BOYS ROOKIE BALL DIVISION

Thank you for your interest in Boys Rookie Ball! Please consider the information below closely, as it should provide some answers to your questions, and some additional information on RYBL’s Boys House League Rookie Ball Division for 2024.

ABOUT THE GAME

Rookie baseball is the first level where players receive a pitched ball from a velocity-controlled pitching machine. Emphasis is placed on skills development (throwing, fielding, catching and hitting) as well as position play, baseball strategy, team play and most importantly, FUN.

COACHING VOLUNTEERS

RYBL is the best youth baseball association in Etobicoke due to the dedication of its parent coach volunteers. Please consider expressing your interest in coaching or assisting in your son’s registration application. If you are open to the possibility of coaching, even as an assistant please reach out to me (no previous experience is required)! All coaches are supported with initial training and continuous group communication. 

GENERAL INFORMATION

AGE GROUP

For 2024, Boys Rookie Ball will be for players born in 2015 or 2016. Boys older (e.g., 2014) play Mosquito or above. Boys younger (e.g., 2017) play T-Ball.

HOUSE LEAGUE SEASON

The Boys Rookie Ball House League will play both a Spring Season and a Fall Season for 2024, with an option Summer Season (see below for additional information). The Spring Season will start in the first week of May with the final games and practices ending in the last week of June. The Fall Season will commence during the last week of August, and will conclude with a year-end Playoff Tournament in mid to late September.

During the Spring and Fall Season, there will be:

• One weekly scheduled practice (usually Monday, Tuesday, or Friday).
• One weekday scheduled game (usually Wednesday or Thursday).
• One scheduled game each Saturday morning/early afternoon. 

There may also be the possibility of some Saturday doubleheaders, depending upon how your team’s schedule plays out.

SUMMER BASEBALL (Optional add-on)

If your son is interested in summer baseball, please check the box during registration. 

Your son will be placed on a team with other children that are also playing during the Summer so that the teams play the whole Spring/Summer/Fall season together. Because of this, if you have a reciprocal request, you and your reciprocal must BOTH select the SAME option for summer play  – we will not be able to accommodate requests where one player plays in the summer and the other doesn’t.

The Summer season will have a reduced schedule, likely consisting of one weekday practice and one weekday game per week throughout the summer. 

FIELD LOCATIONS

At present time it is anticipated that Boys Rookie Ball will play at one of the following parks:

Humber Valley North
Norseman North
Rosethorne South
Westway
Woodford/Jeff Healey
Don Russell

The information above is preliminary, and may change based on final registration numbers and diamond allocations.

YEAR END CHAMPIONSHIPS

Championship and Consolation Championship Tournaments will be scheduled for dates and weekends to be determined in August. We will aim to have 1-2 weeks of exhibition games and practices towards the end of August prior to the start of the tournament. It is expected that the Tournaments and the Season will conclude by the third week of September.

PRE-SEASON CLINICS

The clinics will be run, at no additional cost, by Pro Teach Baseball. They are anticipated to take place during the third and fourth weeks of April. 

PLAY-WITH REQUESTS

Please note that only “reciprocal” Play-With Requests will be considered, per the play-with policy on the RYBL website. This means that if your son would like to play with another boy, he must select that boy in his registration, and the other boy must also select your son on his registration.

IMPORTANT: you and your reciprocal must BOTH select the SAME option for summer play  – we will not be able to accommodate requests where one player plays in the summer and the other doesn’t.

PHOTOS

As part of the registration fee, individual and team photographs will be taken during the first few weeks in May. A schedule will be provided by the photographer and will be part of the team schedule. Pictures usually take place at ProTeach. Details to follow.

REGISTRATION

Please register ASAP to maximize the chances of ensuring a spot in Boys Rookie Ball House League, especially if interested in the Summer add-on (this filled up VERY quickly last year with a long waitlist).

Thank you for your interest in RYBL, and in the Boys Rookie Ball Division for 2024!

Tanya Sydor
RYBL Boys Rookie Ball Convener, 2024
tanya.sydor@rybl.com