Centennial Lakes Little League Baseball FAQs
Last Updated: 11/28/25
General Registration Questions
What ages can register for Centennial Lakes Little League Baseball? Ages 4-12 can register for Centennial Lakes Little League. The Age Determination Date for a Little League Baseball player is the actual age of a child on August 31 of the current year of play. For example, a child born on July 4, 2015 would be considered 11U for the 2026 season as that child will be 11 years old on August 31, 2026, whereas a child born on September 1, 2015 would be considered 10U as that child would be 10 years old on August 31. If you need assistance determining your child’s Little League Age, please visit the Little League website at their Little League Age Calculator.
Do I need to live in the Centennial School District to be able to play for Centennial Lakes Little League? No, you do not need to live within the Centennial School District boundaries to participate. However, players must either reside or attend school within the league’s officially designated boundaries, as set by Little League International or have played continuously with the Centennial Lakes Little League since they were seven years old. The full Little League eligibility rules can be found at the Little League’s Residency and School Attendance Eligibility Requirements webpage. Please check the league’s boundary map or contact us for verification.
How do I register for Centennial Lakes Little League Baseball? To register your child please go to the Centennial Lakes Little League website at: www.centenniallakeslittleleague.org. You will need to create a login and password if this is your first time registering your child. Once an account is created, login and follow the prompts to enter your child's information and complete payment. Detailed instructions are available on the site, and help is available if you encounter any issues.
What information will I be asked for at registration? During registration, you will be asked for your child’s name, date of birth, address, school information, medical and emergency contact details, picture release, and you may be required to upload proof of age and residency. Parent or guardian contact information is also needed. Additionally, during registration, if your child is 9U-12U, you will be asked whether your child wants to play on a Tournament Team during the regular season (see Question 6 below for further information on Tournament Teams).
Can my child select friends to play with or another family’s children to be on the same team? At younger levels (T-Ball and Coach Pitch) players can select one other player or family to be on the same team with at registration. To be placed on the same team with children from another family, the other family must also select your family to be paired with. Only one other family may be selected. Additionally, if you have more than one child playing at the T-Ball or Coach Pitch level, the League will place your children onto the same team.
What are the tournament teams for 9U-12U? This year one (1) Tournament Team will be formed at each age group (9U, 10U, 11U), and two 12U tournament teams. To be considered for the Tournament Teams you must register your child for consideration for these teams and tryout. The 12U and 11U Tournament Teams will also play within the National League, but the 12U Tournament Team and 11U Tournament Team will not be separate teams within the National League but will be spread amongst the three (3) National League teams formed for regular season play. The 10U Tournament Team will play as a consolidated team in the American League. The 9U Tournament Team will play as a consolidated team in the International League. 11U and 12U players will be expected to participate in practices and games both with their National League team and with their Tournament Team.
Will Tournament Teams have a greater time obligation for kids who are selected for this level of play? Yes. Kids who are selected for Tournament Teams should anticipate a greater number of practices and games. Tournament Teams can expect there to be practices on weekends for their Tournament Team as well as during the weekdays for their National/American/International games and practices.
Why am I being asked for a picture release for my child? The picture release gives the league permission to use photos or videos of your child for promotional materials, website updates, and social media communications. Your child’s personal information will not be shared without your consent.
What is the cost to register my child for Centennial Lakes Little League Baseball? Registration fees vary depending on the age division and level of play. Fees are due at registration. The fee for the 2026 season is as follows:
T-Ball: $175.00.
Coach Pitch: $260.00.
AAA: $322.00.
International: $390.00.
American: $390.00 An additional $68.00 fee for four tournaments and a second jersey will be collected after team formation.
National: $390.00. An additional $165.00 fee for four tournaments and a second jersey will be collected after team formation.
Tournament Teams: Players selected for Tournament Teams will be invoiced additional fees based on the tournaments registered for.
What is the difference between AAA, International, American, and National League? AAA is the first year of kid-pitch and is for 9U players and 8U players with at least two years of Coach Pitch experience. International, American, and National Leagues are comprised of 12U players. International is the lower level for 12U and in the past International has been comprised of 10U-12U, however, this year the Centennial Lakes Little League is creating a 9U Tournament Team, which will also play in the International Division. American is the intermediate division. This year there will be a 10U Tournament Team formed which will play in the American Division. The highest level of play for 12U is the National League. This year in addition to playing in the National League there will be an 11U Tournament Team and a 12U Tournament Team.
