Parents

Your daughter's USA Softball 'League Age' is determined by what her age was on August 31st of the current year. If she was 10 on August 31st, in the eyes of softball, she remains 10 for the entire year, even after she turns 11 on her birthday.

This explains why you have some girls who are actually 11 playing in the 10U league. On August 31st, they were 10 and are eligible for play in the 10U league. Or perhaps a 13 year old playing in the 12U league in the Fall. August 31st is the deciding date for the whole year.

https://www.usasoftball.com/play-usa-softball/memberships/

If you or your daughter feels that she should be playing up at the next age level, before the season begins and teams are formed, speak to a coach, the commissioner, or a member of the player development team to arrange a skills assessment to make sure she can safely play at the next level. 'Aging up' between the Spring Season and the Fall Season because your daughter had a birthday is by no means automatic and depends on the skills, softball IQ, level of focus and maturity of the girl involved.
Age level changes are not made mid-season and should be discussed with the coaches prior to the formation of teams.

Softball face mask, glove, bat, and cleats. Backpack or softball bag. There is an equipment swap at the beginning of each season. Check for dates on the website.

Our league is for girls only.  The leagues are set up by age and skill. All leagues but the 8U league have teams based on a skills draft. While we try to honor parent requests for team placement, priority goes to creating teams with evenly divided skill levels to keep league play competitive.

8U - girls ages 8 and under

This is a coach soft toss pitch, Louisville Slugger Machine pitch, or tee-based game, depending on the skill and coordination of the player.

Objective: Instruction on basic elements of the game. Managers and coaches introduce and advance understanding of the rules, positions and proper throwing, catching, fielding and hitting mechanics.

Key concepts: How outs are made, composition of an inning, proper catcher positioning and compliance with coach instructions.

Players play various positions in the field. No published team standings. Emphasis on building baseball knowledge and improving mechanics. All players bat in the lineup.

Games are generally played at Collingwood Park in the Spring or Walt Whitman Middle School in the Fall.

10U - girls ages 10 and under

Combination Coach/Kid Pitch. Players placed on teams via a draft dependent on skills assessments, to encourage properly balanced teams.

Objectives: Become more comfortable at the plate. Develop situational awareness and make plays when fielding, identify the strike zone, demonstrate proper mechanics in throwing, catching, fielding and hitting. Introduction and development of pitching skills.

Coaches assign players to a variety of positions in the field they can play safely.

Games are generally played at Walt Whitman Middle School fields.

In the Spring, there is an end-of-season tournament is usually conducted to determine a Division Tournament Champion. After that, an All-Star team will play at the FYFA tournament in the Spring after regular league play is completed.

12U for girls ages 12 and under

The primary ages for this group are girls aged 11 and 12.  Exceptional players who are younger can come to assessments to qualify, or be nominated by their coach to play at this level. Playing up is not guaranteed, but is dependant on skill and space availability on the teams.

Kid Pitch. Development continues; play becomes more competitive. Base stealing in effect. Emphasis on pitcher-catcher-infield ball handling to control base runners. In these games, an inning ends when there are three recorded outs, or when four runs are scored (whichever occurs first). Players assigned teams by a draft.

Objective – Begin and continue to develop pitching and hitting, develop fielding and hitting skills, emphasize good sportsmanship. Skills: arm strength, relays, cutoffs, managing base runners, hitting and base running.

Players continue to play a variety of positions in the field consistent with safety.

Games are generally played at either Carl Sandburg Middle School softball field or Walt Whitman Middle School fields.

Parent support is essential for field preparation,

post-game field maintenance, as well as basic statistics during the game.

An end-of-season tournament is usually conducted to determine a Division Tournament Champion and allow coaches to select/nominate All-Star players. After that, an All-Star team will play at the FYFA tournament in the Spring after regular league play is completed.

18U - girls ages 18 and under

The primary ages for this group are girls aged 13 -15.  A few older girls may be playing, which is why the league is technically named 18U, but the core range of girls is in the middle school or early high school grades.  Exceptional players who are younger can come to assessments to qualify, or be nominated by their coach to play at this level. Playing up is not guaranteed, but is dependant on skill and space availability on the teams.

Kid Pitch. Development continues; play becomes more competitive. Base stealing in effect. Emphasis on pitcher-catcher-infield ball handling to control base runners. In these games, an inning ends when there are three recorded outs, or when four runs are scored (whichever occurs first). Players assigned teams by a draft.

Objective – Begin and continue to develop pitching and hitting, develop fielding and hitting skills, emphasize good sportsmanship. Skills: arm strength, relays, cutoffs, managing base runners, hitting and base running.

