Miscellaneous
1. What does league age mean?
All divisions are broken down by ages. Your child’s league age will always be determined using their birthdate. League age is determined by Little League Baseball and we have no control over this. If there are any questions as to a player’s league age, you may be asked to produce a birth certificate.
2. How come in some divisions all the players bat the entire game?
Each division has its own set of rules. The older your child gets, the more rules come into play. See our divisions page for further information regarding the current breakdown of the divisions and rules.
3. Do girls play baseball?
Yes, girls have played baseball in every age group (4-16) in the Grafton Little League. Most of them are in our T-Ball and minor league divisions. You will find that as they get older, many will switch to softball.
4. The Little League Strike Zone
According to the current edition of Little League’s Rules, Regulations, and Policies, the STRIKE ZONE is that space over home plate which is between the batter’s armpits and the top of the knees when the batter assumes a natural stance. The umpire shall determine the strike zone according to the batter’s usual stance when that batter swings at a pitch.
Umpires should always “think strikes” and make a ball convince you that it is a ball. “Borderline” pitches should always be called strikes. This will encourage the batters to be more aggressive at the plate and swing the bat. This is not showing favoritism, because the teams switch sides each half inning.
Registration
1. How do I register?
You can register using this link and pay by check, Visa or Mastercard.
2. Who can register?
Boys and girls ages 4-16 who reside in Grafton can register. Players must be 4 on or before August 31st to be eligible for a league. View the Little League Age Calculator. Players from other towns can be registered into our league if their town does not offer a Little League program. The registration of out of town players is dependent on the number of intown registrations and availability is not guaranteed.
3. When does the season run?
The spring season begins in early April (weather dependent) and runs through mid-June for most leagues. In the fall, the season runs early September through mid October.
4. When are games and practices held?
NOTE: The number or registrations and field availability can affect the days of the weeks noted below. This is only a guideline.
Coaches choose the practice nights.
- T-Ball (ages 4-5) - There are no practices in this division and two games per week usually on Monday, Wednesday, or Saturday. Games last 45-60 minutes
Not available in the Fall
- Single A (ages 6-7) (Coach Pitch) - Two combined game/practice sessions per week lasting 90 minutes each, usually on Tuesday and Thursday. We try to keep the same schedule for fall ball as the spring but as daylight becomes scarce we switch to some Saturdays.
Read Coach Pitch Rules
- AA (age 8-9) (Kid Pitch) - Two games per week usually on Monday, Wednesday, or Saturday. One practice each week. Players are required to attend evaluations (spring season only) and parents will be notified in advance through email, the GLL web site and social media. Games last roughly 75-90 minutes. No new inning is started after 75 minutes of play. We try to keep the same schedule for fall ball as the spring but as daylight becomes scarce we switch to more Saturday events.
Read Kid Pitch Rules
- AAA (ages 10-11) (Bazinet) - Two games per week usually on Tuesday and Friday. Two practices per week. Players are required to attend evaluations (spring season only) and parents will be notified in advance through email, the GLL web site and social media. Games last six innings and extra innings are played to decide a tie. For Fall Ball, usually 1 practice per week and there are no set days of the week for games due the fact that games are played against both Grafton and other local town teams.
Read Bazinet Rules
- Majors (ages 12) - Two games per week usually on Monday and Thursday. Two practices per week. Players are required to attend evaluations (spring season only) and parents will be notified in advance through email, the GLL web site and social media. Ten year olds showing advanced baseball skills (hitting, fielding, pitching,) could be given an opportunity to play in the Majors Division based on the number of teams and openings. Should the parents/player decide they aren’t ready for Majors, they simply play in Bazinet. No 12 year old player will be allowed to play in the Bazinet Division. Games last six innings and extra innings occur in tied games, pending darkness. For Fall Ball, usually 1 practice per week and there are no set days of the week for games due to the fact that games are played against both Grafton and other local town teams.
Follows the official Little League Rule book
- Juniors (ages 13 - 14) & Seniors (ages 15-16) - There is one practice per week and typically two games. Games are in town and against other towns within District 5. Games can be any day of the week. For Fall Ball, usually 1 practice per week and there are no set days of the week for games due the fact that games are played against both Grafton and other local town teams.
- Challenger (ages 4 - 18) - 6 to 8 game season. Practices are usually on Wednesday with games on Saturday. Any individual with a physical or intellectual challenge may participate. See the Challenger Buddy Guidelines.
Not available in the Fall
5. How many divisions are there?
See question 4 above.
6. What equipment do I need to buy for my child?
Your child will need a glove and athletic clothes for practices.
All players will receive a shirt and a hat.
Cleats are optional. Metal spikes are only allowed in the U15 Junior and U17 Senior divisions.
Bats:
For U12 and lower, bats must carry the USA logo or they are not allowed.
For Juniors, either USABat Standard bats or BBCOR bats must be used.
For Seniors, all bats must be meet the BBCOR standard.
For more information on bats, click here.
Catcher's equipment is provided but you may bring your own gear. Catchers must use a full, hockey style helmet with an attached, hanging throat guard.
7. Can I request a certain coach?
You can indicate a desired coach or team in the “Notes” section of the registration page. However, we cannot guarantee that your request can be fulfilled.
8. Can I request that my child be on the same team as his friends?
You can request this via the “Notes” section of the registration page, but we cannot guarantee that these requests will be fulfilled.
9. When is the deadline for registration?
Registration for U12 - AAA and U13 - Majors closes on January 31st.
Registration for U10 - Kid Pitch, U15 Juniors and U17 Seniors closes on March 1st.
Registration for U6 - Tee Ball, U8 - Coach Pitch and Challenger closes on April 1st.
10. Are scholarships available?
Yes. Full and partial scholarships are available upon request for families in need of financial assistance.
Email us with any questions about scholarships at [email protected].
11. Who do I contact if I have any questions?
If you know your division’s VP, you can contact them. Alternatively, you can email Grafton Little League with any questions at [email protected].
12. How can I volunteer to assist with the Grafton Little League?
You can volunteer to coach when you sign your child up.
You can also volunteer at any time by following these directions:
1. Go to https://www.graftonlittleleague.org and login in the upper right hand corner.
2. Once logged in as a registered user, click on the dropdown next to your name or picture in the upper right corner and select "Account".
3. On the left hand side of the page select "Volunteer"
4. Find the button that says "Find Volunteer Roles"
5. Select "Head Coach" or "Assistant Coach" and follow the registration process.
You can also Email us at [email protected] if you are interested in volunteering.