When can I register my child? Registration begins on December 1, 2025 for the 2026 season. Registration will end on February 1, 2026, except for T-Ball which ends on March 1, 2026. To participate in tryouts (discussed below) your child must be registered on or before the deadline.
I registered my child, but my child no longer wants to play, can I get my registration fee refunded. If you have registered and seek a refund on or before February 1, 2026, your registration fee will be fully refunded, less a $40 administrative fee. On and after February 2, 2026 you will not be refunded the registration fee.
I missed the registration deadline; is there any way I can get my child registered still? If you missed the deadline, please contact the league as soon as possible. Late registrations may be accepted if space is available, but team placement and uniform availability cannot be guaranteed.
Can I Help With the League
Yes! Centennial Lakes Little League welcomes volunteers for coaching, team management, event organization, and other roles. Volunteer sign-up is available during player registration, or you can contact the league directly to learn more about how you can get involved. The League conducts a background check on all coaches, whether head coaches or assistant coaches and therefore if you volunteer as a coach the League will ask for certain information to conduct this background check.
I want to be head coach, how do I volunteer? At registration you can volunteer to be a head coach for your child’s team. If you decide after registration that you would like to volunteer, please send an email to [email protected] to volunteer and indicate which age level you are volunteering for.
Will volunteering to coach affect what level my child is placed in (e.g. will my child be moved down a level to ensure there are enough coaches for that level)? No! Kids are placed within the league based on their level of play. It is only after kid placement into the level of play that the Little League looks at who has volunteered to be coaches. In past years the Little League has had an abundance volunteers to be coaches from parents of kids who ended up making National League Teams, whereas there is a greater need for head coaches for International and below.
I want to help assistant coach, how do I volunteer? At registration you can volunteer to be an assistant coach for your child’s team. If you decide after registration that you would like to volunteer, please send an email to [email protected] to volunteer and indicate which age level you are volunteering for.
What is a Team Manager and how do I volunteer? The Team Manager is an integral part of the team’s success and helps to orchestrate some of the logistics and team communication. Additionally, if there is a snack schedule, the Team Manager assists in coordinating this as well as coordinating who is running the scoreboard and Game Changer. At registration you can volunteer to be a Team Manager for your child’s team. If you decide after registration that you would like to volunteer, please send an email to [email protected] to volunteer and indicate which age level you are volunteering for. Once teams are formed, if a Team Manager has not been identified, the head coach of the team will reach out to all parents to seek a volunteer. There is a mandatory meeting for all Team Managers on Thursday, March 26, 2026, from 7-9pm.
Tryouts
When and where are tryouts held? Tryouts are held February 22, 2025 from 10am to 6pm. Tryouts will be held at the West Gym of Centennial High School.
What equipment is needed for tryouts? Baseball glove, Baseball Bat meeting USABat specification (see Question 29 below), Helmet, Hard Athletic Cup, Batting Gloves (optional), and Hat (Optional). Long pants should be worn, and street shoes must be worn (no cleats are allowed in the gym).
How long are tryouts? Tryouts will take approximately 60 minutes. A schedule based on age and division being tried out for will come out closer to the dates of tryouts.
Can parents watch the tryouts? No. Parents are allowed to wait outside of the gym, but are not allowed to be inside where tryouts are occurring unless they are part of the Little League staff administering the tryouts.
What events will be held at tryouts and how will my child be evaluated? Tryouts will focus on the following: (1) Hitting; (2) Fielding; (3) Speed; and (4) Attitude.
Will there be pitcher/catcher tryouts as well? Yes. Pitcher and Cather tryouts will occur the same day as other tryouts. Pitcher and Catcher tryouts allow evaluators to provide additional feedback when selecting players for teams, however, this is additional information and generally team selection will be based on Hitting, Fielding, Speed, and Attitude. But each team needs to have a kid or two who can play catcher well as well as multiple kids who can consistently put the ball in the strike zone. Not every kid wants to be a pitcher or a catcher, and that is ok and not everyone needs to tryout for these positions.
Will children being evaluated for tournament teams be evaluated on the same rubric as those not trying out for tournament teams? Yes. Kids trying out for tournament teams and non-tournament teams will be evaluated on the same rubric.
When do we find out results from the tryouts? National League results will be released on February 25, American League and 9U Tournament Team results will be released on February 27. If your child is 10U-12U and do not make a National League or American League team, they will play on an International League Team whose teams will be formed on March 5.
