FAQs for Starkey Little League 

Table of Contents

How do I determine my child's "league age"?

Starkey Little League is open to boys and girls ages 4 - 13 according to Little League birthdate/age rules. Visit https://www.littleleague.org/play-little-league/determine-league-age/ to use the Little League age calculator to determine your child's league age for the current season.  For our fall seasons, we use the Little League age requirements for the FOLLOWING spring season (so the age division your child will play in during the spring season, they will play in that same division the preceding fall.)  All children are REQUIRED to play in their age-appropriate division, unless they desire to play in an older division.  

What division(s) is my child eligible for, based on their "league age"?

Below grid is applicable for Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 seasons:

If your child has played at least one spring season and they are eligible for multiple divisions, we recommend your child move up in the fall season. 

Can I play with Starkey Little League?

Participation in Starkey LL is open to boys and girls of "league age" 4 to 13.

• League Age 4-7:  Starting with the Spring 2025 season, children at the youngest level of the Little League Baseball program (League Age 4-7, born after September 1, 2017) will have the ability to register for any Little League program they choose, without respect to any geography- or school-related eligibility requirements.  Once the player hits League Age 8, this will be become their permanent league. Older siblings can switch to the league with their younger sibling in this age group and have full tournament eligibility under the IId Waiver. Please note the younger sibling must continue to participate in the same league to maintain this eligibility.
• League Age 8+:  Older players (League Age 8+, born on or before September 1, 2017) will continue to utilize the current boundary requirement based on residency or school enrollment. For Starkey Little League, this is between Starkey Blvd and Suncoast Parkway, North of Rt 54. It includes 3 communities: The Preserve, Asturia and Starkey Ranch. Students of Starkey Ranch K-8 are also eligible to participate with Starkey LL regardless of where they live. Before registering, please verify to make sure a player is eligible to participate by going to the Little League Finder.

Where are your fields located?

BASEBALL
Our home field is Starkey Ranch District Park (1800 Lake Blanche Road, Odessa, FL 33556). We will be predominantly playing on fields 1 (a brand new softball field) and 5 (a brand new baseball field). We have extra practice space "field 6" behind field 1 and access to one of the new batting cages. This is where all baseball practices will be held and where we predominantly play games. Pasco County has scheduled several softball tournaments on the new fields, so our backup location is WH Jack Mitchell Jr Park (4825 Little Road, New Port Richey, FL 34655). There we have access to 3 diamonds.

All 50/70 practices and home games will be held at Mitchell.

• Starkey Ranch District Park - 1800 Lake Blanche Road, Odessa, FL 33556
• WH Mitchell Jr - 4825 Little Road, New Port Richey, FL 34655
• [See the GENERAL INFO > FIELD LOCATIONS for maps & field #'s]

When and where are games usually held?

Spring Seasons: Games will begin on Opening Day held mid-Feb and continue through early May.
Fall Seasons: Our fall season is focused on fundamentals and scrimmage games. Scrimmages are used as training opportunities. The goal is to build skill and develop as a team in preparation for the Spring Season. Scrimmages will run mid-September through Thanksgiving.

The Tee Ball and A-Ball divisions will play the majority of their games on Saturday mornings at Starkey Ranch District Park. However, there may be some instances where teams will need to play on a weeknight due to schedule and weather-related issues.

The AA Rookies division will typically have 1 game played on Saturdays. AAA Minors division will typically have 1-2 games per week. Times may vary by division (AM / Afternoon / Evening).  Games can be at either Starkey Ranch District Park or WH Mitchell. In these divisions they play other leagues and will need to travel for away games but this is usually on Saturdays.

The Majors and 50/70 division will have 2 games per week.

All-Stars are in spring season only. Practices begin mid-May with games mid-June through July.  If you think your child may make the All-Stars team, please plan your summer vacation accordingly -- missing games will disqualify their eligibility.

There are many variables that can affect the game schedule throughout the season including weather, number of teams, field conditions, etc. The Starkey Little League Board greatly appreciate your understanding as the schedule may need be adjusted throughout the season due to weather and other adverse conditions.

What is the typical practice schedule during the season?

Days and times for practice vary by season and are set by the Board in partnership with team managers once teams and rosters are established. All divisions (except Majors) typically meet twice per week (one weeknight and Saturday). Both days will be practices until scrimmages/games start. Majors and 50/70 typically meet 3 times per week.

How are teams formed in SLL?

Tee Ball, A-Ball and AA Rookie teams are formed by the board.  At these levels, Starkey LL does try to honor requests for coach/teammate, while also ensuring balanced teams. Unless a player is moving up, we carry forward teams to the next season to maintain continuity for the coaches and players.

Evaluations are mandatory for ALL AAA Minors, Majors and 50/70 players (new + experienced) every Fall season. New joiners in Spring also must be evaluated. There are no evaluations for Tee Ball, A-Ball or AA Rookies.

AAA Minors, Majors and 50/70 teams are formed based on player draft in the FALL season by the team managers, SLL coaching coordinator and SLL player agent. All registered players will be assigned to a team. Evaluations and drafts are intended to ensure teams are as balanced as possible. Please note friend requests are not considered as part of the draft process. New players joining in the SPRING season will be individually evaluated and drafted onto a team, along with any players moving up into either of these divisions in the Spring.

What equipment/uniform items are needed?

Please refer to our Uniform Guidelines page. PLEASE label all of your child's gear with their name!