Welcome! Let's Play Ball!

Lawrence Township Junior Baseball & Softball Association

Welcome! Let's Play Ball!

Team Formation & Rosters

Each season, we strive to set up teams and divisions that are fair and balanced so we can provide a better learning experience for all players.

We ask players that could potentially play in multiple divisions to participate in Player Assessment Day so coaches can become familiar with their skill level before rosters are created.

Note that eligibility is determined by Little League Age, which may differ from actual age or school grade. Confirm your player's League Age here >>

📝 Majors & Minors Draft Process

Softball and Baseball Majors/Minors Divisions use a "Plan B - Alternate Redraft Method" (a snake draft) to ensure balanced teams.

Setup: The League determines the number of teams/roster sizes and assigns managers.
Draft Order: Managers draw numbers for draft order. Those with eligible players exercise their options for Round 1 to place their children on their roster.
Selection: Managers select players within the division's age range. Returning players to a division are drafted before new players. Majors coaches must draft all available 12-year-olds first.
Snake Draft: The draft follows a snake order (e.g., Round 1: 1-4, Round 2: 4-1, Round 3: 1-4) until rosters are full.
Skill Balance: Managers are expected to balance skill positions (e.g., catchers/pitchers) to maintain fair competition across the league.
Manager Selection: The League President nominates all managers and coaches, and our Board of Directors gives final approval.

⚾ Intermediate 50/70

Tryout Required: Participation in the 50/70 division requires a tryout, which also counts as the player assessment.

If a player is not placed on an Intermediate 50/70 team, they will automatically be assigned to a 46/60 roster to ensure they still have a team to play with.

🌱 Developmental Divisions

Rookies and Tee Ball are purely developmental divisions, not competitive ones. These players are not required to attend Assessment Day.

Rosters for these divisions are created using a "Plan C" draft method (a blind draft) to ensure random but even distribution of ages.

⚠️ Teammate Requests & Placement Policy

As part of the registration process, you are asked to acknowledge that we may not honor a request to place your player:

On the same team as any other player (including siblings).
On any specific team (Exception: Sponsors are automatically placed on their sponsored team).
With a specific manager or coach.
With a team based on specific practice/game times.
Within a specific division or league.

Final determination occurs during the draft. While you may email suggestions ([email protected]), your player may end up in a different division than requested. Appeals to change draft results will not be accommodated. League officials cannot influence the draft selection process.

"But I want to coach with [Name]!"

To prevent 'stacking,' we use a draft system. If you want to combine forces, one coach should volunteer as Head Coach; they can then draft the other as an assistant coach through their player.

"But I want my kids to play together on the same team"

Coaches may draft siblings on the same team (the Little League rule is - When there are two or more siblings in the draft, and the first brother or sister is drafted by a manager, that manager automatically has an option to draft the other brother or sister on the next turn.) but they are not required to do so. In many cases, siblings are different League ages, eligible for different divisions, and have different skill levels, which may impact a coach's draft decision.

"But I'll step up and coach if you put my player on the same team as [NAME]"

League officials are unable to influence draft selections or communicate conditional coaching arrangements tied to draft outcomes.

"But I need a carpool!"

To make carpooling easier, all teams in a division are scheduled to practice and play on the same nights at the same facility, just different fields (which are near each other). This allows for ridesharing even if players are on different teams, similar to how classmates may be in the same grade but have different homeroom teachers.

"But I want to be on a team with my classmates!"

Little League Age for a player may differ from your school grade or actual calendar age. We must follow Little League International age guidelines and cannot accommodate requests to keep players with classmates if their league ages differ.

"But my player is on a travel team!"

Travel status has no bearing on Little League. We are a different organization with different operational rules. For example, there is no "U" designation (such as 10u) in Little League, and age cutoffs often differ. Additionally, Little League teams do not cut players. To play with us, your player must follow the rules of our governing body, just like they would with their travel organization. We hope their extra work will show up at Assessment Day so coaches will notice them when it comes time to draft.