I don’t understand why my child was not picked for a certain level, is there a way I can see my child’s results compared to those who did make the team? No. The League recognizes that some kids and parents may be disappointed in the location where the child was placed, but in the past we have found that releasing evaluation information has created more issues than it solves. We seek to remind everyone that this is 12U baseball. There are no D1 or Major League scouts at any of these games. Little League is focused on building better ball players and better teammates and if your child was placed into a certain league, then multiple evaluators view this as being the place where your child can best develop. An evaluation in February after most kids have not touched a baseball for five months can be difficult. There are times in the past when a child is playing at a much higher level by mid-season and if tryouts were to have occurred mid-season or end of season the child would have been placed in a higher league. This is the League’s hope for every child’s performance progression throughout the season, and we hope that is the case for your child. If this occurs with your child, they should seek to try out for post-season teams.
How are Teams Formed
What is the process for forming levels of teams and team formation? Teams are based on the level of the child’s playing ability at the time of tryouts. After tryouts occur the Little League staff will group players into the level of play. After teams are divided by level of play, then at each level there will be a draft where coaches will determine teams based on the children in that level of play.
I have two children playing at the same level, will they play on the same team if they are in International? Generally, if you have two children playing at the same level of play, they will be placed on the same team, but this is not guaranteed at the International/American/National level.
What Equipment Do Kids Need for the Season?
What are the baseball bat limitations for Centennial Lakes Little League? Kids playing Little League baseball must utilize a “USABat” less than or equal to thirty-three (33) inches in length. Kids are prohibited from using USSSA bats. USABat which are approved Tee Ball bats may be used only for Tee Ball and Coach Pitch Leagues only and may not be used for International, American, and National Leagues. There is no “drop” requirement for Little League and the drop of the bat can vary depending on the skill of the player.
What color pants are required? For National League, white pants with a black pin-stripe are included with the uniform and will be worn for games. For American League, black pants are worn and are included with the uniform. For International, AAA, Coach Pitch, and T-Ball, gray pants will be worn for the season, but are not included with the uniform.
My son wants to play catcher, do they need their own equipment? No. The League will provide catchers equipment for those who want to play catcher. However, kids who seek to play catcher must wear a hard athletic cup for protection along with other protective equipment anytime that they are participating as a catcher whether in tryouts, practice, or in game situations.
In past years, the League has sent out a 20% off coupon to Dick’s Sporting Goods, will League participants have the opportunity to use this coupon again, and if so, when is it anticipate that this will come out? Yes, we anticipate that this coupon will be sent out for use on the weekend of March 19-22, 2026.
Season Information
When does the season begin? Practices will begin mid-March for International/American/National Leagues with practices beginning indoors, subject to availability of gym space. As soon as the Little League gets the all-clear from city staff to use the fields, the League will begin on-field practices. This is weather dependent.
When is park clean up? Park clean-up will occur on Monday, April 20th with Tuesday, April 21st as an alternate day. Park clean-up will take place from 4:30-6:30pm.
When is the first game? First games will be played on April 25th/26th, weather permitting.
When is picture day? Picture Day will occur this year on May 2, 2026 at Blue Heron Elementary. Picture Day will not coincide this year with Mother’s Day weekend and Fishing Opener weekend.
Is there a make-up day for pictures if I miss them? If you miss picture day, there will be an opportunity to make-up pictures on the day when the post-season teams take pictures which will be towards the end of June.
What is Game Changer, how is it used during the season? Game Changer is an application utilized by the Little League to post schedules for practices and games. Additionally, games can be live streamed through Game Changer. Game Changer requires parent involvement to accurately score and keep statistics, but the application is not difficult to use.
How often are games and practices? The number of games and practices and games vary depending on the level of play. The League anticipates that T-Ball games will occur on Friday evenings and some Sundays, Coach Pitch games will occur on Mondays and Wednesdays, AAA games will occur on Tuesdays and Thursdays, International games will occur on Mondays and Wednesdays, American games will occur on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and National League games will occur Monday through Thursday. For both American and National League the games may be subject to other Little League communities’ schedules.
It is raining, will games be called off, and when will that occur? The League will make a rain determination the day of the game and likely not until late in the afternoon. Games are challenging to make-up and weather often changes, therefore the League waits to see what impact the rain will actually have on the ball fields located where games are being played. The League takes the safety of its players very seriously and will not put players in harm’s way.
A game was rained out, will the game be made up? It depends. The League tries to make up games whenever possible, however, depending on the number of rained out games and the availability of fields, the League may not be able to make up any or all games.
