Baseball

Baseball Clinics

SSBL offers a multitude of clinics throughout the year. From winter clinics designed to help our young athletes prepare for the upcoming season to spring, summer & fall clinics focused on developing specific skills. Clinics range from all-day clinics to day camp-style clinics of a few hours spread out over a week or longer period of time.

We focus on developing the players’ skills and interest in the game. Depending on registration numbers, clinics may combine age and grade groups and skill levels or may be split accordingly.

Baseball Recreational

Overview T-Ball (K) Rookie (1 & 2) Minors (3 & 4) Majors (5 & 6) Omaha (7, 8 & 9)

Overview

The mission of SSBL is, “To offer the best possible baseball and softball experience to Summit’s boys and girls from grades kindergarten through ninth grade by providing an environment that inspires learning, teamwork, skill development, sportsmanship, and fun.”

T-Ball (K)

The focus at this level is for our kindergarten baseball players to develop familiarity with the game of baseball and its various positions. They will be taught some of the skills necessary to make them good players in the future.

Teams are formed on a random basis, which means that players will interact with players from different parts of town, though we try our best to place a number of children from each school on each team.

T-Ball teams meet twice a week during the season at varying times, one weekday evening and each Saturday. The schedules are rotating so each team will have an opportunity to play the other teams in the league.

Weekdays are reserved for 1-hour practice sessions with coaches teaching the players game basics. On Saturdays, the game objectives are not to win but to put into practice the lessons learned during the weekly skill and practice sessions.

Players are provided a tee shirt and hat.

Rookie (1 & 2)

The Rookie League allows a player to step up his or her skills and play a more engaging brand of baseball as the players get ready to play “real” baseball games in 3rd grade. The Rookie League emphasizes building confidence in the batter’s box and on the field while gradually introducing the player to some of the more general rules of baseball. Each grade plays in its own league.

First-grade players will use a combination of coach pitching and hitting from a batting tee. Players who are uncomfortable swinging at a pitched ball will use the batting tee. Players are provided a tee shirt and hat.

Second-grade players will start their season with coach pitching while some players will start to learn to pitch in practices. Halfway through the season, players will hit “live” pitching and will also pitch to batters. No pitcher will be allowed to pitch more than one inning per game. Players are provided a tee shirt and hat.

Minors (3 & 4)

Competition increases in the Minor League, as skill development is further emphasized. However, teamwork, sportsmanship, and enjoyment of baseball are, as always, the first priorities.

Third-grade teams are composed only of third-grade players and fourth-grade teams only of fourth-grade players.

Everyone registered is assigned to a team. The skill evaluation sessions and draft are used to develop parity among teams in order to ensure a more enjoyable and competitively-balanced baseball season.

Standings are kept throughout the season, and each team will participate in playoffs at the end of the season.

Players are provided hat and team jersey.

Majors (5 & 6)

The Major League is focused on our 5th and 6th-grade players. It will provide a confidence-building transition year before moving to the “Big Field” in the Omaha League in 7th grade. Our Major League will play on 50/70 transition fields.

Jefferson Field (located behind Jefferson School), is our primary transition field. In addition to a slightly greater pitching distance and longer base paths, the new Major League will also offer a more advanced set of playing rules (e.g., base runners are permitted to “lead” before a pitch is delivered).

Omaha (7, 8 & 9)

The Omaha League consists of teams comprised mainly of 7th and 8th graders and 9th graders who are not playing on the Summit High School Freshman Baseball team. Games are played at the regulation-sized field at Memorial, at the turfed upper High School field, or at the newly-renovated Wilson Field facility. Teams may have the opportunity to travel to local towns during the course of the season.

This is the first time that 7th graders will play on a “regular” size baseball field. The objective of the Omaha League is to allow the players an opportunity to continue developing as competitive baseball players while providing an organized, fun, and exciting environment.

Schedule

See TeamSnap

Baseball Travel

Overview Teams Age Group Determination Travel Seasons Commitment

Overview

The mission of the SSBL Baseball Travel program is to provide the SSBL community an opportunity for higher-level player development and competition at a level that is beyond the recreation program. However, the top priority remains aligned to the SSBL Mission Statement, “To offer the best possible baseball and softball experience to Summit’s boys and girls from grades kindergarten through ninth grade by providing an environment that inspires learning, teamwork, skill development, sportsmanship, and fun.” Baseball travel is supplemental to the recreation program.

Players must participate in the Summit Baseball Recreational Program (or an equivalent Summit program) in the spring to be eligible for any season of baseball travel.

Teams

7U‐12U Maroon – “A” level equivalent. One team maximum per age group.
7U‐12U White – “B” level equivalent.
- More than one team can be formed per age group if the number of players trying out and the tryout rankings allow.
7th Grade – “A” level equivalent. One team maximum.
8th Grade – “A” level equivalent. One team maximum.
Should there be enough players interested that did not make a 7U‐12U travel team, a “C” level summer “non‐tryout” travel team could be formed during late spring to play in a summer league.

Age Group Determination

SSBL follows the Babe Ruth/Cal Ripken age‐based eligibility rules up to the 12U age group. This is different from recreation baseball which follows grade‐based eligibility. The cutoff birthday is set at April 30th of any given year. Therefore, whatever age the player is on April 30th is the age group they are eligible for (I.e., if a player is 9 years old on April 30, s/he is eligible for 9U).

Upon entering 7th grade, eligibility switches to grade‐based. In some instances, a player may be in 7th grade but also eligible for 12U. A “swing” player is one that is 12 years old as of April 30 and is also in 7th grade. A “swing” player is eligible to play on either a 12U team or the 7th grade team. More details on swing player eligibility can be found in this handbook.

Travel Seasons

Tryouts:

Tryouts through 7th grade generally take place in October or November. 8th grade tryouts generally take place in late Winter.

Winter Training:

Begins in January and leads up to the spring season. Training takes place at various indoor facilities. Focus on player development, skills, etc.

Spring Season:

Games usually begin at the end of March and run through early June. The spring travel season runs parallel to the spring recreation program. Games are usually on Sundays, which are days that the recreation program is not playing. The spring season is an opportunity to focus on player development and to provide players opportunities at different positions. Recreation program games take precedence over spring travel. Designated travel pitchers are determined pre‐season.

Summer Season:

Games begin around the beginning of June and continue through the end of July. This is typically the most competitive and intense part of the travel season. Games include league play, tournaments, playoffs, and the Ripken Tournament. While the beginning of the summer season will run parallel to the recreation program, the recreation program takes precedence and designated travel pitcher rules are in effect.

Commitment

Baseball Travel Overview page

SSBL Travel Handbook