T-Ball League
The T-Ball League is where it all begins! Children between the ages 4, 5 or 6 can play in this league or in grades pre-K, K or 1.  Our T-Ball League is first and foremost about FUN.   We believe that this should be an absolutely positive experience for the youngsters.  This is probably their first introduction to the concept of a team, and they will learn some of the things that can make it so enjoyable to be part of a team.

Further, the children will be introduced to the skills of baseball.  We start with the absolute basics of baseball.  The children will be taught how to hold, throw and catch a baseball (we use soft, cloth covered baseballs for safety).  Other skills include how to swing a bat, hit the ball and run around the bases in the correct direction.  The children play a 3-inning game where every child bats each inning. The after game snacks are also a big hit at this age!

Players are selected onto teams usually based on what school they attend or special requests by parents.  T-Ball games are on Saturdays and a team practice is held during the week.

T-Ball League Commissioner:  Alex Spira

T-Ball League Rules
 

T-Ball League Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Parents should read the following questions and answers as most questions from T-Ball Parents are answered on this page!

If you find your question is not answered here or you would like more detailed information, please drop us an email at: info@herndonbaseball.com or email the T-Ball Commissioner listed above.

Q: What day and time are practices? What field? I want to schedule in advance.

A:  The team manager selects the date, time and field for team practices. Managers for the spring season are selected in late February. The team managers get to pick their practice field assignments in mid-March, just before Back to Baseball Night. 

If you want to ensure that you get the day of the week and time that is right for you, may we suggest that you volunteer to manage a team? It's a great experience. A link to our volunteer form is on the Registration page.

Q: When will we get a game and practice schedule? I haven't heard from a coach yet.

A:  Managers usually get the game schedule just before Back to Baseball Night. Team managers are not allowed to contact parents and players until Back to Baseball Night.   All T-Ball and Coach Pitch games are on Saturdays with a practice during the work week.

There is no set time for games on Saturdays. First games usually start at 8:00 a.m. with the last game starting around 2:00 p.m. Games typically don't last more than one hour.

Q: What the heck is Back to Baseball Night?

A:  On a Sunday evening in mid-March we have a meeting with all league parents to welcome them to the new spring season. We introduce ourselves, tell parents about the league, how it operates and other information that is of interest to parents. The meeting is designed for adults so we recommend that you keep your eager ballplayer at home.

After the general meeting we break into smaller groups by team. You will receive a list of all players indexed by league and team. During the breakout session you will meet your child's manager and he will let you know about practices, etc. He may also have a team roster to share with you at that time.

If you can't attend B2B Night, don't worry, your team manager will contact you within the next 48-hours.

Q: What team is my child on? I would like him to play with his friends or classmates?

A:  When you registered your child, there is a small text field near the end of the online registration form for you to make special requests. Fill in your request there, and we'll be sure to hook them up.  If there is a particular coach that you like make sure you request him on the form. It's difficult to move kids once placed on a team, so please make sure you make your wishes known before teams are assembled.

If you make no special request, players are generally placed by the school they attend or the local neighborhood.

Q: What is the difference between the team manager and a coach?

A:  Generically, we sometime refer to the manager as the coach. However, in baseball the head coach is the manager and he is "in charge" of the team. Coaches are the assistants to the manager.

In all cases managers and coaches should fill out the volunteer form to be allowed to work with the kids. Further, we require that all managers and coaches attend one of our Positive Coaching Alliance training sessions. The training is free and teaches coaches how to work with children in a positive and productive way.

Q: What equipment does my child need to play baseball?

A:  All they need is a glove. If you have not bought a glove yet, we would recommend the smallest glove that would fit comfortably on their hand. If you child throws with his right hand, then you would buy a glove that would fit on his left hand.  Choose a glove that has soft leather and purchase a small bottle of glove oil to "oil up" the leather to make it more soft and supple. This will allow your child to catch balls more easily.

We provide bats, balls and batting helmets. Players can wear athletic shoes or cleats.  If your child would like to use his own bat, we recommend a bat that has a rating of "minus 8" (-8), or -9. The lighter the bat, the easier it will be for the player to swing.

Q: Does the league provide trophies for the players?

A:  For the T-Ball, Coach Pitch and Machine Pitch leagues there are no league provided participation trophies. Typically, the Team Mom or a parent volunteer collects a nominal amount ($5 to $8) from each parent and purchases trophies which are "awarded" to the players during the end-of-season team party.  Trophies can be purchased from any vendor. HOYB has purchased trophies from Service Engraving Company of Herndon, Virginia for many years.

In the competitive leagues (Rookie and above) the teams compete for trophies which are awarded to the top two teams during the regular season and the top two finishers in the Championship Series.