Many aspects of how our BBSA program runs are determined by our parent organization, Babe Ruth League (http://www.baberuthleague.org/).However, there is some flexibility in certain areas.Not every town runs their youth baseball program in exactly the same way.This page provides some questions and answers about organized youth baseball and softball in Burlington. Should you have a question about any aspect of our organization, please contact ance Baldwin.
A:Our new BBSAOnline.com Web site is a tremendous education and communication tool for our community of parents, players, coaches and board members. And, unlike many sites, our new site depends on your participation to see the full power. If you have not registered yet, please take a minute now to do so by clicking on the “Edit My Account” link in the left hand navigation menu on the BBSAOnline.com homepage and type in just your email address. Do not enter a password. Within a few minutes you will receive an email with a temporary password. Now you can login and start adding parents and children to your account. To login, click on the “Edit My Account” link again in the left hand navigation menu on the BBSAOnline.com homepage and type in both your email address and password.
For future reference, should you want to change your password or other account information, please use the "Edit My Account" link in the left navigation bar and follow the prompts from there.
The benefits of registering with BBSAOnline.com are that we will build up our community network as well as you'll receive a more personalized experience.After registering, you'll be able to participate in the on-line forum, receive notifications of upcoming games and practices, receive directed emails from your coaches, receive notices when updates are made to BBSAOnline.com and more.During the season, you will also be able to access to team-specific information pages and more.
Q. How do I edit my contact information on BBSAOnline.com, such as change my phone number or add a second email address? A. To edit you and your family's existing account information, you'll first need to sign in. If you've previously been issued an account password during online registration, click on “Edit My Account” in the left-hand navigation menu and enter your email and password. Once you've logged in to our BBSAOnline.com site, you can then set or change your preferences such as text messaging, e-mailing notification regarding games, pubic/private/roster viewing of your info (please use Roster if not a coach), etc. This screen also links to all members of your family as well. You can change their information as well.
While at this screen, you are also able to update your contact information so BBSA always has the most up-to-date info. If you want multiple emails on your account, please put a semicolon ";" after the first email and then enter the second email.
Q. What if I forgot my password to log into the BBSAOnline.com site? A: Click on “Edit My Account” in the left-hand navigation menu and enter just your email and no password, then click "Submit". The website will then email you a temporary password to use for sign in.
Q. How do I add a new child to my account?
A. Click on “Edit My Account” in the left-hand navigation menu and select the “Add Child” link below the current members of your account.
Q:Why does BBSAOnline.com need my email address?
A:The BBSA is a non-profit, all volunteer organization. In order to save money and volunteer effort, much of our communication is electronic through either our web site or emails. At registration time, please verify that we have your correct email listed so we can update it in our database. Please know that the BBSA values and respects your privacy and will never sell your address to anyone.
Q. What if I am new to BBSA or BBSAOnline.com?
A. Go to “Edit My Account” and type in your email address. Within a few minutes you will get a temporary password. Now you can login and start adding parents and children to your account.
Q: How do I post photo's to the BBSAOnline.com web site?
A: Should anyone have digital photo's they'd like to share on the BBSAOnline.com web site, please send the picture(s) along with any proposed captions to their Team Manager. Team Manager's are responsible for posting any team photo's. Should anyone have othe photos they'd like to see posted to the web site, please send the picture(s) in an email to ance Baldwin. The photo's will be reviewed to ensure compliance with the BBSAOnline.com rules before posting to the BBSAOnline.com Web site. Also, please include parent's permission for any photo's of children under 13 years old. See FAQ "Are there any rules regarding posting photo's to the BBSAOnline.com Web site?" for details.
Q: Are there any rules regarding posting photo's to the BBSAOnline.com web site?
A: Yes. The Federal Trade Commission has implemented the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA). The main goal of the COPPA and the rule is to protect the privacy of children using the Internet. Publication of the rule means that, as of April 21, 2000, certain commercial Web sites must obtain parental consent before collecting, using, or disclosing personal information from children under 13.
The BBSAOnline.com web site maintains COPPA Compliance. We will not post identifiable photos of children on the BBSAOnline.com web site without permission from the parent. Also, we will not include a player's full name in the photo caption, or post a photo where a nameplate is visible.
Q:How do I register my child to play baseball or softball? A:To register on-line, it's as simple as 1-2-3: 1. Navigate to the "Register Online" page
2. Select the appropriate program for your child
3. Complete the form as instructed
Q: How do I determine the age eligibility of my child?
A: Each registration program carries a unique date range for age eligibility. Please see the "Register Online" page to determine which program you child may be eligible to play.
Q: How much does it cost to play?
A: Beginning with the 2011 season there are a number of important changes to the BBSA registration fee structure. Please read the BBSA Registration Fee Structure and Date information (located HERE) carefully so as to fully understand how they may impact you and your family.