My child’s grandparents live out of state, is there a way to have games live streamed so that they can watch? Games can be streamed using Game Changer. Within Game Changer you can invite a family member to follow the team after which they will be able to watch streamed games as seek the live score of the game. Last season we had family members throughout the United States and even some internationally watching Centennial Lakes Little League games.
Do Teams Play in Any Tournaments
What tournaments will the “Tournament Teams” play in during the regular season? The League is still finalizing the tournaments which the Tournament Teams will play in. Generally, these tournaments will be the Minnesota Sports Federation (MSF) tournaments and will be located within 50 miles of Circle Pines. However, the 11U Tournament Team will likely play in a tournament in Mankato, Minnesota and the 12U Tournament Team will likely participate in one of the Field of Dreams tournaments in Dyersville, Iowa.
What is the farthest tournament that the League is exploring? Generally, tournaments will be within 50 miles, however the 11U Tournament Team will likely play in a tournament in Mankato, Minnesota and the 12U Tournament Team is exploring participating in the Field of Dreams Tournament in Dyersville, Iowa which is approximately 250 miles away. Additionally, the 12U All-Star Team has the potential to participate in the Midwest Regionals which are located in Whitestown, Indiana and the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
Will the teams be expected to pay the registration costs for the Tournament Team play during the regular season? Players selected for the American Team will be invoiced an additional $68 fee and players selected for the National Team will be invoice an additional $168. Additionally, depending on the tournaments played in, families may be invoiced additional tournament fee costs for the tournaments that their kids play in. Registraion costs will be based on the tournaments played in and are subject to change.
Can other regular season teams play in tournaments? Yes. All American Teams participate in at least two tournaments and there is an International Tournament hosted at Parkway Little League in St. Paul.
All American League Teams will in two tournaments. One of these tournaments is the Classic Tournament and another to be determined tournament. The costs of these tournaments are invoiced to the players selected for the American League.
For the International teams, the Parkway Little League, which is located in St. Paul, hosts an International Tournament. This tournament is only open to International Teams and is typically held in early June and last year the cost was $275 per team which is paid by the team participating. Centennial Lakes Little League generally does well in this tournament and last year took second place. Additionally, all American League teams participate in two tournaments and any additional costs of which is invoiced to the player’s families.
Is There a Post-Season
General Information on the Little League post-season (All-Star v. Memorial Cup) and a history of success for Centennial Lakes Little League. Each year there is a post-season opportunity which occurs immediately following the regular season. At each age level from 9U-12U an All-Star Team is formed which is comprised of the twelve (12) best players from each age level who want to participate in post-season play. Additionally, the League forms 12-person Memorial Cup Team(s) from players at each age group who seek to play in the post-season. The 12U All-Star Team is selected by the National League coaches. The 9U, 10U, and 11U All-Start Teams are selected for post-season teams based on a separate tryout which will occur on June 4, 2026. Centennial Lakes historically has done extremely well in post-season play. Last year our 12U All-Star Team won the Minnesota State Little League Tournament and traveled to Whitestown, Indiana to participate in the Midwest Regional with their games being broadcast on ESPN. Additionally, Centennial’s other All-Star and Memorial Cup teams took first or second in their tournament play.
When is the post-season? The post-season begins immediately following the regular season and continues through July 26, 2026.
How does my child try out for the post-season? The Little League will send out an email during the regular season to all parents and any child 9U and above can try out for the post-season teams.
When are tryouts and what is the format? Tryouts will occur at a to be determined time on June 4, 2025 and will follow a similar format to tryouts which occurred in February with the addition of flyballs as the League will not be limited based on ceiling height.
We have a family vacation planned during post-season play, can my child still tryout? Your child can try out, however, spots on these teams are limited and if your child will be gone for a week of the competition due to an already known conflict we respectfully request you evaluate and consider the impact that this will have on the team and the team’s ability to excel during the tournament.
Where is the All-Star competition held? The All-Star competition is held at various venues depending upon the age level. This year the 12U All-Star competition will be held in Blaine and 10U and 11U in Coon Rapids/Andover. This year’s Minnesota State Little League Tournament will occur in Blaine.
Where is the Memorial Cup competition? The Memorial Cup is hosted by the Plymouth New Hope Little League at the Robbinsdale Fields.
What is the Benin Wood Bat Tournament and when is it held? Some of the Centennial Lakes Little League post-season teams have participated in the Benin Wood Bat Tournament which generally occurs the first weekend of August going from Thursday-Sunday and benefits the development of baseball in the country of Benin in western Africa. Teams who participate in this tournament pay their own registration costs, which last year was $640 and covers the cost of a wood bat for each child participating in the tournament.