Serra Mesa Little League

Season and Teams

This page explains how teams are formed at Serra Mesa Little League, what player assessments look like, when you can expect to hear from your coach and what a typical season schedule feels like for families.

For a step by step overview of the season, please also visit What Happens Next and our Tentative League Calendar.

How Teams Are Formed

We work to create teams that are safe, balanced and fun for all players. The way teams are formed can vary slightly by division.

Tee Ball and Rookies teams are formed by the league based on age, school, friend and coach requests when possible.
Caps teams are formed by the league with an emphasis on balancing skill levels while keeping the experience positive for new and returning players.
Minors, Majors and Juniors use a formal player draft that follows Little League rules. The draft is based on player assessments and is designed to create teams that are as balanced as possible.

We do our best to honor reasonable requests, especially in Tee Ball and Rookies. However, we cannot guarantee specific teammates, coaches, car pools or practice nights.

Player Assessments

Player assessments help us place players in the right division for their age, safety and readiness and also help us balance teams in the draft.

Assessments are typically held for:

Caps (when needed)
Minors
Majors
Juniors

At assessments, players may be asked to:

Run the bases
Field ground balls and fly balls
Throw to a target
Hit from coach or machine pitch

What to bring:

Glove
Helmet and bat if you have them (the league will have some available)
Athletic shoes or cleats and water

Assessments are not tryouts and no player is cut from the league. They are simply a tool to help us place players in the right spot.

Draft and Team Placement

After assessments, the league holds a draft for Minors, Majors and Juniors. The Player Agent and managers use assessment notes and league guidelines to create balanced teams while keeping safety as the top priority.

In younger divisions, the league builds teams based on:

Age and league age division
School and neighborhood when possible
Coach and friend requests when they do not conflict with safety or balance

Final decisions about placement are made by the Player Agent and league leadership in accordance with Little League rules.

When You Will Hear From Your Coach

Once rosters are approved, managers receive their team lists and begin contacting families by email or phone. You will also receive an invitation to join your team on GameChanger, which we use for schedules and communication.

We work hard to finalize team assignments as quickly as possible. Thank you for your patience while we confirm rosters and make sure the correct coach reaches out to you.

If you believe you may have been missed after coaches have been announced in a league email, please contact the Player Agent or email [email protected] so we can help.

Practice and Game Expectations

Schedules can vary by season and division, but in general families can expect:

Tee Ball and Rookies usually have one to two activities per week which may be practices, games or a mix of both.
Caps, Minors, Majors and Juniors usually have one to two practices per week and games that follow the league schedule.
During the Spring season, most divisions play one weekday evening game and one Saturday game when the schedule allows.
During Fall Ball, most teams play one game on Sundays.

Exact dates for Opening Day, picture days, tournaments and other special events are listed on the Tentative League Calendar.

Communication and GameChanger

Serra Mesa Little League uses email and GameChanger as primary communication tools. After your player is placed on a team, you will receive an invitation to connect to that team in the GameChanger app.

Through GameChanger you can:

View your team schedule
Mark your player’s availability for games and practices
Receive updates and reminders from your coach or team parent
Follow scores and game details when they are entered by the team scorekeeper

Live streaming through GameChanger is allowed for games by default. The league does not allow separate recording of umpires for critique or posting to social media.

Changes and Concerns About Team Placement

If you have a concern about your player’s team placement or division, please start by speaking with your manager. Most questions can be resolved at the team level.

If you still have concerns after speaking with the manager, please follow the league communication chain:

First, talk with your Manager
Second, contact your Division Coach Coordinator
Third, contact the Player Agent
Fourth, contact the League President

This process helps us respond fairly and consistently while respecting the time of our volunteers.

Still Have Questions

For more details about how the season flows, visit What Happens Next. For official rules, policies and our FAQ, please visit the Documents & Links page.

You can also email us at [email protected] and a league volunteer will follow up.