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2025 Fall TBall 6U Registration is now FULL! (As of August 11st)
Waitlists will remain open through August 13th.
Teams have been made. Expect an opening communication from your Coach by email or text, but set up your GameChangers account as the majority of team communications will occur through this free-to-use app.
Practices Start Wednesday, August 27th.
Games are played every Saturday Sep 6-Nov 1st.
As summer winds down, it’s time to get ready for our first Fall Season of NYSA TBall. This will look slightly different given the nature of Fall vs Spring. Below are a few things to highlight followed by a rough schedule/timeline. I will work to have a more finalized schedule of events by the time registration opens.
What makes Fall TBall different?
1: Size: Other sports and activities that exist primarily/exclusively in the Fall make use of the TBall (and other) fields during the Fall. So we will have use of our fields on Wednesdays and Fridays for practices and Saturday’s for games.
Math: our normal practice windows are from 5:30-7:30 for this age. That allows for 2 one hour practices on each field each available day. So 2 time slots x 2 fields = 4 one hour practices each Wednesday and Friday. In order to give team 2 practices a week, this sets our league size to 4 teams. At around 12 kids per team, this sets our league size this Fall to ~50 players.
2: Age: Given the above math setting our avalialble teams to 4, Fall TBall will only be for our 6U age bracket. The season will run through October, so age range for our 5 and 6 year olds will be the same as the Spring with the end of the age bracket being bumped out to the end of October (if your 6yr old doesn’t turn 7 till November this year, you’re good)
3: Games/Rules: Games will only be on Saturday morning. With 4 teams, that means each team has 3 opponents. The season will be split into 3rds. The first 2/3rds of the season (6 games) will have each team play their opponents twice. This first session will follow the rule book from the regular season from this past Spring (ie: full batting order, rotating infield/outfield, rotating batting order, etc). The last 3rd of the season will have each team play each other 1 more time, but this session will follow the playoff rules which have a more ‘real’ baseball feel to them.
Games on Saturday’s will be played back to back on the same field vs simultaneously on both. This is done to accommodate umpire scheduling as well as food vendors.
4: What does Fall not have? Given the smaller size, and other competing calendar events in the Fall, the Fall TBall session will not include playoffs, a championship game, an All Star game, or league-provided trophies for players. (Jerseys and game equipment will still be provided).
FAQs:
1: My player played in the 4U division last Spring and was really good, with their not being a 4U Fall division, is it ok if I play them up in the 6U?
I’m not opposed to it, but no, there is not going to be a natural method for them to ‘play up.’ Given the limited size of this league for the Fall, first priority will go to players whose age falls within the specified range (~does your player turn 5 by the start of the season and not turn 7 by the end). I will work with our IT department to create a 4U ‘waitlist’ league for our older 4U divisioned players so you can still join a waitlist. HOWEVER: this will only be used IF the 6U waitlist is completely used up by the time tryouts take place. In reality, this will be done as an experiment to see if future fall season may use it, but I would not anticipate 4U players playing up (even siblings).
2: We had a great experience with our coach this past Spring and want to get put on their team this Fall…. Just like in the Spring session, there is not a method for a Coach to build up the team they want or individually ‘freeze’/pick the their team. This is done to try and ensure an equitable spread of talent across the league.
3: I have church/work/obligations on Wed/Friday’s, can I get on a team that doesn’t have those days or still play if I can’t make it then? First, given field availability, we will only be practicing W and F for the whole league. If you have known conflicts that will interfere for most/all of the season, I won’t keep you from registering, but I would ask you to discuss this with your family. The teams are designed to have ~12 players while only fielding 10 on the field each inning, so we build in a sick/vacation/other reason they can’t make the games. But if you know from the start that you’ll miss every Wednesday/Friday practice (or half of the entire season’s practices), please understand that could play a factor when it comes to batting order and positions/bench assignments at a coaches discretion.
4: I didn’t play this past Spring/before, can my player still play this Fall? Yes. There is no prerequisite experience to play in any of the NYSA’s 4U/6U TBall leagues. They are all focused on instilling the fundamentals and allowing for as equal a playing opportunity as we can. There may be some players who have played more, but don’t let that stop you from coming out this year, everyone has to have a first year sometime!
