When does the Little League season start?
The 2008 Little League season is scheduled to open on 14 June 2008.  For more details about Herts Little League events please visit the SCHEDULE.

Where will the Little League events take place?
Games, training sessions and other events will be held at Grovehill Ballpark, which is one of the UK’s best baseball facilities and home of the Herts Falcons, Herts Hawks and the Herts Raptors.  For directions please visit http://www.hertsbaseball.com/fields/.

Is the Little League for boys and girls?
Yes.  Both boys and girls are able to take part.  Baseball is a sport which can bring equal amount of fun for boys and for girls.

What is the age of the players?
Players aged between around 7 and 12 have already registered to take part and there are even some younger and older players who have registered so we will look to accommodate as many age groups as possible.

How can my child join the Herts Little League?
To be added to our mailing list please visit this page to PRE-REGISTER for the season and we will provide you with details.

Is it too late to join now?
No.  You can join the league at any time?

What are the costs?
To cover the costs of organizing the Herts Little League, players will be asked to pay an annual membership fee.  The 2008 membership fee is expected to be around £30.  The exact amount will be confirmed a little closer to the start of the season.  Players will also be able to buy their uniforms.  The uniform prices will be confirmed in due course.  If you join the league partway through the season your annual membership fee will be reduced on a pro-rata basis (.e.g if you join at the halfway point of the season your fee will be reduced by 50%).  Spring training sessions are absolutely FREE.

What do players need to bring?
All necessary equipment (e.g. fielding gloves, bats, balls, helmets etc) will be provided.  We know that many of the kids would prefer to buy their very own fielding gloves and we encourage this.  This would allow them to practice at home with their friends plus it will mean that they will have a glove which fits them perfectly and they will be able to get used to playing with the same glove.

Will drinks and food be available?
We are planning to have food and refreshments available on game days.  Exact details will be confirmed a little closer to Opening Day. 

Do I have to be a resident of Hertfordshire to play in the Herts Little League?
The Herst Baseball Little League is open to anyone who is interested in taking part regardless of whether or not they are residents of Hertfordshire.

What is the British Baseball National Championships Final 4?
The governing body of British Baseball, the BBF, stages the Youth Baseball National Championships at the end of every season.  The BBF sent a special invitation for an All-Star Team representing the Herts Baseball Little League to play a one-game Wild Card Playoff.  The winner of that game will qualify for the BBF National Championship Final 4 event where they will meet against the top teams in Great Britain.  

What are the PlayBall World Series?
Play Ball! is an award-winning, comprehensive and integrated youth development programme aimed at growing youth baseball and softball leagues throughout the United Kingdom. Developed by Major League Baseball, in partnership with BaseballSoftballUK, Play Ball! has been designed to encourage strong community participation and to maximise enjoyment for boys and girls.  For more information click here.

Will my child play in the British Final 4 and / or the PlayBall World Series?
Herts Baseball Club will look to reward the most dedicated, hard working and talented Little Leaguers by selecting them to represent Herst Baseball Club at these prestigious National events.  The decision, which players will be selected, will be based on all of these factors including the players’ statistics which they generate over the course of the season.  Therefore, every player will have the opportunity to earn the honour of playing for the Herts Little League All-Star Team.

Who will coach the Little League players?
The sessions will be run by coaches from Herts Baseball Club.  Many of the parents have baseball experience and the League will encourage them to get involved in some capacity (e.g. team manager, coach, umpire, scorer etc.)

Do parents have to stay with their children during the Little League events?
We strongly encourage and hope that parents will attend the Little League events to support their kids and their teams.  Attendance by parents would be great for the kids and will help to create a unique family baseball atmosphere.  Parents do not necessarily have to stay with their children during the Little League events.  One of the responsibilities of the coaches from our club and from BSUK would be to look after the well-being of the kids during the sessions.  It may be advisable for parents to come to the first session and to check for themselves to see if they are happy with the arrangements we have made and to decide whether or not to stay with their children during the game/session.  At the moment we are hoping to have enough coaches to provide coverage of 1 coach for every 10-15 children, plus we will make arrangements for regular breaks during the training sessions to allow the kids to have their drinks, food and visit the toilet facilities etc. 

Can the Parents and other family members and friends get involved?
We are looking for volunteers to help out throughout the summer and if you are interested in providing support please inform us.  Also, the Herts Baseball Club has three affiliated adult teams, the Herts Falcons, Herts Hawks and the Herts Raptors competing in the British Baseball League for adults (14 years of age and older).  If you or any of your older children and friends are interested to try the game of baseball then you are very much welcome to give it a go with our adult teams.   We have new players joining us every month, from complete beginners to experienced Pros.  For more details visit http://www.hertsbaseball.com/.  

Where can we watch a baseball game?
The club is planning to invite the Little Leaguers to witness an official game from the British Baseball League (the adult league) involving the Hertfordshire teams, which is a great opportunity for the whole family to spend an enjoyable summer afternoon and maybe have a picnic at the baseball field.