LEAGUE AGE EXPLAINED

Cal Ripken Baseball uses "league age" to determine a player's eligibility to participate in regular season programs and post-season tournaments. League age equals the child's age on or before April 30.

Local Cal Ripken leagues are given considerable latitude concerning the age at which children can begin to participate in local programs like Tee Ball, Rookie League, Minor League, and Major League.  We allow children to participate in our local programs by grade, so that two classmates who were born before and after April 30 can enter Cal Ripken together and not a year apart.

However, we are required to use league age to determine when a child is too old to participate in Cal Ripken or age bracketed tournaments.  For example, a child who turns age 13 on or before April 30 cannot play Cal Ripken Baseball in that calendar year. Similarly, a child who turns age 11 on or before April 30 cannot participate in a 10 year olds tournament.  If this seems confusing, rest assured that we agree, but understand the rules and apply them evenly and fairly.