Parent and Safety Information

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the season?

For most teams the season starts at the end of April or beginning of May, and wraps up at the end of the school year. For the 2025 season, that means the first practice is either the week of April 28 or May 5, and the last day of the season is the week of June 16.

For older kids, especially in our player pitch divisions, we will try to schedule some indoor pre-season sessions at Northfield and Williamstown schools, or at Norwich University, and will let parents know.

In which division does my child belong?

We follow Little League's recommendations for age groupings in divisions. They are:

• Tee Ball: 4-7 years old

• Minor League: 5-11 years old

• Major League: 9-12 years old

As you can see, there is some overlap between the divisions. Sometimes a younger player might play in a higher division if he or she has significant experience and skill. For example, a six year old could play in either Tee Ball or Minor League. If the six year old is ready to move up from Tee Ball, our coaching staff will talk to parents about that and make a recommendation. Sometimes an older player might need more experience and coaching before "moving up" to a higher division. For example, a six year old who has very little experience with the game should probably start at the Tee Ball division. In that case, too, our coaches will consult with parents about the appropriate time to move the player's division. 

In the Minor League division, we have two different groups: coach pitch and player pitch. See the next question for information about these options.

Determine your player's age for the 2025 season based on Little League rules.

For more information on registration, visit our Registration page.

By age, my child will be in a minor league division. Should I sign her/him up for "coach pitch" or "player pitch"?

At the coach pitch level, players will transition away from the soft, squishy tee ball and start using regular hard balls. Therefore, at this level, they need to be ready to keep their eyes on the ball and focus in order to catch and throw. If your child somehow gets signed up for a team that isn't appropriate for her/his skill level, our attentive coaching staff will help find the team that is a better fit.

How can I help Paine Mountain Little League?

We are always looking for volunteers for all different kinds of work, including board members, umpires, concessions workers, etc. Our registration website has links to volunteer as an umpire or at the concession stand. If you are interested in coaching, you must complete Little League's background check and our safety training program. Email info@painemtnll.org with questions!

Volunteering

Paine Mountain Little League is a volunteer-led and operated organization focused on bringing youth baseball and softball to children in our boundaries. With well over 100 players across 7 baseball and softball divisions, volunteer assistance is needed to bring a quality experience to our players. Paine Mountain Little League recognizes that families are busy and large time commitments are not possible in many cases. Accordingly, levels of volunteering commitment can vary from season-wide to single event/occasional assistance, such as: 

• Examples of season-wide volunteering:

  • Assistant coach: Assist head coach during practices and games

  • Team Parent: Assist coaches with administrative tasks such as communications with families, scheduling, etc.

• Examples of single event/occasional assistance:

  • Umpire one or more games

  • Attend/participate in a field clean-up day

  • Assist with field raking/dragging post-practice or pre-game once or more

  • Assist in manning the concession stand once or more

  • Run the scoreboard during one game or more 

Do you play in the rain?

Yes! Your player's coach will inform you of any practice or game changes due to weather.

How do coaches communicate with parents?

Coaches mainly use email to communicate with parents, using the email tied to your player's registration. In addition, our Majors Baseball and Softball teams will be using the GameChanger app to also communicate updates for games and practices. Be sure to download the app from the Google Play or Apple App store. All necessary communication will be available through the free version, so there is no need to purchase a plan.