Welcome to the MYAA Baseball League!
Registration for Baseball opens every year in Mid-January and closes in mid- March .
Our leagues are open to all Erie County residents!!
MYAA Baseball leagues are flexibly skill-based as opposed to strictly age-based. The benefit of this is that it allows kids to be placed or drafted into a league that best suits their competitiveness and skill level. If kids are not "over" or "under-matched" with the competition, then they are more likely to improve, excel and enjoy the baseball experience and return the following season. It also gives more freedom for parents to allow their kids to be challenged by playing up in age or to keep them in a more appropriate age group. You do not need to be a Millcreek resident to participate in MYAA Baseball. The following outlines the specific leagues and age classifications.
Director of Baseball Operations - Rick Rohan - 814-464-3393 - [email protected]
TEE-BALL
League Commissioner - Mike Vitron - [email protected]
Participation: 5 & 6 Year Olds (Optional for second year 6 year-olds)
League Concept:
A non-competitive co-ed program with an emphasis on fun and teaching the fundamental skills and rules of baseball. Coaches are instructed not to keep score. Basic skills and rules are introduced, although not in great depth but rather in a manner to promote the fun aspects of baseball and to take great steps to insure that the child achieves success on a small scale, whereby skills can gradually be introduced and mastered in future years. A soft-texture ball is used for safety and players hit off of "tee" for the first half of the season before being introduced to pitches from a coach. Base running on overthrows is restricted. All kids play an equal amount of time and players are encouraged to play all positions in the field. Teams will play 6-inning games twice a week. The season starts late-May and finishes up in mid-July.
Skills Developed
* Create a fun environment and build player confidence
* Learning basic pre-game stretching exercises.
* Learning Safety
* Introduce basic level game rules.
* Learning position locations and fielding basics
* Introduce basic hitting stance.
BANTAM (Coach Pitch)
League Commissioner - Dave Stout - 814-449-7108 - [email protected]
Participation: 6 thru 8 Year Olds (6 year olds that played Tee-Ball last year are eligible)
League Concept:
A non-competitive program in a fun and enjoyable atmosphere with an emphasis placed on learning and developing fundamental skills, teamwork, good sportsmanship, and responsibility to the team. Game scores are not kept in Bantam. Coaches pitch to their own players during the season and all players bat. Base running on overthrows and wild pitches are restricted. All kids once again play an equal amount of time and coaches are again expected to play all players in all positions regardless of their individual skill levels. The objective is to expand the player's understanding of game rules, basic position recognition and to introduce base running concepts throughout the season. Teams will play 6-inning games twice a week. The league begins game play in late-May and finishes up mid-July.
Skills Developed
* Learning the importance of physical fitness.
* Learning proper throwing techniques.
* Learning defensive position requirements.
* Expand on proper batting stance and hitting concepts.
MINOR LEAGUE
League Commissioner - TDB
Participation: 9 thru 11 year olds. Players assigned to Rookie, Minor or Major after evaluations.
League Concept:
Players pitch and develop a higher level of skills with emphasis on development over competitiveness. The overwhelming requirement is to prepare the players for Major League level competition. Base running must be controlled by the defenses and runners will not be required to stop unless the defense so dictates. Pitching and catching skills need to be improved at this level with the emphasis put on development over competitiveness. It is the coach's role to make realistic evaluations as to where a player is best able to achieve success, both at the Minor level as well as beyond, and work to improve position specific skill requirements. Fair and equitable but not equal playing time for all participants shall be expected. However, all players are required to play a minimum of 3 innings per game. League standings are kept with a single elimination playoff at the conclusion of the season. Teams will play 6 inning games twice a week. The Minor League game season will begin begin Mid-May and will finish up Mid-July. A community tournament team will be selected after the season for players that would like to continue play in a tournament setting.
Skills Developed
* Identify and focus on individual position strength of players.
* Introduction to situation defense and decision making skills
* Stressing pitch locations and control.
