Serra Mesa Little League

Volunteers and Snack Bar

Serra Mesa Little League runs on volunteers. Every game, practice and event depends on families and community members who are willing to help. Your time makes a direct difference for our players and helps us keep registration fees as low as possible.

This page gives a simple overview of how volunteering works at SMLL and how you can help during the season. You can learn more about this at the full Volunteer Requirements policy and official rules page.

Why Volunteers Matter

Volunteers help with everything from coaching and umpiring to serving in the snack bar, chalking fields, organizing events and keeping our players safe. Without volunteers, we could not offer the same number of teams, games or activities for our community.

They keep our fields playable and safe.
They help the snack bar raise money to support the league.
They allow us to host special events such as Opening Day, Closing Day and Hit a Thon.
They help us maintain a fun and welcoming environment for all families.

Family Volunteer Expectations

Each season, families are asked to contribute volunteer time to support league operations. During registration, you will see details about the current volunteer requirement and the option to pay a non volunteer fee if you are unable to volunteer.

In general, families can expect:

A request to complete a set number of volunteer hours per season.
Opportunities to help in a variety of roles that fit different schedules and comfort levels.
Clear communication from managers and team parents about how to sign up for shifts.

For the official Volunteer Requirements policy, including how hours relate to certain tournaments such as the Tournament of Champions, please see the Volunteer Requirements page.

Ways to Volunteer

There are many ways to help, both on and off the field. Some of the most common volunteer roles include:

Snack Bar shifts before, during or after games.
Field work such as special field projects, work days or maintenance support.
League events such as Opening Day, Closing Day or Hit a Thon.
Umpiring with training and support from the league.
Team parent to help with communication and organizing sign ups.
Board and committee work for those interested in league leadership.

Certain activities may or may not count toward specific volunteer requirements or tournament eligibility. The full details are described in our official Volunteer Requirements on the Volunteer Requirements page.

Snack Bar Volunteering

The snack bar is a major fundraiser for Serra Mesa Little League and a big part of our game day experience. Snack bar shifts are a family friendly way to volunteer and are often scheduled in connection with your player’s games.

Typical snack bar tasks include:

Setting up and opening the snack bar.
Taking orders and serving food and drinks.
Restocking items and keeping the area clean.
Closing and cleaning at the end of the shift.

Many families find it easy to complete a portion of their volunteer time by taking one or more snack bar shifts during the season. Instructions and training are provided on site, and you will always have support from an experienced volunteer or coordinator.

How Volunteer Sign Ups Work

Volunteer opportunities are usually shared through:

Emails from the league or your team parent.
Team messages through GameChanger.
Online sign up tools linked from those emails or messages.

Your manager or team parent will let you know how your team is tracking volunteer participation and how to claim shifts that work with your schedule.

Background Checks and Training

Little League requires an annual background check for any volunteer who has regular contact with players or serves in certain key roles. This includes managers, coaches, team parents, umpires and Board members, along with some other on field or player facing positions.

If your volunteer role requires a background check, the league will contact you with a secure online form to complete. There is no cost to you for this process.

SMLL and District 33 also provide training for many roles, including:

Coaches and managers.
Umpires and scorekeepers.
Safety and abuse awareness training required by Little League.

Information about required trainings is shared before the season and is available on the Volunteer Requirements page.

Interested in Coaching, Umpiring or Joining the Board

If you are interested in taking on a larger role such as coaching, umpiring or serving on the Board, we would love to hear from you. Training and support are provided, and these roles have a big impact on the quality of the program we can offer.

Please email [email protected] and let us know how you would like to help.