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NWLL Frequently Asked Questions

What does it cost to play? 

Registration fees for the Spring 2013 season are as follows:  

T-ball (5 year olds): $140

A6 (6 year olds; tee then coach pitch): $140

AA7 (7 year olds; coach pitch): $155

AA8 (8 year olds; coach pitch then player pitch): $165

AAA (9-10 year olds; player pitch): $180

Majors (11-12 year olds; player pitch): $190

PONY Baseball (13-14 year olds): $225

Pony Softball (K-12): $135

Note: Scholarships are available for those families with financial hardships. Please see the below information regarding requesting a scholarship.

What are the differences between the different divisions offered at NWLL?

NWLL offers different divisions for players based on their age as of 4/30 in the year they are playing. This is often referred to as a player’s “Little League Age” For example, for the 2013 season, a player’s “Little League Age” is determined by how old the player is as of 4/30/2013. A player with a birth date of 4/20/2006, will be considered to have a 7 year-old Little League Age and will play with other 7 year-olds, while a player with a birth date of 5/1/2006 will be considered to have a Little League Age of 6 for the 2013 season and will play with other 6 year-olds. The age cutoff of 4/30 is mandated by Little League International and is used by all Little Leagues.

A description of each division offered by NWLL is as follows:

T-Ball

This league is for players that are 5 years old as of 4/30/2013. For 2013 only, on a trial basis, NWLL will allow 4 year olds to play in the T-Ball division, so players that are 4 years old as of 4/30/2013 can also register.  The T-ball teams will consist of both 4 and 5 year olds together on a combined team.  T-Ball 5 focuses on learning the basics of the game in a fun and supportive environment. Hitting is done exclusively off the tee. There are no tryouts and players are assigned to teams by the league commissioner with special consideration given to keeping friends together. Requests can be made in the ‘Notes’ section during online registration. In general, there are two events (games or practices) per week, although your coach may schedule additional practices. All games are played at Northwest Little League Park.

A6

This league is for players that are 6 years old as of 4/30/2013.  In A6, the players continue to work on skills and the basic rules of the game, and are introduced to coach pitch, wherein each player is given three chances to hit a thrown ball, and if unsuccessful, is allowed to hit from the tee. There are no tryouts and players are assigned to teams by the league commissioner with special consideration given to keeping friends together. Requests may be made in the ‘Notes’ section of the online registration form. In general, there are two events (games or practices) per week, although your coach may schedule additional practices. All games are played at Northwest Little League Park.

AA7

AA7 is for players seven years old as of 4/30/2013. This is a coach-pitch league and focuses on basic skill development. All players are required to tryout and teams are formed via blind drafts. In general, there are one-two games per week and a practice, as determined by the coach. League games will typically last through May. All league games are played at Northwest Little League Park. Any AA player that decides to play for a DISTRICT TOURNAMENT TEAM could play through the end of June.

AA8

AA8 is for players eight years old as of 4/30/2013. This league consists of coach-pitch for the first half of the season and modified kid-pitch for the remainder of the season. All players are required to tryout and teams are formed via blind drafts. Because teams are created through a draft process, friend requests are not able to be honored. In general, there are one-two games per week and a practice, as determined by the coach. League games will typically last through May and are played at Northwest Little League Park. Any AA player that decides to play for a DISTRICT TOURNAMENT TEAM could play through the end of June.

AAA

The AAA league is for players aged 9-10 years old as of 4/30/2013. AAA is divided into Red and Gray divisions. The Gray division is a modified kid-pitch league for at least the first half of the season and then may change to full player-pitch the second half. The Red league is player-pitch for the entire season. All players must tryout and teams are formed via draft. Because teams are created through a draft process, friend requests are not able to be honored. In general, there are 2 games per week. Regular season games generally run through May and are played at Northwest Little League Park. Players that decide to play for a DISTRICT TOURNAMENT TEAM could play through the end of June. Players selected to the 9-10 ALL-STAR TEAMS for the STATE tournament may play through the end of July, or longer, depending on team success.

Majors

The Major league is for players aged 11-12 years old as of 4/30/2013 and is a player pitch league. Majors is divided into Red and Gray divisions. All players must tryout and teams are formed via draft. Because teams are created through a draft process, friend requests are not able to be honored. In general, there are 2-3 games per week. Regular season games generally run through May and are played at Northwest Little League Park. Players that decide to play for a DISTRICT TOURNAMENT TEAM could play through the end of June. Players selected to the 11-12 ALL-STAR TEAMS for the NATIONAL tournament may play through the end of July, or longer, depending on team success.

How many practices and games per week should we expect?

The number of practices and games per week varies by age group and coach. A typical schedule would be as follows: 

Ages 5-8: One practice per week and one game (weekday or weekend).

Ages 9 & 10: AAA Grey: One practice per week and 1-2 games (weekday and weekend).

Ages 9 & 10: AAA Red: 1-2 practices per week and 2 games per week (weekday and weekend)

Ages 11-12 Majors Grey: One practice per week and 1-2 games (weekday and weekend).

