors – ages 14-16

8) How are team rosters formed for Coach Pitch and Tee Ball divisions?

Rosters for Coach Pitch and Tee Ball are formed as follows: 

a) Random draft, with attempt for equal age distribution across teams; 

b) Managers can be assured that their child(ren) will be placed on their roster; 

c) Managers may request up to two (2) assistant coaches whose child(ren) will also be placed on their roster. Only managers can request a specific assistant, not the other way around. 

d) Siblings will be placed on the same team, but not necessarily a specific team (e.g. only the manager’s children are guaranteed to be on their team)

There is no guarantee that any player will remain with a given coach, player or team from one year to the next. 

9) How are team managers and coaches selected?

First, VOLUNTEER  to be a manager or coach!  Every role in Little League is held by a volunteer.  Managers, coaches, and umpires are then appointed by the League President, with the approval of the Board of Directors. All Star managers and coaches are appointed by the League President.

10) Can I request to be a coach or assistant coach for a particular manager?

To coach or assistant coach with a particular manager, you will need to work with that manager. In the Minors, Majors, 50/70 and Juniors and above, a Manager secures their preferred coaches and assistant coaches via drafting that person's child(ren) during the draft. 

For Coach Pitch and Tee Ball divisions, Managers may request up to two (2) assistant coaches whose child(ren) will be placed on their roster. Only managers can request a specific assistant coach, not the other way around.

11) If a manager, coach or umpire is returning from previous years, do they automatically get the same position in the next year?

Volunteers in the local Little League program DO NOT HAVE TENURE, regardless of the years of service. In order to serve, a manager, coach or umpire must be appointed by the league president and approved by the local league board of directors annually. Prior service DOES NOT guarantee re-appointment.  

12) Can I request placement of my child on a specific team because of carpooling?

No. Carpool arrangements should be made with other parents/guardians AFTER the rosters are announced. 

For Coach Pitch and Tee Ball divisions: If the ONLY way your child can participate is by carpooling with another family, both families are required to secure the approval of the carpool request from the League President prior to registration. If the carpool request is approved by the President, the Player Agent will make every attempt to place your child on the same roster as the family you identify as your carpool partner. If approved, this does not mean your child will be on a specific managers’ team - only that the identified children will be on the same roster. No carpool requests will be considered without prior approval of the League President. No refunds will be issued for carpool requests that could not be accommodated unless approved by the League President.

13) When will I hear what team my child is on?

For draft divisions (Minors, Majors, 50/70, Juniors+), you should be contacted by a team manager within a week of the draft being completed (usually late February to early March). For non-draft divisions (Coach Pitch, Tee Ball) you should typically be contacted by the team manager mid to late March of each season.  

For Fall Ball, you should hear from your team manager by late August, once teams have been determined. 

14) What is the time commitment?

Game and practice commitments vary by division. For every division, practice and game commitments are at least 3 times per week. Each event varies from approximately 1.5 to 3 hours depending on division. Upper division events are generally longer (and potentially more frequent) than lower division events. Refer to the Division Info and League Ages page for more detail.

Practice schedules are determined by team managers.  Game schedules are generally not released until just a week or so before games begin.  There is no way to pre-determine which days of the week players will typically have practice or games before the season actually begins.  

15) When does the season start and end?

Practices and games typically commence mid-March to early April. The regular season typically concludes late May to early June. You can find specific events for the season on Team Central > Calendar.

Again, for Fall Ball, registration opens in late July and ends in mid August. Practices start in late August, games start around Labor Day and run “as long as Mother Nature allows” (usually mid to late October).

Note: Technically, Fall Ball is just an extension of the spring season. Fall Ball is our instructional season for both players and managers/coaches/volunteers. This is a great time to try out something new in a less formal environment. We encourage parents/guardians to volunteer in this “lower-stress” environment to “stretch their wings” and fly in new ways.

16) Are there scholarships available?

T-Mobile Little League® also offers a call up grant program; Learn more at https://www.littleleague.org/call-up-grant-program/

17) Can I get a refund if I withdraw my player?  

Refunds are not provided after jerseys have been issued. Otherwise, refunds will be 93% of the fee paid. Please make every effort not to register if there is uncertainty -  a lot of organization and effort goes into acquiring team staff and rostering teams.  Often, one player can make the difference as to whether one team turns into two teams or zero teams. 

18) Are there volunteer opportunities with Columbia Little League? 

Absolutely! To volunteer, you must register on the CLL website and fill out the volunteer application and complete a background check. Please email [email protected] when you've done these things to learn about current needs and openings.