5: What do I need to purchase and what will be provided?
Provided: the NYSA (as part of the registration fee) will provide the equipment used by the team for practices and games (baseballs, tees, field paint, pitchers mask, etc) as well as a hat, jerseys, grey pants, and socks for each players.
You will need to provide: Batting helmet, cleats, glove, bat, bag, water bottle, and sunglasses (optional).
Of note: we are going to experiment with our jersey vendor printing the names on the jerseys this year, so during the registration process, there will be an option to endure the correct spelling/case of your player’s last name.
6: Why are there tryouts? The term ‘tryout’ is a holdover. This is more an evaluation of your players abilities. All players (who have paid their dues) will be allowed to come to tryouts where they will have ~3 hits from a tee, run the bases, then catch and throw a ball. All the coaches for the teams that year will be evaluating the players at this time. The coaches will then have a draft allowing them to try and balance the playing talent across the teams. If your player does not make tryouts or comes up off the waitlist, their name will be drawn randomly to assign them their team.
Please feel free to reach out to me with questions at:
Michael Tucker
NYSA TBall Commissioner
[email protected]
8504667027
https://www.nysasports.com/Default.aspx?tabid=801539
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1175787454255353/
Basic Division Outline:
As the TBall commissioner, I run the 4U and 6U divisions. So what are the differences?
The 4U is for 4 year olds only (both boys and girls.) This is a developmental year for both our first year players….but also for you first year coaches.
—What makes it different? Given this is everyone’s first year, we will provide coaches with a structured ~12 week practice guide that focuses on having fun to help keep everyone involved while having our players learn baseball basics “by accident” as a side product of a fun baseball experience. Games will be ‘umpired’ by coaches and score will not be kept; there will not be a playoff or AllStar game at the end of the season.
Parents and players can expect a maximum of 2 events per week, each lasting 45-60 minutes. The cost for 4U is reduced to $135.
6U (co-ed) is where we start to model the league to follow a baseball structure. HOWEVER, it is expected that this will also be many players’ first introduction to the game. So, there is no assumption or requirement for your player to have played in our 4U league before entering the 6U league. The age cutoff will be for 5 and 6 year olds (it will be age based not school grade-level based). The time requirement will be 2-3 events per week, each lasting 60 minutes. The cost for 6U is $165
I will be making some changes to how TBall has been traditionally run based on my above mentioned philosophy about equal chance to participate. I view TBall as an introduction to the game and the fundamentals….winning is NOT one of my priorities when designing and structuring the league. The reworked rule book will be posted prior to tryouts, but the basic changes are:
1: 3 outs do not end the inning—the entire batting order will get to bat. After 3 outs, no further runs will be scored for that inning.
—-why? Every effort will be made to balance the teams, however, should a team get an all star or two that can carry the team and get the opposition ‘3 up, 3 down’ multiple times, this reduces the playing opportunities for more junior teams to participate in the game/get at-bats.
2: The entire order will bat, however, each new inning the batting order will rotate (ie: first at bat will start with the top of the line up, but second inning will start with ~5th batter and run 5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,1,2,3,4). Then the 3rd at bat would start with the 10th batter).
—-why? Those normally at the bottom of the batting order often do not get the chance to learn base running as their at bat ends the inning as ‘last batter’ and the inning ends after their hit.
3: Positions will rotate each inning. There will be an “A” set of positions and a “B” set of positions. “A” positions will include the infield+the pitcher, “B” positions will include 4 outfielders+the catcher. Players will not be allowed to play the same set of positions 2 innings in a row; they must alternate A, B, A, B, etc.
—-why? This division is designed to develop the overall player; not to specialize in developing one player as a first baseman. Too often the younger player, or the ones later to develop ‘get stuck’ playing outfield or catcher all season and are not given opportunities to develop as a player across the season.
These rules will apply only to the regular season, during the post-season playoffs/tournament, these new rules will no longer apply. A fuller breakdown of these rules will be included in the rulebook to be published prior to tryouts.
