Can my daughter play in the Baseball League? Of course! All girls are welcome to play baseball if they wish.
In which league should my child play? If you played in the league last year, your son/daughter should have been evaluated by their manager. This information was passed along to the League Directors.
See the "Welcome" page (home page) for birth date requirements. For registration purposes, the leagues are as follows:
Instructional (I-Ball) - starting program for 6 year olds. Batters bat off a tee (some coaches pitch later in the season). No scores are kept as all batters bat in every inning. All players play in the field every inning. Games last about 90 minutes.
Developmental (D-Ball) - 7 year olds who have played I-Ball. Coaches pitch to players, and plays are made. Emphasis in on fun. All players bat and field every inning. There are no strike-outs or walks. Games have a 3-inning minimum, and take about 90 minutes.
Rookie - 8 year olds who have played D-Ball. Player development is stressed, with players pitching (coaches will assist in the early part of the season or pitching machines might be used). A catcher wears full equipment to learn the position, but there is no stealing. All batters bat; nine players are in the field; and a team may only bat around once in an inning.
Minor National - for 9 and 10 year olds that have played in Rookie. This league is real baseball rules (players pitch; there is stealing; an inning ends when there are three outs).
Minor American - for 11 year olds and invited players who played in Minor National last year. This league will be competitive. A majority of baseball's rulebook applies.
Majors - for 12 year old players and invited 11 year old players. All baseball rulebook rules apply - very competitive.
Babe Ruth - for 13 to 15 year old players. This age group plays on the 'real' field - 90 feet baselines and 60 feet pitching.
Senior Babe Ruth - for 16 to 18 year old players. For interested high school players.
My child is not a really "good" athlete. Where should she/he play? Don’t let them retire yet! They may be a late bloomer. Baseball is a skill related sport - safety factors on a thrown or hit ball are considered in placing players at the proper level of play. To build confidence in player development and to stay involved with the game, it is recommended that the player be comfortable hitting and playing all positions, in a league that is proper. Rather than be overwhelmed by the pitching level, not playing all positions, or sitting out frequently, we have developed multiple leagues to fit the level of all players.
How much playing time will my child get? It depends on the league. We typically limit the rosters to 12 players, so three would sit out in each inning if everyone shows up for a game. (note: some towns have 15 on a team and 6 players sit out each inning!). For all leagues, all players are in the batting order. For fielding positions, coaches can make the choice of who/how many times per game a player sits. Although it costs our league additional money to have more teams, our goal is to have as much playing time in the field and at bats for each player. Each team will be scheduled for 10 to 16 games, plus playoffs.
Are there Coaches Clinics? When? What is required? All coaches in the field are required to attend a Safety Course offered by the Rutgers Youth Sports Research Council via the Township's Recreation Department. It is mandatory if you will be on the field. All coaches must also successfully complete the Babe Ruth Coaching Certification exam. And finally, coaches attend Coaches Clinics done by our High school coaches and other experienced MBL coaches who help in skill development and running effective practices. Please attend, even if you are not a coach, so you can help out! We plan to have these between early February and late March, before the start of the season.
Can my child play in another non-scholastic league (such as AAU or Garden State)? So long as participation does not interfere with the Montgomery program and the Montgomery program is considered the primary priority it can be accommodated.
REGISTRATION INFORMATION How much does it cost to register? The registration fee for our Spring Recreation Program is $225 per player, if registered by December 31. We also offer a multi-player discount to families.
How is the Registration Fee used? MBL is a non-profit, voluntary organization, that receives no subsidization from either Montgomery or Rocky Hill. Registration Fees cover the expenses incurred to put a player on the field during the spring season. These include: uniforms (hat, shirt, pants, and socks, which the players keep), insurance, charter fees, trophies, umpires, and costs for the McKnight Complex (e.g., maintenance, casualty and property insurance, and utilities). In addition, expenses associated with the concession stand, bathroom, plumbing, and other miscellaneous "up-keep" items are covered. The generosity of our team sponsors, advertisers, and donors supports costs not covered by registration fees.
(Note: Travel teams and Fall Ball teams have separate, incremental fees for each player that cover the costs incurred for those seasons).
What happens if I do not register by 31st of December? If you miss the December 31st deadline, your child's registration may be placed on a waiting list. We cannot guarantee your child's participation on a team, but we will make every effort to accommodate your registration. Any registration received after 31st December will incur a fee increase of $25 per registrant.
I can not afford the registration fee. Will my children be able to play? Yes. Every child who wants to play in our program activities will be allowed regardless of any family economic hardship. Please contact the current league president if your family, or someone you know, requires assistance. Completion of a registration application will still be required. Such matters are kept in absolute confidence. Click on "MBL Board" for the president's contact information.
Effective with the 2011 season, the FPF was eliminated. The administrative aspects of maintaining this fee were no longer feasible. And, historically, over 95% of our participating families donated the FPF back into the program. There is still an expectation that families volunteer up to 5 hours of their time to the program as we are a self-sustaining, not for profit that receives no financial support from the Township. Without our wonderful volunteers, the program would become cost prohibitive to maintain.
SPONSORS & ADVERTISERS I would like to Sponsor a team. How do I do it? On the form, please indicate the sponsor name as you would like it on the shirt. We will match it to the team. Please contact the VP of Marketing for more information (click on "MBL Board" for contact info).
How do I become a Home Run Fence , Scoreboard, or Dugout Advertiser? On the form, please indicate the name or your organization, and we will assist you in having your corporate logo (from you letterhead) developed. Please contact the VP of Marketing for more information (click on "MBL Board" for contact info).
What else is expected of parents? We are a self-sustaining organization so any volunteer help you can provide in support of the program is greatly appreciated. Whether it is coaching, working our concession stand or actively participating on one of our sub-committees it is all welcomed and necessary. In addition, we ask that you attend the mandatory Parents Night (late March / Early April). Moreover, please attend games (your child knows when you are missing!), support the team and coaching staff, respect umpires' decisions, practice basic baseball skills with your child, and make it an enjoyable experience for everyone involved. Many of the umpires are teenagers, but they are in charge, so proper behavior towards them is expected.
What are the Future Goals of MBL? We want to continue the improvement of all players with better coaching and appropriate playing levels. Our High School coaches are anxious to help to feed their programs. We have a few short term goals that we would like to accomplish. Without strong fund raising, from you and your companies, we will not be able to accomplish them… Dedicated MBL practice facility, upgraded facilities for our young Instructional and Developmental divisions…Lights on more fields…Indoor batting cage facility…and more!
We sincerely thank you for your support and hope your children and you will have the best baseball experience ever!