Note: Fall Ball programs are more informal and may accommodate requests. Summer Tournament/Travel teams use tryouts, not drafts.

📋 Player Assessment Day

The Assessment process is not a tryout. Every player makes a team in Lawrence Little League. Little League requires local leagues to hold an annual assessment so coaches can become familiar with a player’s skill set prior to the draft.

Player Assessment Day typically occurs in late February or early March, leading up to the player draft. This allows our coaches to evaluate players' skills and begin forming balanced teams. The one-hour session is not a tryout, as everyone who registers makes a team.

❓ Assessment Day FAQs

What ages is Assessment Day for? We assess players League Age 8-11, as these are the players subject to a draft by coaches, and Assessment Day is a way for the coaches to meet players before the draft. League Age 12s are automatically placed in Majors (Major 46/60 for baseball) and so those players do not need to attend. For younger age groups, see the note on developmental divisions above on how we form teams.

Is this a tryout? No! Every player that registers for Lawrence Little League makes a team. Division placement is guided by a combination of factors, including overall enrollment, the waterfall draft, a player's league age, and their skill level.

How does the day work? Players are assigned to small groups and participate in five short drills. Coaches will observe their skill in throwing, catching & fielding, hitting, baserunning, and pitching (if applicable). The whole process takes about 60 minutes.

What should my player bring? Players should bring a batting helmet, glove, bat, and water bottle.

Why isn't my player in the same group as others their age? Player Assessment groups are formed based on Little League Age, not calendar year age.

But I want my player to try out with the friends in their grade! Assessment Day is for coaches to evaluate skill, not for social grouping. Since school grade is not an organizing principle in Little League, we must organize groups by Little League Age to align with our governing body's rules.

What if my player doesn't perform well during Assessment? Don't worry—every player makes a team! Coaches use this time to build rapport and get a baseline for drafting balanced teams. It is a no-pressure environment.

What if my player didn't get an Assessment Day timeslot? Players League Age 8 and up are invited to assessment day, as those are the ages eligible for our coach-driven draft process. If your player is League Age 8 or higher, email us at [email protected].

My player can't attend Assessment Day. What happens? The draft uses observations from Assessment Day to assist the coaches when selecting their teams. Generally, if coaches have not seen a player prior to the draft, they will default to drafting them "on age" (placing them in the lowest eligible division) to ensure safety.

Will there be a makeup session? Scheduling Assessment Day is a challenging process. We need the availability of a space big enough to accommodate 200+ players, a day when multiple coaches and instructors can attend, and timing early enough in late winter that the League can draft teams, order and receive uniforms, and hold some practices before a mid-April Opening Day. As such, it is rare we are able to hold a makeup day. If Assessment Day is not held, we use the first week of practices to assess players and level teams before finalizing rosters.

Can't the League just place my player in a higher division? No. Teams are formed via a draft, meaning your player must be selected by a coach. The League does not assign players to specific teams. League officials cannot influence the draft selection process, to keep it fair for all. Please review the Placement Requests section above.

Player Development Rubric

We are dedicated to building sustainable athletes who are physically and mentally prepared for the next level of play.

To support this goal, we use the Player Development Rubric to shift our focus from "result-oriented" coaching to "process-oriented" development.

What is it? It is a foundational roadmap that guides coaches in evaluating observable skills from Tee Ball (Age 5) through High School (Age 15). By establishing a common language for skill acquisition, we ensure that every player receives consistent feedback as they progress through our divisions.

How does it benefit your child?

🌱 Process Over Outcomes

We teach players to value repeatable actions over single outcomes. This approach helps children understand that a successful play doesn't always equal mastery, and a mistake doesn't always indicate a lack of development.

📏 Objective Standards

By establishing a common language for skills, we ensure every player is evaluated fairly. The rubric measures the quality of a movement—not just the result—ensuring feedback is consistent regardless of which team your child is on.

🔄 Adaptable Growth

We recognize that player development is non-linear. The rubric allows coaches to support players who may remain at a level for multiple seasons or experience temporary regression during rapid growth spurts.