MVLL FAQ’S
HOW CAN I REGISTER?
MVLL offers online registration through our website on the REGISTRATION page. Registration for the spring season generally begins at the end of the fall season in early November through Player Evaluations in mid-January. Registration for the fall season is normally held from the end of the spring season until mid- to late-August. The league will typically hold a few in-person signups on the last day of the fall season in November, at our Player Clinic in early January and during Player Evaluations. Occasionally in-person signups are held at local venues, which are announced via email, our website and Facebook. Online registrations must be paid via credit card while in-person registration can by paid via cash, check, debit card or credit card.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
Registration prices are posted on our website on the REGISTRATION page.
WHAT IS INCLUDED FOR THE REGISTRATION FEE?
Registration covers the costs for fields, lights when necessary, baseballs and basic team equipment. In addition, spring registration includes:
Jersey
Hat
Basic picture package
Trophy
Hat Night
Opening Ceremonies
Closing Ceremonies
In the fall registration includes:
WHAT DIVISIONS ARE OFFERED?
MVLL offers generally offers the following divisions, depending on the number of players registered and availability of competition within MVLL or among other District 28 leagues:
For detailed information regarding these divisions please see our MVLL DIVISIONS INFORMATION page.
WHAT DIVISION SHOULD/WILL MY CHILD PLAY IN?
Little League uses an age chart to determine ‘League Age’. For players League Age 7 and under the division assignment is based on League Age and experience. In the spring, players League Age 8 and up go through an evaluation process and are then drafted onto an appropriate level team. Fall ball is primarily developmental so players are placed based on experience and League Age. You can check your child's League Age using the League Age Calculator.
CAN A MANAGER OR COACH BE REQUESTED?
For players in Tee Ball, Coach Pitch and Machine Pitch managers can be requested but are not guaranteed. In the spring, AA through Senior divisions involve player drafts so managers cannot be requested. Since fall is primarily developmental managers can be requested at all levels, but again cannot be guaranteed.
WHAT EQUIPMENT DO I NEED TO PROVIDE?
You will need to provide your child with a baseball glove, baseball pants, socks and shoes/cleats. Any other equipment is optional as the league will provide the following for each team: 6 batting helmets, 1 bat, baseballs, catching gear and a catcher’s glove for the levels using catchers and pitching machines for machine pitch level teams.
Glove:
You will need to provide your child with his/her own baseball glove. The glove should be appropriately sized and ‘broken in’ so the child can open and close the glove. The league provides the team with a catcher’s mitt at the levels that require one, but players are welcome to use their own.
Cleats:
From tee-ball through the Majors division players may only wear molded cleats. At the Intermediate division and above players may wear metal cleats, but if a player is pitching on a portable mound then the metal cleats must be removed and molded cleats/turf shoes/tennis shoes must be worn while pitching.
Bats:
MVLL will provide the team with one bat, but should your child want to use their own bat it must meet Little League Bat Standards (USA Baseball stamp) for Tee Ball through Majors. Intermediate, Juniors and Seniors may use BBCOR bats. More information can be found on the Little League Bat Information page.
Helmets:
MVLL will provide each team six batting helmets. If your child wears their own helmet it must pass the umpire’s safety inspection and it must conform to Little League Helmet Rules.
Athletic Cups:
While not required, they are recommended.
Catcher’s Gear:
MVLL will provide each team a set of gear, but players may wear their own as long as it passes the umpire’s safety inspection.
WHAT PARTS OF THE UNIFORMS ARE PROVIDED?
MVLL will provide each player a jersey or shirt and a hat. Teams will decide what color pants and socks the team will wear and families will purchase those themselves.
WHAT IS HAT NIGHT?
Hat Night is the league’s event prior to the spring season where teams are announced so players and families can learn what teams the players are on. Hat Night is generally held on a Friday night at the end of January or beginning of February. 2023’s event will be on Friday, January 27th. Time and location to be announced.
WHEN IS/IS THERE A PICTURE DAY?