* Enhancement of hitting and bunting skills.
* Mental aspect of hitting
* Enhancement of base running, base stealing, and sliding skills.
MAJOR LEAGUE
League Commissioner - Tricia DeSanti-Boehm - 814-490-1413 - [email protected]
Participation: 10 thru 12 Year Olds. Players assigned to Rookie, Minor or Major after evaluations.
League Concept:
A recreational baseball league. The objectives at this level are to assist the players in refining and mastering the skills that have been presented thus far. An emphasis is placed on individual development as well as team success, while accomplishments and player positioning is determined by where they best help the team to be successful. However, since many players have limited exposure to more than a single position, coaches should take the opportunity to allow players to learn multiple positions. We continue to encourage a fair and equitable apportionment of playing time; however playing time is not necessarily equal and well be earned by the player's ability, attitude, and effort and will not either increased or decreased solely as a result of age. Once again, all players are required to play a minimum of 3 innings per game. Managers determine batting order and field position according to skill, safety, and contribution to overall team success. While developing a winning attitude becomes an important part of the more advanced player's baseball growth, we need to be reminded that the majority of players at this age, will not become high school varsity or college players. Therefore, the overwhelming objective is to foster an environment players can achieve successes, however small, and to prepare each player for advancement to the next level of play. Standings are kept and the season concludes with a league championship game. Teams play 6 inning games as many as 3 times a week. The Major League game season will begin begin Mid-May and will finish up Mid-July. A community tournament team will be selected after the season for players that would like to continue play in a tournament setting.
Skills Developed:
* Developing positive and confident player attitudes.
* Playing in a competitive environment.
* Mastering mental aspects of pitching and pitch control.
* Learning how & when to throw off speed pitches.
* Mastering catching skills
* Mastering specific defensive abilities.
* Mastering situation defense and decision making skills
* Mastering situational and mental aspects of hitting.
JUNIOR LEAGUE
League Commissioner - TBD
Participation: All 13 to 15 Year Olds
League Concept:
A competitive, yet recreational league that creates an environment whereby players can adjust to a larger, regulation size diamond. At this time, the player is introduced to a variety of new rules and requirements. Players should be allowed to adjust at their own pace and in a protected environment but managers and coaches should set high standards of achievement. It is here that some very successful Little League players may have difficulties with the positions that they previously believed they had mastered. Our objective is to help with this transition while insuring that the confidence that the player possessed in Little League is preserved. Player abilities are now easier to analyze, and those players that previously were thought to be among the best, may now be replaced by other players whose development was slower than others. It is our role to fairly analyze these skills and abilities free from previously preconceived notions. All players are required to play a minimum of 3 innings per game. Standings are kept and the season concludes with a league playoff. Teams will play 7 inning games twice a week. The Junior League season typically begins begin Mid-May and will finish up Mid-July. A community tournament team will be selected after the season for players that would like to continue play in a tournament setting.
* Introduction to regulation size field
* Pitchers: Adapting to regulation size pitch distance and mastering pitch control.
* Catchers: Learning how to call a game
* Defense: Learning defensive responsibilities and positioning on a regulation size field.
* Hitting: Pitch recognition and mastering bat control; protecting runners and squeeze plays
* Baserunning: Learning aggressive baserunning plays and techniques.
Adaptive Division
League Commissioner - Karen Morahan - 814-450-2435
League Concept:
The adaptive Division is a baseball program for individuals with physical and intellectual challenges. Any individual with a physical or intellectual challenge may participate. If an individual can participate in the traditional Baseball or Softball program with reasonable accommodations they should do so.
Flexibility and adaptability are key during adaptive games. Typically games are 1-2 innings long and last about an hour. All players play defensively and bat every inning.
Buddies are individuals who assist Challenger athletes in the areas of batting, base running and defense, but only as needed. Often buddies are peer athletes who are participating in the Little League Baseball or Softball program.