As the temperatures begin to drop and the leaves start to turn, now is the best time for local leagues to prepare for Fall Ball. Often referred to as “Second Season,” this additional playing opportunity is designed to provide players the chance to try new defensive positions, develop the fundamentals in a lower-pressure environment, and build confidence. For leagues, Fall Ball is a great time to retain players and promote the program to new families in the community, allowing their kids to try the sport without the pressure of regular season wins and losses.
To help share some best practices straight from the grassroots level, Little League® sat down with volunteers from leagues across the U.S. for a Local League Spotlight – a series of content created each month to help other leagues learn straight from each other’s success stories – to showcase their Fall Ball programs and they unique ways they make it a positive and successful season for all.
Junior Deputy LL (Little Rock, Arkansas)
Thanks to intentional efforts to make Fall Ball a valuable experience for players of every division of play, especially for those transitioning to a new level based on age, Junior Deputy LL in Little Rock, Arkansas, sees similar registration numbers whether it is the spring’s regular season or the Second Season in the fall.
Keep it Flexible
“We don’t compete against other sports. We expect kids to play other sports and that’s fine,” said Sara Beth Hughes, Junior Deputy Little League Secretary and Player Agent. “We structure in a way so that if you are a 10-year-old, you don’t play every Monday night, because if you play every Monday night, then you might compete with a Boy Scouts meeting or football practice. Every week, the family is faced with a decision of what to attend and what to miss. If you are a 10-year-old in our Fall Ball program, your first week of the season is on Monday night, your second is on Tuesday, and your third is on Wednesday, and we keep that rotation. We don’t make people choose us over everybody else. We are happy to coexist, which really helps with retention.”
Setting Expectations Early
“It’s a culture of setting expectations that Fall Ball is about development,” said Travis Fortner, Junior Deputy Little League President. “We do harp on the importance of developing your players to encourage the coaches and set that culture of what this is really about – getting these players ready for the spring.”
The Importance of Coaches and Volunteers
“Probably one of the biggest reasons that we are successful at Fall Ball is because of our volunteers and our coaches. They don’t just disappear once the spring is done. They are actively engaged and encouraging league families to come back for the fall,” said Hughes. “It’s one thing to get the email that goes out to everybody promoting Fall Ball registration. It’s another thing entirely for your coach to say ‘Hey, listen, I know Timmy didn’t get to pitch as much as he wanted to in the spring. We could really use this fall to develop him. When you get that personal contact from your coaches, that’s very powerful.”
Greenville (N.C.) LL
Getting the Younger Kids Ready
“The overall goal is to get the younger players accustomed to our Major Division and get them reps,” said Brian Weingartz, Greenville Little League President. “Our program is definitely developmental, but I think it’s probably more accurate to say that the biggest benefit of Fall Ball is the reps and getting used to the speed of the game at the Majors level, especially for the younger kids.”
Every Player Gets an Opportunity
At the start of the Fall Ball season, batting lineups are set during the first game. During each game, an inning begins with runners on first and second and a half inning consists of three out or six batters. Once a game ends, the batter who was on deck at the end of the game for each team is marked down as the batter who will be leadoff in the next game.”
“The runners on first and second is a good rule because it takes two kids who weren’t going to be doing anything offensively that inning and gets them out there doing something. The set batting lineup lets the guys that are normally batting at the end can be the leadoff and see how that role feels in a game,” said Weingartz. “I wanted to keep Fall Ball fair for the kids to get an equal number of at-bats, and this was my way of doing it. The goal of Fall Ball as league leadership is to do everything you can to get kids involved and a part of the game.”
Balancing Competition and Fun
“When we started the Fall Ball program, we did not keep score for the games. We played it like a regular game, but we didn’t keep score. Now, we turn the scoreboard on. We keep score. We keep standings. It’s fun because you are still playing to win but the parents, kids, and coaches, understand it is about development and don’t feel the pressure to win like they do in the regular season,” said Weingartz. “We have a good group of parents and a good Little League culture where we can turn the scoreboard on in Fall Ball, play the game, and everybody still has fun no matter if they win or lose.”