For the spring season, the league has a Picture Day prior to the season beginning, normally near the end of February. Players should come in full uniform except they should wear tennis shoes, not cleats, and obviously no cup is necessary. Picture order forms will be distributed via Team Parent prior to the event. Spring registration fees cover the cost of a basic picture package for each child with additional pictures/items available for purchase.
SPRING SEASON-WHEN DO PRACTICES AND GAMES START?
Spring registration generally runs from the end of the Fall Season through evaluations in January for kid pitch divisions AA through Seniors. Approximately a week or so after evaluations, those players will be drafted and teams will be formed. The managers will contact their players and organize practices. Minor divisions (T-ball, Coach Pitch and Machine Pitch) may continue registration until a couple of days before Hat Night at the discretion of the Board based on player and team counts. Players and families will learn their teams on Hat Night, generally at the end of January or beginning of February, and practices may start as soon as the manager organizes them.
Kid pitch divisions may begin play a week or so prior to Opening Day in order to complete their full season schedule and allow for the League Tournament, Division 28 Tournament of Champions and All-Stars. Minor divisions will begin play on Opening Day.
Regular season games and the league tournament (AA through Seniors) will be played through most of May, generally completing prior to Memorial Day weekend.
FALL SEASON-WHEN DO PRACTICES AND GAMES START?
Fall registration normally begins on Closing Day of the spring season and runs until teams are formed in mid-August. Practice begins around the last week of August. Games begin some time after Labor Day and continue until early to mid November. There are no tournaments.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPRING BALL AND FALL BALL?
The spring season is more formal and longer. There are more weeks of practice leading up to the season. For kid pitch divisions, AA through Seniors, wins and losses are counted and standings are kept. MVLL holds its league tournament following the regular season with each division winner advancing to the District 28 Tournament of Champions. All-Stars begins in June and can play through July.
Fall baseball is shorter and the emphasis is more on player development. There is less lead up time to the season. Wins and losses are not tracked, standings are not kept and there is no end of season tournament. Coaches are encouraged to help their players grow and improve. Kids will often move up in division in the fall in preparation for the spring season.
WHERE AND WHEN ARE PRACTICES?
MVLL is given a field allocation each season from the City of Menifee and from Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District that dictates which fields are available to us on which days. Possible fields are listed here on the website on our FIELD DIRECTORY page. Teams must practice only at these fields to ensure everyone involved is covered by MVLL’s insurance.
Like most youth organizations, MVLL relies on volunteers for its managers. As a result the practice schedule is worked out with each manager based on the manager’s availability and field availability.
WHERE AND WHEN ARE GAMES?
MVLL is given a field allocation each season from the City of Menifee and from Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District. Possible fields are listed on our FIELD DIRECTORY page. Most games hosted by MVLL are played at Winchester Park, which would be considered our main field location. For divisions AA and up some inter-league games may be on the schedule with games hosted by other leagues within District 28, which includes leagues in Temescal Canyon, Lake Elsinore, Wildomar, Canyon Lake, Murrieta and Temecula.
Lower divisions, Tee Ball through Machine Pitch, generally play most of their games on Saturdays with a small number of games on weeknights. With the kid pitch divisions, as the kids get older the number of games generally increases, so in addition to the Saturday games more weeknight games occur.
WHAT IS THE VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENT FOR MVLL?
Like all youth organizations, MVLL is built on volunteers. We are all working together to provide a positive baseball experience for our kids and families. Some people are able to volunteer a large amount of time, but the league recognizes that not everyone has that kind of time available. For those parents not serving as a manager, team parent or Board member, MVLL requires that every player registration include at least one hour of volunteer service time from a parent, guardian or league-authorized family member during the season. This service can be provided in one or more of the following roles-
Snack Bar
Umpire
Event Help (Hat Night, Opening Day, Closing Day, Golf Tournament, etc.)
Teams will be scheduled to perform Snack Bar duty during the season. If the families associated with the team fail to perform that duty then penalties will be assessed. Possible penalties may be canceled/forfeit games or ineligibility for the League Tournament.