Thanks so much for volunteering to manager a team for Portsmouth Little League. As a 100% volunteer run organization, PLL could not run without great volunteers like you.
Please use this page to help answer FAQs for the Season. Reach out with interest in Managing and/or questions to [email protected].
IMPORTANT DATES:
This is mandatory. If you have any questions about your completion status, please email [email protected].
You cannot have any contact with the players before those requirements are met.
EVAULATIONS AND DRAFT:
Player Evaluations are held in the Portsmouth High School Gymnasium (50 Andrew Jarvis Drive) in mid-March.
- ALL Central Division Players (returning and new) must attend player evaluations. Central Division = Coach Pitch (6/7/8YO).
- Players NEW to the Plains Division must attend player evaluations.
- Players NEW to the Hislop Division must attend player evaluations.
HOW DOES THE DRAFT WORK?
Managers need to arrive at least 15 minutes before the first tryout of their division, and plan to stay for an hour after the last evaluation of their division ends for the Draft.
First, during evaluations, a group volunteers will have the kids throw, catch, hit, and run to give you (Managers) an idea of their skill level. Managers are provided with a list of player names, their tryout numbers, etc. and evaluation criteria so that you can rate each player's skill level. After the tryouts, the PLL President, President-Elect and Player Agent will enter the draft room with all Managers from that Division.
Now for the draft:
* The draft order is established by pulling numbers from a hat. The draft order position can be traded/changed before the draft starts but is locked once the first player is selected.
* Managers will get to pick which team they want to manage (i.e., which sponsor) in accordance with their draft order (unless agreed upon otherwise by the managers).
* The draft will proceed in a serpentine/snake format. I.e., the picks will be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1... and so forth until all the players are picked. At the draft, you'll receive notes specific to your division's draft re: Manager's children, siblings, "special requests," and more.
* Players can be traded immediately after the draft. But once we walk out of the room the teams are FIXED and players cannot be traded.
AFTER THE DRAFT:
Immediately after the draft, managers are asked to contact all players. Phone calls are encouraged. Welcome your players to the team!
Likewise, managers are asked to identify their coaching assistants and "Team Parent" as soon as possible. Submit names here.
Managers need to set a team meeting sometime before Opening Day. A Board Member will try to be present at your Team Meeting. Team Parents will be asked to submit the date, time, and location of your Team Meeting here. (You may want to consider hosting your Team Meeting before Picture Day (April 2) when you hand out uniforms.)
PRACTICES:
Please see your email for the link to schedule practices. ONLY Managers may schedule. You must manually update your GameChanger app with these practices as the practice schedule doesn't sync with GameChanger.
Click here for a Practice Plan Template. Click here for "8 Weeks of Practice Plans."
Click here for "Taking on the Title of Coach" PDf.
PLL has previously provided you with a unique login for 'Dominate the Diamond', which is an online video coaching tool. Please refer to your email to access. (We recommend using the mobile version on your phone, too!)
USING GAMECHANGER:
The PLL Website uses SportsConnect software, and it can sync automatically with GameChanger. You can easily communicate with your team and see your game schedule updates if using GameChanger. Click here for detailed instructions on syncing.
IS SLIDING PERMITTED?
Head first slides are not permitted at any level of little league. See rule 7.08(a)(4) in the Little League rulebook. If a runner slides head first they are OUT and the ball remains live.
However, feet first slides are permitted at ALL levels of little league, including in our coach pitch (Central) division. Rule 7.08(a)(3) REQUIRES a runner to slide or attempt to get around a field who has the ball and is waiting to make a tag. If they do not slide or attempt to get around such a fielder, the runner is OUT.
HOME TEAM VS. VISITING TEAM AND BATTING CAGE COURTESY
When looking at a game on your schedule, the visiting team is always the first team listed. The home team is always the second team listed. Team 1 @ Team 2 Team 1 is Visitors, and Team 2 is Home.
Should you wish to have batting practice before the game, the visiting team has the cage first, beginning one (1) hour and 15 minutes prior to gametime. After batting for 20-30 minutes, the visiting team will then go get warmed up on the field and take any infield practice prior to the game.
The home team has the cage 45 minutes before game time for their batting practice. After their 20-30 minutes in the cage, they would go do their on-field warmups. The game starts right after and promptly at the scheduled time.
LOGGING FINAL SCORES ON THE AT portsmouthlittleleague.com.
(Sample Screenshots from Mobile Device are here.)
The Home Team is responsible for reporting game scores to the portsmouthlittleleague.com within 24 hours of each game's completion.
1 - Login to your account at portsmouthlittleleague.com
2 - Click “Home” on the menu on the left side.
3 - Click "Team Central." Click "Team Directory."
4 - Find your team and click “Calendar.”
5 - Click on “Results.”
6 - Find the game that ended and if your team was the team was the home team, you may click "Edit Scores."
7 - Enter the score and click “Save and post” at the bottom.
DETERMINATION OF LEAGUE STANDINGS
PLL has three (3) schedules. Regular Season, Round Robin, and Championship Round. "Regular Season" games do not count for league Standings. League standings for advancing to the championship round are determined based upon a team’s win-loss record in the round robin. Championship Round games will be posted to the team schedule after the last Round Robin game is complete.
TIE BREAK RULE FOR CHAMPIONSHIP SEEDINGS
"Head-to-Head" followed by "defensive run differential" tie-break rules will be used to determine seeding however if those methods cannot be used and more than four teams advance to the playoffs one or more “play in” games between the bottom seeds will take place to determine the #4 seed. Once the seedings are assigned the #1 seed will host the #4 seed and the #2 seed will host the #3 seed. The winners will advance to the championship game. (Traditionally, this is Championship Saturday in June. In 2024, the Hislop Division will host Championship Monday.)
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IMPORTANT DATES LINK (AGAIN):
A calendar of important dates is available here. We recommend adding to your Team Calendar (i.e. GameChanger) so that you know these dates before you schedule practices, too. Simply mark them as "Manager Only" so your team knows that it's just for you.