SWPLL FAQ
What is SWPLL?
SW Portland Little League (SWPLL) is a non-profit provider of baseball and softball programs in SW Portland, Oregon. SWPLL is chartered by Little League International, a world-wide organization perhaps best known for the Little League World Series every August. SWPLL is also part of Oregon District 4, an administrative unit of several Little Leagues west of the Willamette River. SWPLL came into existence in the early 2000's by the merger of the prior SW Portland and Mt. Sylvania Little Leagues.
Who runs SWPLL?
SWPLL depends entirely on the time and effort of volunteers. The league is managed by a Board of Directors that is elected annually at our annual meeting in November. Parents, grandparents and friends serve on the Board and in all the other roles that are needed to make the League work -- everything from coaching teams to organizing raffles to working at concession stands. The quality of product the League provides is entirely dependent on the input of its volunteers, and everybody has something to contribute.
SWPLL relies primarily on registration fees to pay expenses. The league has a small amount of sponsor income, and in the past has staged fundraisers from time to time. Like all things in life, costs keep going up, and the SWPLL Board tries its best to keep registration fee increases to a minimum.
SWPLL has four primary areas of expense - uniforms, fields, equipment and umpires. The Board is always watching for ways to control expenses without compromising the programs offered.
How much does it cost?
Fees change every year. No player is turned away due to financial hardship. Those needing financial assistance should contact the [email protected]. Everyone who is eligible is encouraged to apply for the T-Mobile Little League Call up Grant.
Here are some frequently asked questions, along with their corresponding responses that might help prior to the beginning of the season.
Q. How do I add another parent or guardian to my child's SportsConnect account, so they they receive notices and team emails?
In your child's account, go to the My Account page. Click on the Gear icon near the upper right corner, next to the Bell icon. Scroll down and click on the Add Additional Account Holder link. Complete the information. The new account holder will need to verify by clicking the link sent to their email.
Q. When will we be contacted by our coach?
Majors and AAA rosters are drafted by the coaches within one week of the final safety evaluation/tryout. All other rosters are created 7 to 10 days after the registration deadline. This can be extremely complicated and time consuming. The coach of your team should contact you shortly thereafter. For drafted teams, this usually means the first week of March, and for all other teams it is in mid-March.
Q. How often and where do the teams practice?
Practice length and frequency increases as participants move to higher levels of play. The details of practice time, location, and duration are issues to each team to work out individually. The availability of the coaches' volunteer time weighs heavily in this decision. In general, you can expect no or one practice per week at Teeball, one practice a week for A and AA, and two or more practices per week at AAA and above. Practices usually start during Spring Break for AAA and above, April 1 for A and AA, and mid-April for T-ball.
Q. When are the games?
Almost all our teams play on Saturdays. T-ball will have no more than one game per week. A and AA may have one more game per week on a weekday evening. AAA, Majors, and Juniors could have up to three games per week.
Q. How long do games last?
A. Each level is different. T-ball games usually last about an hour. Single A and Double A usually last about 2 hours with a lot of freedom granted to the coaches for adjusting this time down based on the attention span of their players. AAA games last from two to two and a half hours. Majors play a full 6 inning game unless forced to cut the game short because of scheduling.
Q. What equipment do I need to provide for my player?
All players need a glove in order to be on the field. If you are unable to purchase a glove for your child, let the coach know. There are often limited supplies of lost gloves from prior seasons that are available for loan.
The league provides jerseys, hats, bats, helmets, balls and catcher's equipment. Cleats are optional, and metal cleats are prohibited. Beginning in single A, most players wear grey baseball pants. Girls in softball are often provided with headbands.
Most players provide their own helmet due to concerns about lice. Many players also often have their own bat; however, before purchasing a bat please read the information on the home page about Approved Bats. If a bat is not on the approved list, it cannot be used in league play. Many a parent has been disappointed to find out the expensive bat they purchased cannot be used. This is a safety issue - many expensive bats are engineered to put the ball in play with a level of force that can be dangerous to younger players.
Q. Can I request my child to play with a specific team, coach or teammate?
Yes you can!! You should have been prompted to fill in this request during registration. If you have a preference that was not noted, send an e-mail requesting your preference the VP for the level you requested and to the Player Agent for your level. Requests are not guaranteed but we make every effort to honor requests. Requests should not be made for levels that are selected with a draft (AAA baseball, and Majors and above in both sports).
Q. How can I help?
We absolutely love volunteers! Please reach out to Communications to learn more about volunteer opportunities.
Thanks for joining the league. Have a great season!