Player Agent's Guide to NBLL Divisions and Team Selection

North Branford Little League is committed to providing a safe, fun, and competitive environment for boys and girls to learn and play the games of baseball and softball. We are committed to developing the skills and sportsmanship for all NBLL players. This works best when the kids learn and play with others at their skill level and age. In addition, North Branford Little League (NBLL) is chartered by Little League International (LLI) and must adhere to LLI rules regarding player age eligibility and league placement. We have established these guidelines to help us pursue our goals in terms of development, while complying with all LLI requirements. It s not possible to cover every conceivable scenario in a short document, so if you have additional questions please contact our Player Agent.

League Age:

Little League International determines a player s League Age by birthdate: Your child s age on the cut-off date is their League Age. To accurately determine your child's league age for the current or upcoming season, please consult the Little League Age Calculator. 2024 Little League Age Charts are located on the bottom of the Home Page of the North Branford Little League website.

 

Little League
Age Calculator

Registration:

The entire process starts with registration of your child using our online registration system. Programs are available for baseball and softball and are further broken down by League Age (see below). Payment in full is required at the time of registration by credit card or check. Financial assistance is available if needed.

Division Assignment:  

The table below shows the targeted age groups for each division:

Baseball		Softball
Division	LL Age	Division	LL Age
Majors	11-12	Majors	11-12
Minors	9-11	Minors	9-10
Pee Wee National	7-8	Pee Wee	6-8
Pee Wee American	6-7
Tee-Ball	4-5

• Players who are League Age 9-12 (Baseball Majors and Minors and Softball Majors and Minors) are assigned to an appropriate division based on a combination of their League Age and skill level as determined by player evaluations.
• Younger players (Tee-ball, Pee-Wee) are assigned to a league based strictly on League Age alone.

IMPORTANT: The age ranges established above will be followed for division assignments with few exceptions. School grade is not considered when determining division assignments. Exceptions may only be made by the NBLL Player Agent. Any reference to age on this page (e.g. "9YO") means LEAGUE AGE as determined by LLI.

Player Evaluations:

Prior to the new spring season, all baseball players age 7-12 years old and softball players age 6-12 are required to attend a skills evaluation.  At the evaluations, all players will be assessed on hitting, fielding, and throwing. The baseball and softball evaluations are held at the CT Sportsplex Field House.  Schedule details will be emailed to all registered players in February. Each age group will have a specific time slot. If you have a conflict with your time slot, please contact the Player Agent to arrange to attend another time slot. However, it s generally best for the player to be evaluated with their age group. There are no make up sessions available if you can t attend the scheduled evaluations.  Please refer to the 2024 Little League Age Charts located on the bottom of the Home Page of the North Branford Little League website.

** No cleats at the CT Sportsplex Field House.  Players should bring glove, bat and helmet.

Baseball and Softball times vary year to year. An email will be sent confirming dates and time.

 

IMPORTANT:  Players must be registered online in order to be eligible to participate in evaluations. Registration generally closes several days before evaluations to allow time to organize the sessions. Players who have failed to register in time will may not be allowed to participate in evaluations, and will not be guaranteed a spot in the upcoming season if registration is full.

 

 

Player Selection Majors and Minors:

Following registration and evaluation, each division will hold a draft in which the Manager from each team will select their players. Players are placed in the draft availability list for their assigned division according to their League Age and ranked by skill level as determined by the evaluations. Drafts for the older divisions (Majors) are held first, followed by the younger divisions (Minors). Team Managers select players from the draft availability list according to the draft rules established by the Player Agent. It is possible that some 11 year olds may not be drafted to Majors. It is possible for a small number of 10 year old players that have shown advanced skills in the player evaluations to be drafted to Majors. However, this is an exception and not a rule.  In general, we try to limit the number of players we pull up to just those we need to fill out open spots in the league. 

The following summarizes which players are eligible to be included on the draft availability list and who can be selected to teams. 

