Coach Pitch (Jr Machine Pitch) Division (Age 5-6)
The Coach Pitch (Jr Machine Pitch) division is for boys and girls 'baseball age' 5-6 years old who are developing skills to hit a pitched ball at a lower speed (approximately 25 mph). The goal of this division is to develop hand-eye coordination & confidence by hitting a consistent pitch while promoting defensive development in traditional fielding positions. Because players are still learning the fundamentals of baseball, and to allow them to experience the value of teamwork, no scores or standings are kept.
Rules of the game may be varied to encourage instruction.
All players are on the field on defense and all players will bat every inning. Batters will be given 5 pitches and if they are unable to get a hit, a hitting tee will be provided for the batter.
Rosters may be composed of between 8-12 players, but MELL usually has teams with 9-10 players. Practices will be scheduled 1-2 times per week and the schedule will vary based on the coach's calendar and field availability. You will not know the practice day or time until rosters are formed. This will be based on how many teams are in each division and who is coaching your team. Each team will play a 10-game season consisting of 1-2 games per week. Games will be approximately 1-hour and 15 minutes long, with game times of 6:00 pm and 7:20 pm, and can be scheduled Monday - Friday.
Parents are strongly encouraged to become involved in this introduction level of Little League. After completing a Little League volunteer application through your mellbaseball.org account and passing a required national background check, parents may become involved in practices, and be eligible as coaches, managers, umpires, local league board members, and other volunteer positions within the league.