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WHAT IS NEW FOR SPRING 2008 AT OCEE PARK?
We are entering our second Spring season as a Cal Ripken/Babe Ruth baseball program. For
the most part, the same leagues offered in Spring 2007 will again be offered in 2008 with
some additional offerings and enhancements or changes as noted below:
The 13-15 baseball league is being renamed the Junior 13-15 League starting with the Spring 2008 season.
We are offering a 16-18 baseball league starting with the Spring 2008 season and this league will be
known as the Senior 16-18 League.
Interleague play, which has been used with great success in our 13-15 baseball and 13-16 softball
programs for years, is being introduced into our Majors National baseball and Majors softball leagues
this Spring. This should add an exciting dimension to these 2 leagues with the Majors National teams
competing against Hopewell 70/50 programs and the Majors softball teams competing in the North Atlanta
NGFA fast pitch league.
As is customary, any player that is registered for Majors baseball (11-12) or Majors softball (11-12)
who participated in the Spring 2007 program as part of a Majors National team (baseball) or a Majors
softball team is not required to attend player assessments. Those players will automatically be
returned to their Spring 2007 teams or drafted to another team in the league in the event their
team has been eliminated as part of a league realignment.
One change of note regarding our Majors National baseball and Majors softball programs. The Majors
National league will consist of 4 teams for the Spring 2008 season with the Braves and Padres being
eliminated due to insufficient returning players from last season. In Majors softball, the Riptide
have been eliminated and the Majors NGFA league will instead consist of 3 teams for Spring 2008.
Aside from the changes noted above, the number of leagues and teams
is unchanged. As is customary, league standings are not maintained for Tee Ball. Starting
this Spring, standings will be maintained in the Farm baseball and softball leagues after
the Spring break for purposes of seeding teams in the end of season tourmaments. With the
exception of Tee Ball, all leagues will have an in-park or interleague end of season
tournament and in some cases both. In-Park All Star Day will again feature the same game
and league lineup as it did in 2007. Cal Ripken/Babe Ruth tournament teams (for summer
play) will be selected in May and they will begin practice on June 1st with an eye toward
state and regional play in mid-July..
What is my child's league age for the Spring 2008 season?
What is the Babe Ruth league age
determination date for baseball?
The age of a baseball
player as of April 30, 2008
will be that player's league age for the Spring 2008 season.
What is the Babe Ruth league age determination date for
softball?
The age of a softball
player as of December 31, 2007
will be that player's league age for the Spring 2008 season.
What is my child's league age for the Fall 2008 season?
What is the Babe Ruth league age
determination date for baseball?
The age of a baseball
player as of April 30, 2009
will be that player's league age for the Fall 2008 season. The league age for the Fall season is
based on the league age of that player for the upcoming Spring season (2009).
What is the Babe Ruth league age determination date for
softball?
The age of a softball
player as of December 31, 2008
will be that player's league age for the Fall 2008 season. The league age for the Fall season is
based on the league age of that player for the upcoming Spring season (2009).
Will we have a league for 16-18
baseball for the Spring 2008 season?.
Yes, we are happy to announced that we have worked out field allocation issues and we
will be able to offer a limited number of teams in 16-18 baseball starting in Spring
2008. We expect 2-3 teams in this age group and they will play in interleague schedule
with Wills Park as well as an end of season double elimination tournament.
What about playing up in the next league?
There will be very limited opportunities for 6-, 8-, and 9-year old players to play in the
next higher league. Players that are successfully registered for a spot in the Ocee Park program are
guaranteed a spot on a team in their appropriate age group. There is no guarantee that any player
that wishes to play up will be able to do so. Playing up in the next league is completely dependent
on skills assessments and league openings. Please contact the Player Agent or League Commissioner if you
have questions.
WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PLAYER ASSESSMENTS?
For what seasons are assessments conducted?
Assessments are conducted for the Spring Ball season only. There
are no assessments for Fall Ball seasons.
When are
assessment conducted for Spring Ball?
Assessments begin in late January with the goal of being completed
by the end of January. Most player assessments are conducted on Saturdays,
with some assessments conducted on Sunday and during the week.
What do I do if
my child can't attend his/her scheduled assessment time for our last name?
Notify the Player Agent to see if it is possible to
attend an assessment session in the same age group but in a
different time slot. In general, this is discouraged since the
sessions are scheduled based on the number of players that can be
reasonably evaluated in a single session. If too many players are
in one session, this has a ripple effect on all sessions after that one.