Softball Majors:

Draft eligibility: All 12 & 11 year olds, some advanced 10 year olds (if needed)
Selection: All 12 & 11 year olds, drafted 10 year olds (if needed)

Softball Minors:

Draft eligibility: All 10 & 9 year olds, some advanced 8 year olds (if needed)
Selection: All 10 year olds not drafted to Majors, All 9 year olds, plus a few advanced 8 year olds (if needed)

Baseball Majors:

Draft eligibility: All 12 & 11 year olds, some advanced 10 year olds (if needed)
Selection: All 12 year olds, drafted 11 year olds, drafted 10 year olds (if needed)

 

Baseball Minors:

Draft eligibility: All 11, 10 & 9 year olds
Selection: All 11 & 10 year olds not drafted to Majors, 9 year olds, plus a few advanced 8 year olds (if needed)

 

IMPORTANT:  We do not allow a player to skip a league, i.e. go straight from Pee Wee National to Majors without playing a season at Minors.  In other words, a 10 year old will only be drafted up to Majors if he has already completed a season at Minors. Not all 11 year old boys will be drafted into Majors, even while an advanced 10 year old may be drafted into Majors ahead of other 11 year olds. Draft selections are the decision of the team Manager and are based on relative skill levels, NOT grade level or friend selections.

 

Player Selection Other Divisions:

Tee-Ball and Pee Wee teams are formed by a combination of Coordinator placement and Manager and parent requests.

 

 

Division Summaries:

Tee-Ball: 

Tee Ball consists of 4 and 5 year olds.

Little League Rule Book:  Players 4-6 years old (with an option for 7 year olds)

This division is co-ed.  This is an instructional division with no scores or standings kept.  Players hit off of a tee.  No coach pitch is allowed during games.  Players bat through the batting order once each inning.  Game length is typically three innings.

 

Baseball Pee Wee American:

PWA consists of 6 and 7 year olds.  

This is an instructional division with no scores or standings kept.  This is Coach Pitch.  Players bat through the batting order once each inning.  Game length is typically four innings. 

 

Baseball Pee Wee National:

PWN consists of 8 year olds and advanced 7 year olds, if needed.  

This is an instructional division with no standings kept.  This is an introduction to player pitching.  There may be a mix of players and/or coaches pitching, maybe 3 innings each.  Balls and strikes are called when players pitch.  After a pitcher throws 4 balls, a coach from the hitting team will pitch.  Game length is typically six innings.  Little League pitching limits and rest requirements will apply.

 

 

Baseball Minors:

Minors consists of 9 and 10 year olds, and some 11 year olds not drafted to Majors.

Little League Rule Book:  Players 7-12 years old.

Players are drafted by the team manager.  This is strictly player pitching only.  Little League pitching limits and rest requirements will apply.  Balls and strikes are called.  Standings will be kept.  Leading is not permitted.  Stealing is permitted.

 

Baseball Majors:

Majors consists of 12 year olds with maybe some 10 or 11 year olds, if drafted.

Little League Rule Book:  Players 9-12 years old.

Players are drafted by the team manager.  This is strictly player pitching only.  Little League pitching limits and rest requirements will apply.  Balls and strikes are called.  Standings will be kept.  Leading is not permitted.  Stealing is permitted.

*The summaries above are for informational purposes and are always subject to change.

Play Ball!

Once the teams are selected, the scheduling of practices and games will be handled by the Coordinator for each division, and the team manager will contact everyone to meet and begin practices.
 

Playoffs, All-Stars and Post Season:

To help plan vacations: Little League playoffs usually start somewhere near the beginning of June and end towards the middle or third week of June. Post season and All-Star practices begin immediately following regular season playoffs.  Games begin around the end of June or beginning of July and continue to middle or third week in July.  If a team wins a District title, All-Stars can continue through July and into August.  The league and managers have the right to deny participation if there is a conflict.

Player Agent:

The Player Agent is a member of the Executive Board of NBLL and generally has responsibility for all matters related to player eligibility and assignments. This includes:

• Managing and organizing all player evaluations and try outs
• Ensuring eligibility of all players (birth records, league requirements)
• Supervising and coordinating all player drafts and team selections
• Overseeing the progression or transfer of players between divisions
• Filing and maintaining rosters and player information with Little League International

If you still have general questions regarding ages, divisions, or assignments, of if you have specific questions regarding your child, please contact the Player Agent directly.  Thank you.
 

NBLL Player Agents