For both divisions (4/6U) I am exploring/intending on moving the vast majority of the post-registration logistics of the league to the free app ‘GameChangers.’ In this app, rosters, team and league-wide communications, practice and game schedules, scoring (6U) and more will all be centrally aligned through this single app. It is free to download and use as a user, so please consider downloading and familiarizing yourself with this app. Emails and Facebook shall still be utilized and I will do my best to respond to the “[email protected]” as expeditiously as possible.
Non-Season specific FAQs:
Do you offer scholarships? Yes-if the registration fees or supplies are a potential hurdle, please reach out to me. I will NOT guarantee a scholarship, but when warranted, we will do what we can. The TBall divisions are all self funded, so your registration fees and fundraisers are vital to a successful season.
Can I get a refund? A large part of your fees go to purchasing uniform items, which we can not return. So refunds are possible up until uniform items are purchased.
Can my player play another year down in 4U or play up into 6U? Maybe. Priority will go to players who are registered into their age correct age bracket. If registration is low or the numbers are a few short of filling out a final team, age waivers will be considered, but these decisions will be based on a lottery system after final registration is complete.
I can’t make practices on Tuesday (or a specific day) due to ‘insert reason,’ can I get on a team that practices on different days? I cannot guarantee a deconflicted practice/game schedule. Teams will be made prior to practice schedules being assigned and honoring multiple requests to change teams causes too great a difficulty for the league to get set and coaches to communicate build their teams.
I was on Coach Doe’s team last year and my player really enjoyed playing for him, can I get on his team again? It may happen by chance, but all coaches have equal opportunity at selecting their players in a draft. For 6U, there will be a ‘tryout’ for all players where head and assistant coaches will be able to evaluate the skill level of the players. Each coach will be allowed to ‘freeze’ (select prior to the draft) their own kid and 1 kid of their assistant coach (freezes will not be allowed for a player whose parent has not volunteered to coach). After the tryout, coaches will pick their teams based on factors discussed at the coaches meeting. But unless you volunteer to coach, there is no available to set your player on a team separate from the draft. If your player is not frozen and cannot make the tryout, based on age/years of play, they will be randomly assigned to a coach/team.
I missed the registration window, is it too late to still sign up? Probably….many decisions about how big teams are or how many teams we needs (which drives the number of coaches we need or practice schedule etc) are driven based on registration. Adjusting those numbers noticeably after our numbers are ‘set’ may not be feasible and therefore will most likely not be honored.
I tried to register but got put on a waiting list saying the league is full, is that accurate? Likely. In order to ensure teams do not swell too large, we have to cap the teams around 12-13. From there, given the number of fields available to use and the hours useable to practice in a given week, we are limited to the total number of teams we can have combined of 4U and 6U. The league filled up last year and given the success of 4U last year and those players moving up to 6U, it is possible (likely) that the league will fill up prior to the end of the registration period….so please consider making your decision early.
What does my registration fee cover? The fee is two part, first is the NYSA membership fee per family, then a registration fee per player/season. This covers basic operating expenses (quite literally turning on the lights) as well as league supplies, umpires, and other basic expenses. But for you, it will cover your players uniform (jersey, hat, socks, belt, and potentially pants depending on vendor pricing).
DID YOU KNOW...that NYSA is an all-volunteer organization? Yes, with exception to the umpires, all commissioners, committee members, coaches, and team moms are 100% volunteers. This means that throughout the season, your assistance will be requested to aid with running the concession stands, picking up trash, keeping the scorebook, operating the scoreboard, partaking in our once-a-season field day preparations, and participating in fundraisers. NYSA was built on the backs of volunteers. We cannot continue to grow and prosper without YOUR help! Many of us look at NYSA as the ballpark our children will grow up in and create countless, unforgettable memories that one day they will tell their kids about. We greatly appreciate any and all help that you can provide throughout the season. A wise man once said, "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."