Q:How do I register my child to play baseball or softball using the BBSAOnline.com web site?
A:Click on the “Register Online” link in the left hand navigation menu.Then, from the list of programs, click the "Register" button in the upper right of the appropriate program for your child and complete the form as instructed.Any questions, please contact ance Baldwin.
Before proceeding:
1. Have your credit card ready. 2. Registration is not complete until payment is received. 3. Payments accepted on-line only by credit card (MasterCard or Visa).
Q:Will there be walk-in player registrations?
A:Based on the tremendous feedback since implementing our online registration process, we will be conducting all registrations online moving forward. We will not be holding walk-in registrations as in past years. However, should you not have access to a computer or otherwise not able to take advantage of our online registration process, please contact Jim Grasso, the BBSA Registration Director, directly at (781) 439-5031.
Q:How do I know you received my registration on-line?
A:As part of the online registration process, you will receive an email from our BBSAOnline.com web site with a receipt and confirmation of your registration. If you do not get an email, something went wrong with the registration and you are not registered. You are able to log back into your personal account from the web site Home Page and this will tell you what division your child is registered for.
To minimize the errors before teams are created and uniforms are ordered, you are encouraged to log into your personal information account. To do this, click on the "Edit My Info" button on the lower left menu button. All parents should verify that their child is in the correct division with the correct shirt size. If you notice that there is incorrect or missing information, change what you can. If there is information such as birthdates or divisions you believe to be wrong, please email the Registration Director. As registration ends, parents will also be able to verify what team their child is on and the contact information for the manager through the web site.
Q:I received an email from "Notification@leagueathletics.com" with a subject of “Registration Deleted” stating the registration for my child has been deleted.What’s up with that?
A:The notification is an automated response from our BBSAOnline.com web site as a result of an incomplete registration program that existed for your child.Submit a player registration for your child by following the registration process here.
Q. How come the “Register” button is grayed out next to my child’s name?
A. If your child is not eligible for the currently selected division, then the “Register” button next to their name will be grayed out. To change the division click on the “Register Online” link on the left side of the page and then choose the division you wish to register for.
Q. How come the site makes me pay after I register each child?
A. After you register a child the site takes you to the “Check-out” page, however you do not have to pay at this point. At the bottom of the page is a “Click here to return to the Registration home page” link. If you have more children to register you should choose this.
Q:How are siblings in the same division handled?
A:In non-draft leagues (T-ball, Farm, Rookie), siblings are placed on the same team unless the BBSA is informed to do otherwise by the parents/guardians. In draft-based leagues, requests to place relatives on the same team should be submitted to the Registration Director. These requests will be honored whenever possible.
Q:If my child is unhappy with the team they are placed on, can they switch teams?
A:Only in extreme cases does the league allow children to switch teams after the teams have been formed. Such requests must be made in writing to BBSA's President for consideration.Approval requires extenuating circumstances, so any request is highly unlikely to be approved, and in most cases we will ask the player remains with their team. Team balance is established early on, and changes of this type are difficult if not impossible to implement without upsetting the balance that has been established.
Q:If my child decides to quit, is it possible to get a refund?
A:The BBSA refund policy is based on when you make the request. To request a refund please send your request to ance Baldwin. The following outlines the refund policy based on receipt of your request:
Early Registration Phase Refund Policy = During this phase, anyone who requests a refund will receive a full refund of the registration fee paid.
Regular Registration Phase Refund Policy = During this phase, anyone who requests a refund will receive a refund of the registration fee paid minus $30 to cover admistration costs.
Late Registration Phase Refund Policy = During this phase, no refunds are allowed.
Q:Can I keep my child down in a lower division or bring him/her up a division a year early?
A:BBSA strongly supports age appropriate competition and development. BBSA does not allow players to move up a division early.The only other time an adjustment may be made is when there is a safety risk to a player playing in their age appropriate division. At that time, a parent request needs to be made to the BBSA Board of Directors. A decision will be made to allow the player to play down.
Q: Can my 12 year-old play in the Ripken Majors League? A: New in 2009, an update to Ripken Majors & AAA rules now allow for any 12 year-old that wishes to play in the Ripken Majors can indicate as such when he/she signs up. If they wish to stay in AAA they should indicate that on the registration form as well. All eleven year olds that would like to play in the Ripken Majors MUST attend one of the two tryouts. They will then be ELIGIBLE to be chosen to the Ripken Majors, but are not guaranteed a spot in the Ripken Majors. Please contact ance Baldwin for more details on the tryouts.
Please note that there will be an open draft this year and all players that played in Ripken Majors last year will be participate in the open draft and will not necessarily be on the same team as last year, with the exception of any father son options. It would be beneficial if these players attended one of the tryouts to help any new managers that haven’t seen them play.
