2021 Woodburn Youth League
Frequently Asked Questions
General information about our league.
Woodburn Youth League is a community league based in Woodburn, Indiana for children ages 4-14. We play our home games at the Woodburn Community Park located on Overmeyer Street. Our league is governed and operated by a group of Board Members.
Is this league a travel ball league?
No. This is a community ball league that only practices and plays from April 1st to the end of June.
Is there any travel involved?
Yes. Our league plays our home games at the Woodburn Community Park and away games are played in the following locations for some but not all divisions: Harlan, Monroeville, Hoagland and New Haven.
Is this a co-ed league?
Yes and no. This league has Co-Ed T-Ball and also has Girls Softball and Boys Baseball.
My child attends a school outside of the East Allen school system. Can s(he) still play in Woodburn?
Yes, we are an independent league and therefore, not associated with Little League, Babe Ruth, Pony, Dixie, etc. As long as you are able to provide transportation to practices and games.
How do I sign my child(ren) up?
We have Online Registration and it is available from now until March 12h, 2021. If you’re reading this on the WYL website, you’re real close to the “Registration” button at the top of the home page.
I missed the March 12th deadline. Can I still get signed up?
Probably! After March 12th, all requests to sign up must be sent to [email protected] and we’ll get you a registration form. If we have room on a team, we’ll put you in the system. It gets a little more difficult after evaluations, but we try our best to get anyone that wants to play on a team. Community ball is all about community!
What are the costs involved in playing in this league?
Our registration fees start at $50 for T-Ball and max out at $95 for Koufax. Discounts are given for multiple players at the same address. Please look under the registration tab for more info on registration fees. Each player will receive a team t-shirt and a hat or visor except T-Ball. T-Ball players only receive a t-shirt but do get a trophy at the end of the season. We require all player’s Prep level and up to wear Grey ball pants. T-Ball players can wear ball pants or shorts.
What equipment does my child need to play?
Each player is required to have their own mitt. Each team bag has a few helmets but we strongly encourage you to provide one for your child. Cleats are highly recommended at the T-Ball & Prep level and required for older divisions. Metal cleats are allowed only for Koufax and Major Girls. Each team bag also has a few bats and catcher’s gear. You may choose to use your own bat. Make sure bats and mitts are size-appropriate for your player. We require all player’s Prep level and up to wear grey ball pants. T-Ball players can wear ball pants or shorts.
If your daughter plans on playing softball for several years, a defensive face mask is an excellent investment. Each team bag has 2 face masks. A bopped nose or eye can usually discourage younger players, and an emergency room visit can far exceed the cost of the mask. Please take this into consideration. Rip-It & Schutt masks are the most common.
Are big barrel bats allowed for baseball?
Yes, Big Barrel bats are allowed at all levels for boys. However, a big barrel bat must have a USA stamp on the bat to be legal. 2 ¼ USSSA bats are allowed. Koufax level can use a big barrel bat regardless of the bat stamp, but must be between a drop -3 to drop -8.
My child is signed up, what happens next?
March 13th, 2021, evaluations will be held at the Woodlan HS gym. Evaluations are for all Prep, Minors and Major Divisions that have multiple teams. T-Ball teams will be drafted by a board member. Even if your child is a returning player, we still ask that they attend and go through the process. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your child's start time to finalize paperwork and check-in. Times TBA.
Please have your player bring their mitt and wear gym shoes in case we are indoors. They may bring their own bat and helmet.
What to expect during evaluations: Our league does evaluations on players in ALL Divisions with Multiple Teams except T-Ball. There are stations set up for batting, catching, fielding, running and pitching (for the older divisions). With the help from the Woodlan HS Baseball and Softball teams, the coaches observe the players and evaluate their skill level. After evaluations, coaches and a board member(s) convene in a separate room to draft their players. A coaches meeting is normally held the week following evaluations. After this meeting, coaches are free to contact their team and start practicing. Some coaches choose to begin practicing right away, while most begin after spring break. Once the season begins, things fall into place rather quickly.
