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Divide Little League

Parents' Corner

Welcome!

Parent Participation

Many responsibilities exist beyond the normal team level commitments that help the Divide Little League function smoothly. Parents are what make the program a quality experience for all our children. Our League can only be as good as we, the parents, make it. Volunteer where you can.

Parent Support

Parent support during both games and practices is critically important to the success of the league. Be supportive of the team by ensuring your child attends each practice on-time. Be a positive role model during games, whether you are a manager, an assistant coach, or simply a spectator. Finally, please keep the following in mind:

Always be positive and enthusiastic.
Show your child positive reinforcement.
Observe practices and games to learn proper techniques to practice with your child.
Encourage your child toward skill improvement and good sportsmanship in every game.
Teach your child to always play by the rules.
Teach your child that hard work and an honest effort are often more important than a victory.
Applaud good plays by your team and by members of the opposing team.
Let the managers and coaches do the coaching.
Let an umpire be the umpire. Recognize that the umpire is the closest to the play and that each umpire will "call them as they see them".

Injury Prevention

Make sure that all team equipment has been inspected by a Little League official to ensure that it is functioning properly.
Make sure that children do not climb on fences surrounding the playing fields.
Check playing fields before games and practices for holes, large rocks or sticks, and anything else that may cause interference for players.
Make sure that players warm up and stretch before practices and games.
Make sure that your child drinks plenty of fluids not only while playing, but also throughout the day before practices and games.
Treat minor injuries with RICE - Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation.
Post warning signs in foul ball areas.
Enforce bike helmet laws if children are riding to/from playing facilities.
Be sure that you have enough seatbelts for everyone in the vehicle when you are transporting players.
Watch for signs of heat exhaustion when playing in extreme heat.
Schedule practices before noon or in the evening to avoid the hottest hours of the day.
Schedule multiple drink breaks during practices and games.

Parent Handouts and Helpful Links

Glove and Bat Sizing Guide

One of the most important things to keep in mind when it comes to buying a glove is the different styles and types you can choose from. With each glove, you will have different types of webs and pockets, and the choice of the best glove for your child may depend on the position(s) he/she plays.

The charts below show an estimate of the size range of the glove for a specific player baseball:

BASEBALL GLOVES SIZING CHART BY POSITION AND AGE:

Age	Catcher	First Base	Second Base/ Short Stop	Third Base	Pitcher	Outfield
Under 7	29.5 - 30"	11.5"	8 - 10.5"	8 - 10.5"	8 - 10.5"	9 - 10.5"
8 - 10	30 - 31"	11.5 - 12"	10.5 - 11.25"	10.5 - 11.5"	10.5 - 11.5"	10 - 12"
11 - 13	30 - 32.5"	11.5 - 12"	11 - 11.5"	11 - 11.75"	11.5 - 12"	11.75 - 12.75"
Over 14	32 - 34.5"	12 - 13"	11.25 - 11.5"	11.5 - 12"	11.5 - 12"	12 - 13"

YOUTH BASEBALL BAT SIZING BY AGE

Below is a chart that breaks down youth baseball bat sizes by league and age. These are meant to be general guidelines to follow when sizing youth baseball bats. Your child’s actual measurements will dictate the specific size youth bat your kid needs.

2 5/8" Baseball Bats

Age	Under 7	8-9	10-11	12-13	14 and Over
Length	24"-26"	26"-29"	28"-30"	29"-32"	31"-34"
Drop	(-12)-(-10)	(-12)-(-10)	(-10)-(-8)	(-9)-(-5)	(-3)

2 1/4" Baseball Bats

Age	Under 7	8-9	10-11	12-13
Length	24"-26"	26"-29"	28"-30"	29"-32"
Drop	(-13.5)-(-12)	(-13.5)-(-10)	(-13)-(-10)	(-10)-(-9)

WHAT IS BAT DROP?

Bat weight is measured by the minus or drop weight. Drop weight is the difference between the length and weight of the bat, so a bat that is 30 inches long and has a drop weight of -10 will weigh 20 ounces. The bigger the drop weight is, the lighter the bat will weigh.

Remember that only high school baseball bats and college baseball bats are regulated and must have a drop of no more than -3.

If you are a strong player, you may assume you want a heavier bat. This is not necessarily the case. You’ll want to swing a bat that still allows you to generate the ideal amount of bat speed through the zone. Finding this balance could be difficult at first, but once you do, you’ll be hitting the ball farther and harder than you could have imagined.

After finding a baseline for the length of the bat, it’s important to incorporate the length of the bat into deciding on the weight. For youth baseball and softball, the taller the child, the longer the bat should be. They may not be strong enough to use a heavier bat, so they would have a bat with a larger weight drop.

It’s important to choose the right balance between length and weight because it makes a difference in the physics of the swing. For instance, consider the following:

If you have a long, light bat, you can swing it very fast, but it will not have much inertia behind it.

If you swing a short, heavy bat, you will not have the fastest bat speed, but will have plenty of inertia.

Deciding on the length and weight of the bat you swing is a personal choice - you should try combining what is comfortable with what style of player you want to be. If you envision yourself being a contact player like Ichiro Suzuki, you won’t worry as much about losing inertia with your swing, but if you want to be a power hitter like Nelson Cruz and swing for the fences, you’ll want the inertia you would get from the shorter, heavier bat. You should refer to the charts above to give you a ballpark idea of what bat drop you should be using.