2025 Fall Schedule:
July 21 (6:00 AM): Fall TBall registration opens
August 13 (7:00 PM) Fall TBall registration/waitlist closes*
August 18 (7:00 PM) All NYSA/Registration dues must be paid
August 20 (6:00 PM) 6U TBall Tryouts Field 3, players will tryout our ‘first come, first serve’
August 22 (6:00 PM) weather backup tryouts/Coaches draft+teams made
August 27 (5:30 & 6:30 PM ) Practices start on Fields 2 & 3 and repeat every W and F
September 6 (9:00 & 10:30 AM) First game, repeating each Saturday
October 31 (no practice, Halloween)
November 1 (9:00 & 10:30 AM) Final Game of the season**
**November 5 (Wed) & 7 (Fri) 5:30 Field 2/3 are weather make up games if needed
November 8th season is concluded
*registration may close once capacity is reached at which case registration will remain open for waitlist applications
REMINDER: Coaches/Players/Parents/Spectators please review the Baseball Code of Conduct (BCoC), written below, and the NYSA Code of Conduct before the season begins. During the registration process, all coaches and parents are required to read, acknowledge, and sign that they understand the BCoC prior to signing up your child. Violations of the BCoC and NYSA CoC will be strictly enforced. The NYSA CoC is located in the Volunteer Corner section of the NYSA Spring Baseball webpage.
Baseball Code of Conduct
This Coach/Player/Parent Code of Conduct is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of rules concerning coaches/players/parent behavior. All coaches, players and parents registered to play on an NYSA Baseball team are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that is above and beyond respectful of others and reflects positively on Navarre Youth Sports Association.
Sportsmanship: All coaches, players and parents must learn and display a sense of fair play. Be humble in victory, gracious in defeat. Players and parents must represent your team and Navarre Youth Sports Association by always showing good sportsmanship, win or lose.
Player Conduct: Each player will agree to the following:
1. Respect your Coach, Coaches, Teammates, Parents, Opponents, Spectators, and Umpires.
2. Never argue with an umpire’s call or decision.
3. No swearing, harassment, or inappropriate behavior or language will be tolerated.
4. Be responsible to help clean up the field, dugout after all practices and games.
5. No use of Tobacco, Alcohol, Drugs will be Tolerated
6. No defaming of coaches, teammates VIA any electronic or social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) text messages, etc.
Coaches/Parents/Guardian Responsibility: Each coach, parent and guardian will agree to the following:
1. Respect all coaches, players, teammates, parents, opponents, spectators, and umpires.
2. Only the head coach may query an umpire's call after seeking permission from the umpire in question; however, a coach will NEVER argue with an umpire
about a call. After a play comes to an end, and time is called by the umpire, only then can a coach request from the umpire to have a conversation about a
specific ruling.
3. Be respectful of your coach’s decisions. Remember they are the ones who are putting in the extra time and effort.
4. Encourage your child to play by the rules. Remember that children learn best by example and be supportive of both teams when good plays are made.
5. Do not embarrass your team by yelling at players, coaches, umpires or spectators. By showing a positive attitude toward the game, and all of its
participants, your player will benefit. Any coach or parent that cannot refrain from such behavior will be asked to leave.
6. No defaming of coaches, players, or other parents VIA any electronic or social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) text messages, etc.
7. Allow for a 24 hour “COOL DOWN, be OBJECTIVE” period before you discuss any serious concerns you have with a particular coach in a constructive and adult manner.
8. Allow for a 24 hour “COOL DOWN, be OBJECTIVE” period before you contact your division's committee member or commissioner.
Any coach, player or parent found to have engaged in such prohibited conduct shall be subject to disciplinary action up to and including immediate dismissal, suspension and/or a formal apology to the offended individual.
Discipline Policy/Consequences: Each coach, player and parent are advised of the following discipline policy and consequences for any and all inappropriate conduct.
1. Any and All Disciplinary action shall be reviewed by the NYSA Baseball Committee, NYSA Baseball Commissioners, and, or NYSA Board of Directors as
appropriate.
2. Any and All actions may include but are not limited to the following repercussions:
a. Verbal Warning
b. Suspension
c. Dismissal
For more information please contact me [email protected]