Brownsburg (Ind.) LL
Trying New Things
“The opportunities present themselves in Fall Ball in a different way than regular season. A player who primarily plays outfield is going to see the infield. They might even see the mound. They will bat fourth, fifth, sixth, and they are going to have all these opportunities to grow and be successful,” said Geoff Ziegler, Brownsburg Little League President. “The words ‘opportunity’ and ‘success’ means something completely different to each kid. If we can provide an opportunity for them to play and improve, then we have done, from a league standpoint, our part.”
Setting Expectations for the Season
“Do your best to set expectations. That doesn’t mean lower the bar. That doesn’t mean make the experience less optimal or valuable. Be realistic and understand your environment,” said Ziegler. “Fall Ball is a good time to remind families that yes, we are going to throw the ball, hit the ball, and catch the ball. But here are all the other benefits that come with your kid playing Little League. Even if Fall Ball has less kids, go for it. It doesn’t have to be eight games. It can be a four-game season, or a six-game season, as long as you are giving kids the opportunity to play.”
Sidewinder LL (Peoria, Arizona)
Focused on a non-competitive, development-first experience, Sidewinder LL hosts four- to six-hour clinics during their Fall Ball season, giving players the chance to focus on skills longer than they normally would in a regular season practice. The kids are divided by age groups, with some adjustments based on skill level, and they run through the fundamental skills throughout the clinic.
Building Confidence
“Fall Ball gives the kids the opportunity to go up in a level and realize the can handle it. It gives them the opportunity to go into the regular season in the spring with a lot more confidence,” said Abbie Hesselius, Sidewinder Little League President. “Not every kid gets the opportunity in a game to play a position regularly. Some kids are just terrified of a position, like shortstop, until they get the chance to do it at one of the Fall Ball practices or clinics and then they realize ‘hey, I can throw the ball that far.’”
Connecting the Divisions
“Outside of their Fall Ball games, the clinics give some of the younger kids a chance to work with the players from the older divisions to have a role model,” said Hesselius. “It gives our Tee Ball and Coach Pitch kids the chance to see the older ones hit farther in batting practice, while it gives the older kids the chance to see what it is like to be a volunteer coach when they help. It gives the kids to build new relationships.”
MOT LL (Middletown, Delaware)
Each Fall Ball season, more than 700 players run onto an MOT Little League diamond to develop their skills and prepare for the regular season in a fun, less stressful environment. How does the league measure success? When they see players who are transitioning to a new division of play feel confident when they step onto the field in the regular season.
Focusing on Instruction
“Fall Ball games become more developmental. For example, we may be stopping games in the middle for instructional purposes. There’s a focus on using the experience in real time in order to teach the game,” said Aaron Blythe, MOT Little League President. “We try to slow the game down as much as we can and make it instructional. From a play perspective, it’s a hands-on approach. You get more attention from the coaches to focus on rules knowledge and fundamental skills in addition to the live action you get during the game.”
Creating More Opportunities
“We try to limit the number of innings that pitchers can pitch. That really forces us to rotate players through and make sure that everybody’s getting a chance to pitch so they can get different perspectives on the field,” said Blyth. “We also keep the rosters small for the Fall Ball season. We’d rather have more teams and fewer players on a roster than the inverse, because I do think it helps with that one-on-one focus.”
Keeping the Season Low Stress
“The number one feedback I get all the time is how we are able to slow the game down and make it a lot less stressful, particularly on new players who are moving up to a new division, so they are prepared,” said Blythe. “They understand what they’re going to get in the spring, but we’re doing it at a much slower pace so they can learn and grow. There isn’t much stress on making accurate pitches and getting outs. It’s really a much more laid-back environment for everybody, both from a coaching side and from a players’ perspective.”