Q: My son/daughter would like to be on the same team as their friend/neighbor/cousin, etc. Can you please make this happen?

A: While Yorktown JAA would love to be able to place friends and neighbors on the same team, please understand that if we honored these requests, it would inevitably end up in lopsided teams. If you have a “special request” that you feel the board should consider, please reach out to the President of Baseball or Softball and they can bring the request in front of the J.A.A. board of directors.

 

Q: Can my son/daughter play in a division other that the one that their age places in them in? In other words can they “play up” or “play down” a division?

A: Yorktown JAA strongly encourages parents to stick to the age division their son/daughter falls in as this helps to make the divisions fun and safe. However, we also understand there are unique situations. If you would like your son/daughter to play up or down a division, following is the process: (i) Contact the President of Baseball or Softball to make them aware of your request, (ii) Your child will need to be assessed by the skills assessment for the division you are wishing for them to play in, (iii) The coaches for that division will determine if they agree with the child playing up or down by considering the talent level and the safety of the request, (iv) The President of Baseball or Softball will contact you on the decision.

 

Q: We registered our son/daughter to play in Yorktown JAA, but haven’t heard anything as of yet. When will we hear from someone?

A: Yorktown JAA appreciates your patience. The draft and team allocation process takes some time and is accomplished over a multiple week period. If you have friends who have already heard about their team placement and you haven’t, it’s likely that your coach simply hasn’t contacted the team yet. We always do our best to inform players of their placement promptly and in due course - will reach out to you as soon as we are able.

 

Q: My child’s team isn’t as competitive as I’d like it to be - why are some teams better than others?

A: We appreciate your concern, but please understand that Yorktown JAA Baseball/Softball/Tee Ball is a developmental program that is open to children of all skill levels. While the Yorktown JAA Board do their absolute best to allocate talent evenly each year (and countless volunteer hours go into this process), sometimes children develop at different rates and there are other anomalies, etc., which result in the competition not being perfectly even. Please be patient and encourage your child to do their best and be a good teammate. Also, keep in mind all of our coaches are volunteers and are doing their best. One of the best ways that you can help make the experience even better is to get involved with the program. We are always looking for help with coaching and new board members.

 

Q: What times, days, and/or fields can I expect my son/daughter to be playing on during the course of the Spring League?

A: Although we don’t know exactly which day(s) you team will practice and have games at this time, we will attempt to settle into a routine schedule each week once the season gets started. We wish we could advertise these days in advance, but there are too many variables to know before the season starts.

 

Q: What happens if rain cancels our game or practice?

A: One of the great things about baseball/softball/T-ball is that it is enjoyed outdoors. However, that does mean that games and practices are subject to being cancelled due to rain. Many factors go into determining when to close the fields. The two main factors are: safety for the players, and concern for damaging our facilities. When it does become necessary to close the fields, this is generally what will happen: (i) If the closure of the fields affects your practice, it will simply be cancelled and not re-scheduled. You will resume practice at the next scheduled time, (ii) If the closure of the fields affects your regular season league game, we will re-schedule the first 2 games that a team loses to rain outs. Those games will be re-scheduled the week before the J.A.A. tournament. If a team loses more than 2 games due to rain, unfortunately, those additional games won’t be re-scheduled, (iii) If the closure of the fields involves a tournament game, those games will be re-scheduled.

 

Q: I am having trouble completing the online registration, what should I do?

A: Most of the time our online system works very well. However, if you encounter any problems trying to get registered, please reach out via email at registrationinfo@yorktownjaa.com and one of our volunteer board members will contact you to help you get registered.

 

Q: What equipment will my child need?

A: For baseball and softball, Yorktown J.A.A. will provide the uniform (pants, shirt, hat) but your child will also need a baseball or softball glove, baseball or softball bat, cleats, and a helmet. For T-Ball players, Yorktown J.A.A. will provide a shirt and hat but your child will also need pants, a T-ball sized glove and bat are needed as well as a helmet. Cleats are very optional and not necessary for T-ball. There are many sources in our local communities for gently used baseball & softball equipment that are no longer needed by older players. If you need help locating some gently used equipment, please reach out to jaaboard@yorktownjaa.com and one of our volunteer board members will help point you in the right direction.

 

Q: Are there scholarships or financial aid available?

A: Yes! We have programs available for those that meet certain criteria. Please reach out to jaaboard@yorktownjaa.com and one of our volunteer board members will contact you and walk you through what is needed.