General Questions
Q: Which District does North Andover Youth Baseball play in?
A: North Andover plays in Massachusetts District 14.
Q: What other towns are in our District?
A: Andover, Billerica, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, and Tewksbury. Not all towns enter a team into every age division.
Q: When is the District tournament?
A: Typically District Tournament games begin the last week of June or first week in July. The District Championship games are in mid-July. If a team advances beyond the District Tournament to the Sectional Tournament (or beyond), game play could extend into late July or early August.
Q: How many games does each team play in the District tournament?
A: Typically each team plays at least three games in the pool play portion of the tournament. At the conclusion of pool play, the top two teams play in semi-final games, and the winners play in a best-of-three final series. The District Tournament finalists typically play 6 to 8 games in the tournament. Teams not making the semi-finals may only play 3 or 4.
Q: If my team does not make the District semi-finals, is my summer season over?
A: No, each District team will also enter Round 1 and Round 2 of the Bay State Tournament of Champions. This tournament begins in late June and ends in late July or early August, depending on the age group.
Q: Our family has a summer house at the beach, we may only be able to make a few of the games/practices, what should we do?
A: Making a District team is a treasured experience and should be fully embraced by the player and parents. North Andover Little League expects a full commitment (>95%) regarding attending games and practices. If a full commitment cannot be fulfilled, then the player should decline the spot so that another deserving player can participate.
Q: Does a player need to play on an AAU or EBL team to make a Little League District team?
A: No.
Player Selection Questions
Q: What are the eligibility requirements to play on a District team?
A: - Players must be registered to play in the Spring 2017 season with North Andover Youth Baseball.
- Players must participate in 60% of their spring games.
- Players must register for the summer baseball season.
Q: What are the age eligibility rules for the 2017 District teams?
A: In 2017, the 10-year old District teams will be made up of players born between 9/1/2006 and 8/31/2008; the 11-year old District teams will be made up of players born between 9/1/2005 and 8/31/2007; the 12-year old District teams will be made up of players born between 5/1/2004 and 8/31/2006.
Q: How are the District teams selected?
A: District teams are selected by the spring season managers, with input from divisional Vice Presidents and Commissioners. The selection process is moderated by the player agent, who is charged with running a fair and impartial draft process that considers all eligible players. Players are divided into two pools - American and National - and one team for each age group is selected from each pool of players for participation in the District Tournament.
Q: Is my player on the American or National side?
A: The American pool of players is made up of players residing in the Kittredge and Sargent school districts, and players attending school in North Andover but residing in another town. The National pool of players is made up of players residing in the Atkinson, Franklin, and Thomson school districts. Note that eligibility is based on the address of your residence, and not necessarily the school that you attend. North Andover Youth Baseball will default to the address presented at registration for the 2017 spring season. The player's address will need to be verified as part of the registration process for the District Tournament through submittal of documents such as mortgage bills, utility bills, or tax bills.
Q: Can an American League player play as a substitute on the National League team (and vice versa)?
A: No.
Q: When is the District Draft?
A: The District draft if typically held in late May. Teams will be announced by June 1st. Notification of players will be from the player agent to the player's family.
Q: If a player made a District team in 2016, are they guaranteed to make the team in 2017?
A: No. Players are selected to the District team for ONLY THE CURRENT YEAR.
Q: What if my child does not make it this year?
A: North Andover offers an additional summer baseball opportunities through the Merrimack Valley Small Diamond League. More importantly, keep practicing. Baseball development continues throughout the teenage years. Some of the best High School players did not play on their respective district teams.
Q: How many players will be selected for each team?
A: Typically 12 or 13 players will be selected to each team.
Q: Are there any alternates for the District teams?
A: No.
Q: Can a 9 year old make a 10 year old District team?
A: Yes. Typically, only eligible "league age" 10 year old players are selected, but on occasion, an outstanding eligible 9 year old may be selected at the discretion of the selection committee. As 9 year olds will have an opportunity to play the following year, the league strongly encourages managers to nominate and select 10 year olds over 9 year olds when players are considered close in demonstrated skills and abilities.
Q: Can an 11 year old make a 12 year old District team?
A: Yes. Typically, only eligible "league age" 12 year old players are selected, but on occasion, an outstanding eligible 11 year old may be selected. As 11 year olds will have an opportunity to play the following year, as well as in the 11-year old District tournament, the league strongly encourages managers to nominate and select 12 year olds over 11 year olds when players are considered close in demonstrated skills and abilities.
Q: Can a 12 year old play down on an 11 year old District team?
A: No.
Q: When do District team practices start?
A: The official start date is June 1, 2017, which is governed by Little League International. However, the team practice schedule is at the discretion of the Manager. More than likely, the District teams will begin practicing while the AAA/Majors playoffs are still being played. District games are expected to start as early as June 18th.
Manager Selection
Q: What are requirements to be the Manager of a District team?
A: - The candidate must manage or coach a spring team in 2017.
- The candidate needs to "apply" for the job with a managerial resume.
- The candidate must be able to attend EVERY scheduled district practice AND game.
Q: Who chooses the District Managers?
A: The North Andover Little League President.
Q: Is the Manager guaranteed to manage a future District team?
A: Appointment to the position of manager does not guarantee that manager will manage or coach future District teams.
Q: Can the Manager/Coaches pre-pick their team prior to the manager selection process?
A: No, the Managers and Coaches are chosen after the team is assembled.