Players continue to play a variety of positions in the field consistent with safety.

Games are generally played at either Carl Sandburg Middle School softball field or Walt Whitman Middle School fields.

An end-of-season tournament is usually conducted to determine a Division Tournament Champion and allow coaches to select/nominate All-Star players. After that, an All-Star team will play at the FYFA tournament in the Spring after regular league play is completed.

FHLL T-Ball - ages 4-6

Fort Hunt Little League runs the T Ball program for children of both genders, ages 4-6.

FHLL Challengers Division

We are proud to support Fort Hunt Little League's Challengers Division for children of both genders, with special needs, who wish to play baseball. A recap of the program is below, but please see their Challengers Division website for full details and contact information.

Fort Hunt Challenger is Little League Baseball for boys and girls, ages 6-15, who have special needs that preclude them from participating in a mainstream Little League program.

Fort Hunt Challenger Baseball offers your player an opportunity to participate in baseball, regardless of skill level—we adapt the game to your child’s abilities. We don’t count strikes and we don't count outs. Everybody scores each inning and everybody wins. Each player has the opportunity to play defense, bat and score each inning.

Being on the field is just one of the benefits resulting from playing Challenger Baseball—socialization, friendship, and a feeling of success are part of the game plan. Challenger is a two or three-inning non-competitive game played on weekend afternoons. For families, we offer a connection with other parents and siblings and a chance to cheer for your special player and their teammates. Players are also teamed up with buddies. Buddies are current Fort Hunt players who assist players with batting, fielding and running the bases. All players will receive uniforms, and trophies at the end of the season.

In order to ensure that the principles of sportsmanship, fair play, skill development, and mutual respect among players, coaches, officials, and spectators are the primary considerations governing competition, the following Code of Conduct has been established.

Each PLAYER will ensure that his/her conduct is consistent with the primary considerations of competition. To satisfactorily meet these responsibilities, the PLAYER is expected to:

1. Know the rules and abide by them.
2. Respect the coaches and referees and refrain from commenting on their decisions during the play of the game. The head coach or his designee may address the referee during the game but only within the provisions of the rules and in a courteous, respectful manner.
3. Maintain control of his/her emotions, avoiding the use of profanity, degrading or humiliating remarks, and/or gestures of ill temper and physical assault upon another player at any time.
4. Physical assault will be considered a criminal act and result in immediate ejection from the game and possibly the league.
5. Berating players on either team, for their level of play on the field will be considered bullying and will not be tolerated.
6. Respect the coaches and players of the opposing team and demonstrate appropriate gestures of sportsmanship at the conclusion of a game – be humble and generous in victory and proud and courteous in defeat.
7. Follow all gym and field rules and regulations, respecting at all times the property of others.
8. Realize, accept, and practice by the principle that a team’s reputation is built not only on its playing ability but also on the sportsmanship courtesy and manner of each individual player.

Players who fail to comply with the above code of conduct

 are subject to suspension and/or removal from their team.

This includes transgressions that occur in ANY FHYAA sport.

In order to ensure that the principles of sportsmanship, fair play, skill development, and mutual respect among players, coaches, officials, and spectators are the primary considerations governing competition, the following Code of Conduct has been established.

Each SPECTATOR will ensure that his/her conduct sets the example for team members and other spectators. To satisfactorily meet these responsibilities, the SPECTATOR is expected to:

1. Respect the rules of the game.
2. Respect the coaches and referees and refrain from questioning their decisions and from addressing them in a disrespectful or abusive manner.
3. Let the coach manage the team and refrain from offering extensive or distracting advice from the sidelines.
4. Cheer for their team in a positive and supportive manner.
5. Refrain at all times from making hostile, negative, or abusive remarks about either team, any coaching staff or the referees. Physical assault will be considered a criminal act and result in immediate ejection from the game and possibly the league. Berating players on either team, for their level of play on the field will be considered bullying and will not be tolerated.
6. Follow all game site rules and regulations, respecting the property of others. This includes refraining from bringing non-service animals to school game sites as it is against FCPS regulations.
7. Keep control of, and monitor the children brought to view the game so that the game can be enjoyed by all attendees.
8. Demonstrate appropriate gestures of sportsmanship at the conclusion of games, win or lose.  Model the behavior you want your children to emulate.
9. Realize, accept, and practice by the principle that a team’s reputation is built not only on its playing ability but also on the sportsmanship courtesy, and manner of each individual of its fans.

Players who fail to comply with the above code of conduct are subject to suspension and/or removal from their team. This includes transgressions that occur in ANY FHYAA sport.