Q: Can my 12 year-old play in the Ripken AAA League? A: New in 2009, an update to Ripken Majors & AAA rules now allow for any 12 year-old that wishes to play in the Ripken Majors can indicate as such when he/she signs up. If they wish to stay in AAA they should indicate that on the registration form as well. All eleven year olds that would like to play in the Ripken Majors MUST attend one of the two tryouts on February 28 (9:00 AM to 12:00 PM) or March 6 (6:00 PM to 9:00 PM). They will then be ELIGIBLE to be chosen to the Ripken Majors, but are not guaranteed a spot in the Ripken Majors. Please contact ance Baldwin for more details on the tryouts.
Please note that there will be an open draft this year and all players that played in Ripken Majors last year will be participate in the open draft and will not necessarily be on the same team as last year, with the exception of any father son options. It would be beneficial if these players attended one of the tryouts to help any new managers that haven’t seen them play.
A:Each year the exact date is different, but Opening Day is always the 3rd week of April.
Q: How long does the season last?
A:The BBSA season usually lasts for 8-10 weeks from late April through mid-late June. All leagues except Tee-ball, Farm, and Rookie end with a league playoff tournament. The BBSA also conducts a separate summer season for some age groups (based on participation) that plays in July and August. Q:How are Teams Assigned? A:Players in Tee-ball, Farm, and Rookie league are typically assigned to teams by school and by parent-requested groupings. Other players compete in “draft-leagues” where teams are selected by the coaches through a draft process. Baseball players at the 12 year old level have the choice of participating in either the AAA league or Majors league. Baseball players at the 11 year old level may tryout for the Majors league, but must be drafted into that league to participate, otherwise they will participate in the AAA league draft If you have a special situation that warrants a request to be on the same team as someone else (e.g., a sibling or neighbor), please submit your request to ance Baldwin.
Q:When are games played?
A:Games are played every week throughout the season. Players are expected to attend every game unless they have been excused by their manager or coach. Most leagues play an average of 2 games per week during the regular season. At the end of the regular season, league playoffs are held to determine the town championship teams for each level. Note: Games and Practices are not allow to be scheduled before 12:00 noon on Sundays. BBSA Bylaws prohibit scheduling league events prior to noon on Sunday.
Q:Where are games played? Fields are located throughout Burlington.See the “Fields” menu for a complete list of field names and locations.
Q:What days and times are the games played?
A:Game days vary by league. Weekday games are typically played at 5:30pm, with night games also played at Simonds Park at 7:30pm. Weekend game times vary. It is recommended that players arrive at the field at least 30 minutes prior to game time so they can properly warm up, and managers can get the line-up cards ready prior to the start of the game, but please verify the exact time your manager wants the players at the field.
Q:Who umpires BBSA games?
A: BBSA uses a combination of coaches, parent volunteers, and paid umpires. In the lower divisions (T-Ball, Farm, Rookie), the volunteers are either coaches or parents of BBSA players in those divisions. In other divisions (Ripken A/AA/AAA/Majors; Jr./Int/Sr. Softball; Babe Ruth Minors/Majors), the plate umpires are certified umpires and trained students. These umpires are supplied by BBSA. All umpires are required to attend training clinics. If you are interested in becoming an umpire, please contact the BBSA President. Q:Are There Practices? A:Based on weather and field conditions, practices are scheduled for most teams prior to the start of the regular season. Due to field availability, there are few, if any, scheduled practices during the season. Team managers will inform the players of any practices.
Q: How many days a week they will practice/play and on what days? A: When it comes to practices, there are a number of factors that determine both quantity and frequency of practices....weather, field availability and team managers. Based on weather and field conditions, practices are scheduled for most teams prior to the start of the regular season. There are no set dates/schedules or pre-defined number of practices each team will have. Rather, due to field availability, there are relatively few, if any, scheduled practices during the season. Team managers will inform the players of any practices. Ultimately, there is no set schedule for practices, but vary per team and are heavily dependant on weather and field availability. Q:What equipment will my child need before the first practice or game?
A:Players in Tee-ball and Farm league will need a baseball glove to go along with the league-supplied shirt and hat. Baseball pants and cleats are optional in these leagues. All other players are required to wear baseball pants with socks. Rubber molded cleats are also strongly recommended. Players in Ripken, Babe Ruth and Softball should consider purchasing an appropriate bat as well as a helmet for their personal use. The team Manager will have these items available, but specific sizes cannot be guaranteed. A baseball/softball bag is recommended to transport bats, batting gloves, water bottles, hats, and other items.
Q: Are there any rules around minimum playing time?
A:In most leagues, players are guaranteed a minimum of 9 defensive outs in the field. Many leagues use a fixed batting order (players bat when it is their turn, regardless of whether they played the field that inning). Rules may vary by league regarding playing time. See the BBSA rules for more information.