What happens if
my child misses all assessment sessions?
Your child will be drafted even if he/she fails to attend
assessments. If coaches have knowledge of the player's skills, the
player will receive an assessment score that will be used in the
draft. If coaches have no knowledge of the player's skills, the
player will be randomly assigned to a team. Players that do not
assess may not play up in the next division. Baseball players that
do not attend the required number of Majors Division assessment
sessions will not be eligible for the Major League.
My child wants to play up - what session do I attend?
Notify the Player Agent ahead of time if you are interested in playing up. However,
the player must attend his/her age group's assessment session. Do not make the mistake
of attending the assessment session for the age group you want to play in since you will
not be on the roster and this may affect your chances of playing up.
My child is 10-years old and want to play in the Majors?
All 10-year old players are eligible to participate in the Majors Division of baseball or softball
and this is not considered playing up. All boys and girls interested in playing in Majors baseball
or softball should attend the appropriate Majors assessment session(s).
My child is 9-years old and want to play in the Majors?
The Ocee Park Board of Directors has implemented a policy prohibiting 9-year old players from
participating in the Majors Division. You may contact the Player Agent or another Board Member
to discuss this policy.
What about Returning Majors players from 2007 - do they need to attend assessments?
As is customary, any player that is registered for Spring 2008 Majors baseball
(11-12) or Majors softball (11-12) who participated in the Spring 2007 program as part of a Majors National
team (baseball) or a Majors softball team is not required to attend player assessments. Those players will
automatically be returned to their Spring 2007 teams or drafted to another team in the league in the
event their team has been eliminated as part of a league realignment.
TELL ME ABOUT LEAGUES AND
REGISTRATION
When can my child play at Ocee Park?
Ocee Park has two separate seasons: Spring Ball and Fall Ball. If
your child plays in one season, he/she is not automatically
registered for play in the next season.
How do I register my child in Ocee
Park?
Spring registration begins in the middle
of November and Fall registration begins in mid-May. This web site
will update you with our registration schedule. Begin the
registration process by clicking on links on this web site's home or
registration pages. You will be sent to Active.com to complete the
registration process. Fees are charged on credit cards.
Click here
to go to the registration page.
Is there anything else I need to do to register my child?
Yes. Download the Ocee
Park medical waiver form. Print the form, fill it out and give it to
your child's coach at the team's first practice.
Click here
to download the form.
You will also need to provide proof of age and residency for each
child registered.
See the
Registration page for more details.
What is
Buddy Ball (previously Challenger Division) and who can play in it?
The Buddy Ball program provides boys and girls with special
needs the therapeutic and socialization benefits of
participating in baseball, improving self-esteem, and learning
the important disciplines of
sportsmanship, teamwork, character building, and confidence. In
Buddy Ball games, buddies from our baseball and softball
leagues assist their Buddy Ball partners. The Buddy Ball
schedule will include approximately 7 Saturday morning games
with most games to be played at Ocee Park. Some games will be
played at other Buddy Ball, Miracle League, or Challenger program parks.
(Above FAQs were updated in December 2007.)
HOW OCEE PARK
ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION WORKS
Ocee Park Athletic Association sponsors
youth baseball and softball programs for boys and girls ages 5 to 18
years old. Since our founding in 1993, OPAA has grown to more than 1,700
participants and over 1,100 families. OPAA leagues play and practice at Ocee
Park on Buice Road in Johns Creek, GA. Ocee Park is a City of Johns Creek park.
Chartered under Babe Ruth League™, OPAA
follows the rules and regulations established by Babe Ruth League™ for
both baseball and softball. According to the charter from Babe Ruth™, Ocee Park's league territory is Northeast Fulton County. This territory
includes the zip codes of 30005 (the portion in Fulton County), 30022
(in its entirety), 30097 (in its entirety), and a small
portion of 30024 (the portion that lies within Fulton County).
PHILOSOPHY
The philosophy of OPAA is to provide a
recreational program for the boys and girls in our geographic area.
The focus of our program is on teaching skills, promoting good
sportsmanship and having fun. OPAA believes there is great value
in teaching boys and girls of all ages the values and rewards of
competition all within a framework of good sportsmanship. Many
youth sports programs today de-emphasize competition but OPAA feels
that this does not prepare our youth adequately. The overall competitiveness
of the program increases in the older divisions, but the general OPAA philosophy
applies to all age groups.