We can't make it to evaluations on March 13th! What do we do?
Please contact a board member if your child(ren) are unable to attend. Your child will be drafted to a team sight-unseen. If we've seen your child play in the past and we have any idea of their skill, we'll inform the coaches.
Can I choose my child’s coach?
Essentially, no. If there is only one team in a league, all players end up on that team. We usually have 2 or 3 teams in each league, so your child has a chance to be drafted to any of these teams.
Evaluations are over. When do we hear from our coach about practice?
A coaches meeting is normally held the week following evaluations. After this meeting, coaches are free to contact their team and start practicing. Some coaches choose to begin practicing right away, while most begin after spring break. Please contact a board member if you have not heard from your coach by April 1.
What nights are practices?
95% of the time, practices are held 2 nights a week, Monday through Thursday. Coaches sign up for practice field time at the coaches’ meeting, and that is somewhat of a set schedule for the season. Coaches determine the day and time of practices. Sometimes coaches take weekend slots. We have a lot of teams that share diamonds. We recommend that practices happen once the temperature is above 40 degrees. With the wild winter we’ve had this year, who knows when we’ll get started. If you feel that conditions are not safe for practice for your player, please keep your player at home and notify the coach via text or phone call. Players are expected to be at every practice possible when weather permits.
What nights are games?
The season schedule will be released by the end of April. Most divisions have set days they play while others do not. We will get this schedule out to everyone as soon as it becomes available.
I want to volunteer. What do I do?
Our league can only survive when people step up to coach and volunteer. If you’d like to coach a team, please sign up online while registering your child(dren). If you’d like to coach, and don’t have a player in our league, hover over the registration info tab then click on volunteer opportunities. You will be able to choose from head coach or assistant coach. Coaching is fun and very rewarding. No foul language or tobacco use is allowed around the players. All candidates must submit to a background check with the Woodburn Police Department which you will fillout online. You will be a role model for these kids.
Our league is governed and operated by a group of Board Members. We are in need of people to help run the WYL. The majority of our Board members have players in the league but we would always welcome those that do not have players in the league.
We’re having problems with our coach. What do we do?
Coaches are people just like you. They know issues may arise during the season. If you have a problem with a coach, your first course of action is to calmly discuss the issue with the coach at an appropriate time, after a practice or game. If you approach a coach screaming and yelling at them, a satisfying resolution probably won’t be reached at that moment. Please discuss the issue with your coach, and see if they can help you with the problem. If you can’t reach a solution with the coach, please contact a Board Member, and we’ll be in contact with you about the problem.
I would like to purchase clothing similar to my player’s uniform. What do I do?
We sell Spirit Wear, which can match your player’s uniform. We may be going to an online ordering site for these items. We will update you as soon as possible.
Does the league take team pictures?
Yes. Pictures will be taken at the park. We use Blosser’s Studio to take team and individual pictures. Blosser’s does a very professional job, and uses the shelter house or the diamonds (weather permitting) to take the pictures. Our picture day is scheduled for Sunday, April 26th this year. Times will be determined at a later date. You are not required to purchase pictures, but we do ask all players to show up for the team picture. Order forms will be handed out early to mid April.
When will uniforms be distributed?
We need uniforms for pictures on April 25th and some teams may play at Harlan on April 24th for their opening day. We should have them distributed a few days before then.
What rules does this league play by?
Our league plays with rules that each town has agreed upon to be adapted for our younger players, if a certain rule isn’t covered, we defer to IHSAA High School rules. These rules are posted here on our website under Forms, Documents and Rules. Our coaches are directed to get these rules for their appropriate team. These rules are updated every year.
I have unanswered questions? What do I do?
Please email us at [email protected] and ask! We’ll respond to you, and update these questions to help others. Thanks for your interest, and let’s have a great season!
Your 2021 Woodburn Youth League Board