Ages 11-12 Majors Red: 1-2 practices per week and 2-3 games per week (weekday and weekend)

How long is the season?

Typically, our spring season runs from tryouts in early February (for ages 7 and above) to mid-May. There is also post-season play available for ages 7 and above that can run into mid-late June. All-star teams are formed for ages 9 and up that can last through the summer depending upon team success.

What equipment do I need to provide?

NWLL will provide uniforms (including hats), batting helmets and catcher’s gear. Players are responsible for providing fielding glove, bat and cleats. Many players purchase their own helmets, but this is not required.

Can I request for my child to play with a certain coach or with certain other players?

For ages 5-6, we will do our best to accommodate requests to play with other children and/or coaches within their proper Little League age group, but cannot guarantee it. For ages 7 and above, we typically do not grant special requests because we begin tryouts at these ages and strive to balance out the competitive levels of each team as best we can typically through a drafting process.

How do I make a special request?

You can make a special request for your son or daughter in the Notes section in the online registration form. Likewise, you may write in a special request on a mailed in form.

How does NWLL determine what age group a player should play?

 A player's age is determined according to a cutoff date. Per Little League rules, the cutoff date used is April 30th. Therefore, the "League Age" of a player is their age as of April 30 in the current season. For example, a player that turns ten years old prior to or on April 30, will have a "league Age" of 10 for the current season. A player turning ten after April 30, however, will be considered a 9 year-old in current season play. 

Can my child play up or down a league?

NWLL has a strict policy that players should play in the league appropriate to their "League Age" as determined by the Little League age cutoff date (4/30). Exceptions may be made in situations where a player would clearly present a danger either to himself or others by playing in the appropriate league and/or for other extenuating circumstances. Playing up or down a division is permission-based and decisions to allow this move will be made on a case-by-case basis. If you feel your child needs to play up or down, please contact the NWLL President (Contacts).

Please do not falsify a date of birth for a child when registering in order to play in a different league. While we may not catch this initially, it will become known at some point, typically when Little League requires you to present a birth certificate. It also causes us a lot of administrative hassle and frankly is just dishonest. Please don't place your son or daughter in this situation. Should we suspect that this is becoming a problem, NWLL reserves the right to require the presentation of a birth certificate for each player prior to or during the regular season.

 What if my child can't make the tryout?

For NWLL, only players of ages 7 and up are required to tryout. NWLL schedules a make-up date for those that cannot make their scheduled tryout. In addition, as AISD and LISD school districts operate on different calendars, most years our regularly-scheduled tryouts and make-up are during LISD winter break. Therefore, we also offer an earlier tryout date for LISD students.  If you cannot make any of the tryout dates, the coaches will do their best to evaluate the player from prior seasons and place the player appropriately. 

What credit cards do you accept?

Currently we are set up to accept only MasterCard and Visa.

Can I pay by check?

We do not accept payment with checks through the online registration system. However, if you must pay by check, we will accept it with a mail in form. Please click here for an online form, which is located on the "handouts" tab of the NWLL website. Please fill out and mail-in the form, making check out to: NORTHWEST LITTLE LEAGUE, INC.

It is very important if you are mailing in a form to let us know that you are sending so we do not overlook your child when forming teams. Please e-mail the person in charge of registrations to let them know.

Can I pay by e-check?

No. Unfortunately, we do not accept e-checks at this time. We do however accept check by mail (please see above). 

Can I make a donation online?

Yes. At the end of the online registration process, you have the option to make a donation to NWLL that will be used for the improvement of services and fields and scholarships. The amount of your donation will be added to your total at checkout. If you’ve already registered, unfortunately you are not able to go back and make a donation online. However, if you’d like to make a donation after registration, please contact the NWLL President (Contacts). Donations are a great way to help us continue with our improvement of services and facilities. We thank you in advance for your support. 

Can I purchase a sponsorship online?

Yes. At the end of the online registration process, you have the option to purchase a Team Sponsorship. The amount for this sponsorship varies between $300 - $500 per season, depending on the league and division the team you wish to sponsor plays. The amount of the team sponsorship will be added to your total at checkout. If you’ve already registered, unfortunately you are not able to go back and purchase a team sponsorship online. However, if you’d like to purchase a team sponsorship after registration, please contact our registration (Contacts). NWLL also offers other sponsorship opportunities in the form of Field Banners and Field Signs. Because of the specialized pricing of these opportunities, we do not offer them for purchase online, but instead will have a member of NWLL contact you to discuss. If you are interested in purchasing a Field Banner or Sign, please contact the appropriate sponsorship (Contacts). Please consider becoming an NWLL sponsor. We thank you in advance for your support. 

For more information, please download our sponsorship form at: http://www.leaguelineup.com/nwll-austin/files/NWLL_Sponsorship_Form_newest.pdf

Do you offer scholarships?

Yes. NWLL provides need-based fee assistance and has a policy that No Child Will be Left in the Bleachers because of finances. The typical scholarship is 50% of the registration fee. Please contact our league president (Contacts) to request assistance.