BASEBALL
The OPAA baseball program is organized in
five divisions and nine leagues. The divisions and leagues are based on the age and/or skill
level of the player.
TEE LEAGUE 6U (TEE)
The T-Ball program is for 5- and
6-year old boys and girls. In this program, players hit the ball off
of a tee. Teams are randomly assigned and there is no skill
assessment or draft. No standings are kept in this league and there
is no end of season tournament.
FARM 8U
(MINORS)
The Farm League is for 7- and
8-year olds. This division is machine pitch. Players participate in
a pre-season skill assessment and are drafted to a specific team. No
standings are kept but there is an end of the season tournament
based on a blind-draw format.
A 8U (Minors)
The A League is for 7- and 8-year olds and
is similar to the Farm League. Players are selected to the A League
based solely on the highest player assessment scores in the 7- and
8-year old group. This division is machine
pitch. Players participate in a pre-season skill assessment and are
drafted to a specific team. Standings are kept and there is an end
of the season tournament.
AA 9U (Minors)
The AA division is generally for 9- and
10-year olds. Players participate in a pre-season skill assessment
and may be drafted by a team in this division.
Standings are kept and there is an end of
the season tournament.
AAA 10U (Minors)
The AAA division can include 9- and
10-year olds. Players participate in a pre-season skill assessment
and may be drafted by a team in this division. AAA is more
competitive than AA, but not as competitive as the Major League. Standings
are kept and there is an end of the season tournament.
MAJORS NATIONAL AND AMERICAN 12U (MAJORS)
The Majors division can include ages
10- to 12-year olds. Players participate in a pre-season skill
assessment and may be drafted by a team in this division. The Majors
Division operates 2 leagues - the Majors National league which plays
under the 70/50 program and the Majors American league which plays
under the traditional 60/46 program. The Majors National league may
also play a Saturday interleague schedule with another park.
13-15 (JUNIOR)
The Junior League division is for 13-, 14-
and 15-year olds. Players participate in a pre-season skill
assessment and are drafted to a specific team. This division
plays on a regulation-size baseball field (90' base paths and 60'6"
mound). Standings are kept and there is an end of the season
tournament. This league generally plays an interleague Saturday schedule
with another local park.
16-18 (SENIOR)
The Senior League division is for 16-, 17-
and 18-year olds. Players participate in a pre-season skill
assessment and are drafted to a specific team. This division
plays on a regulation-size baseball field (90' base paths and 60'6"
mound). Standings are kept and there is an end of the season
tournament. This league generally plays an interleague Saturday schedule
with another local park.
SOFTBALL
The OPAA softball program is also
organized by divisions and the divisions are based on the age of the
player. In some seasons, leagues are formed based on different age
classifications than those listed below.
FARM 8U (MINORS)
The Farm League is for 6-, 7- and 8-year old
girls and uses a softball pitching machine. Players
participate in a pre-season skill assessment and are drafted to a
specific team. No standings are kept and there is no end of the
season tournament.
AA 10U (MINORS)
The AA League is a fast-pitch league for
9- and 10-year old girls. Players participate in a pre-season
skill assessment and are drafted to a specific team. Standings are
kept and there is an end of the season tournament.
AAA (or Majors In-Park) 12U (MAJOR)
The AAA League, which is referred to as the Majors In-Park League, is a fast-pitch league
for 11- and 12-year old girls primarily and highly qualified 10-year olds. Players participate in a
pre-season skill assessment and are drafted to a specific team.
Standings are kept and there is an end of the season tournament. This league
plays by the Babe Ruth Majors Division rules identical to the Majors NGFA League.
MAJORS NGFA 12U (MAJOR)
The Major League is a fast-pitch league
for 11- and 12-year old girls and highly qualified 10-year olds. Players participate in a
pre-season skill assessment and are drafted to a specific team.
Standings are kept and there is an end of the season tournament. This league is the most competitive
of the 11-12 softball age group and it participates in an interleague schedule as part of the North
Atlanta NGFA league with other 12U softball programs in our area.
Senior (SENIOR 16U)
The Senior League is a fast-pitch league
for 13-, 14-, 15-, and 16-year old girls. Players participate in a
pre-season skill assessment and are drafted to a specific team in
their division. Standings are kept and there is an end of the season
tournament.
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