The Cave Spring American Seniors Division Team finished the 2008 season with a record of 8 wins and 3 losses in District 12 play, and were eligible to go to the State Seniors Division Tournament.  Congratulations to all of these Old Timers on a great season!

This section provides answers to frequently asked questions about youth baseball and our league.

WHAT IS CAVE SPRING AMERICAN LITTLE LEAGUE?
Cave Spring American Little League (CSALL) is a non-profit organization of volunteers, players and families, offering recreational baseball programs for youth, ages five to eighteen, in the southwest portion of Roanoke County, using the facilities of the Roanoke County Department of Parks and Recreation.

WHEN DO PRACTICES AND GAMES START?  The following is GENERAL information, and may not apply to every team.  For ages 12 and under, teams are formed around the last part of March.  Team meetings and practices begin during the first week in April.  Coaches will contact players individually to let them know of their team assignments and the practice schedule.  Generally, each team will have one weekday practice, usually starting around 5:30 or 6:00 PM, and a Saturday practice, sometime between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM. Practice sessions cease near the end of April.

Games begin during the last week in April or first week in May.  Each team usually has one weekday game, and one Saturday game each week. Coaches will provide detailed schedules for their players.  

The season ends around the first week in June for ages 12 and under, coinciding closely with the Roanoke County school schedule.

For ages 13 and over, we start with "Open Spring Training" in early April.  All players over 13 will be informed about when and where training will be available. Teams will be formed in late April and games begin in May. These age groups usually continue play through late June.  

HOW DOES CSALL DIFFER FROM OTHER RECREATIONAL BASEBALL OR SOFTBALL GROUPS IN THE AREA? All recreational sports groups in Roanoke County operate by approval of the County Department of Parks and Recreation. There are numerous sports and recreation groups under this umbrella, including baseball and softball organizations throughout the county. There are also recreational baseball and softball organizations in the City of Roanoke and the City of Salem. In the southwest portion of the county, there are three organizations which offer baseball or softball programs:

1. Cave Spring American Little League (That's us). We offer youth BASEBALL programs for boys and girls from ages 5 through 18. With the exception of 5 year olds, players must reside in the specified CSALL territory (generally north of US Rt 221).

2. Cave Spring National Little League (Our Little League neighbors to the south). They offer similar youth BASEBALL programs as CSALL, but players must reside within different geographical boundaries (generally south of US Rt 221) www.eteamz.com/csnll

3. Vinton Little League (A newly-chartered Little League formed by our cross-town neighbors in Vinton). They offer similar youth BASEBALL programs as CSALL, but players must reside within different geographical boundaries (See Roanoke County Parks and Recreation website for more information).

3. South County Softball League Offers SOFTBALL programs for girls, ages 5 through 18. www.southcountysoftball.com

For information on other recreational sports in Roanoke County visit Roanoke County Parks and Recreation at www.roanokecountyva.gov/Departments/ParksRecreationAndTourism/Default.htm

WHAT ARE THE AGE OR PLAYER GROUPINGS WITHIN CSALL?   CSALL usually operates with eight playing divisions, generally grouped by age. For a complete explanation of these divisions, click on the "DIVISIONS" item in the menu bar at the left side of this screen.

HOW ARE TEAM ASSIGNMENTS MADE?  Players are assigned to a team in one of eight divisions, depending on player age. Players age 5 through 8 are assigned to teams by league officials. The goal here is to have parity among the teams in the younger divisions. Players above age 8,(and 8 year olds who requested to be eligible for the draft) are drafted by coaches following Player Evaluations (tryouts). For more information on the divisions, age groupings and teams within the divisions, click on the "DIVISIONS" item in the Menu Bar on the left side of this screen.

WHAT DOES "LEAGUE AGE" MEAN?  League age is the basis for assignment of players to specific playing divisions ( T-Ball, Minors, Majors, etc.). A player's league age is his/her age as of 11:59 PM on April 30th.

WHAT PLAYER EQUIPMENT IS NEEDED? In all divisions, players need to have their own fielding glove. The league furnishes team shirts, hats and socks to players. Baseball pants are usually purchased by players at the direction of the coach. Cleats are not necessary for 5 and 6 year olds, but become more important for age 7 and over, and are the responsibility of the player. Other safety equipment (batting helmets, catcher equipment, bats) are provided by the league. Protective cups are recommended for male players at coach pitch level and above, and are required equipment for catchers. Players may bring their own bats to games and practices, but they must meet Little League requirements. Ask your coach if you have questions about required or recommended equipment.

WHY ARE TRYOUTS REQUIRED? Although tryouts are required for some divisions (Usually Minors and Majors), all players who register will be placed on a team. Tryouts are used to evaluate player skill with the goal of achieving parity among the teams in each division. Cave Spring American Little League Baseball is open to all who live within our geographic boundaries and who have a league age of 5 through 18.


WHERE CAN BASEBALL EQUIPMENT BE OBTAINED?  Any sporting goods store or discount department store will have most of what you will need. If you are looking for bargains, plan on coming to the CSALL "Garage Sale" ! Used equipment (gloves, bats, cleats, pants, etc. will be available). The dates, times and location of this sale will be announced later. We anticipate that good quality equipment will be available and the prices will be VERY low! Check this out before buying new equipment, particularly for the younger players.

WHERE AND WHEN CAN GAME SCHEDULES BE OBTAINED?  There will be game schedules for each division available in the CSALL On-Line Calendar, which you can view by clicking on the CSALL On-Line Calendar Headline on the home page. Schedules may also be available for download from this web site. Check the "Downloads" menu item on the left side of the screen to view the downloadable schedules. All downloadable schedules are in the following formats: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word and/or Adobe Acrobat PDF. Coaches will also have printed schedules available.

HOW ARE RAINED-OUT GAMES HANDLED?  Every effort is made to play games on schedule.  In the event of rain, team managers are expected to communicate with one another prior to the game and decide whether weather and field conditions are suitable for play. The method of communication is at the discretion of the coach. If there is uncertainty about the weather, players should proceed to the field and be ready to play. The manager should stay at the field until the scheduled game time if players were not notified.

PLEASE NOTE: We are adding to this section frequently because of many questions from new players and parents. We will try to let you know what to expect, from Opening Day ceremonies, to team practices, games and post-season tournaments, Little League World Series, and CSALL "Fall Ball". Check back often for updates.

The Yard    A new Indoor baseball/softball training facility, which opened in November, 2007, located on Starkey Road, within a mile of our own Starkey Field Complex. CSALL coach Ricky Gregg, with co-owner and former MLB player George Canale, have teamed up to offer a facility with indoor batting cages, using arm-type pitching machines throwing regulation baseballs, and indoor pitching facilities. Professional instruction and individual memberships are available, or you can call for a cage time on a day-to-day basis. Call The Yard at 556-3660, or visit their website: http://www.yardbaseballandsoftball.vpweb.com

Rip City   An  Indoor Training Facility located inside The Salem Health and Wellness Center in Salem, Virginia. Opened in 1997 by former pro Dave Christianson (San Diego Padres, Detroit Tigers) the Professional Instruction and Training Programs available here have equipped players with the skills necessary to play Little League, High School, College and Pro Ball. On the net at www.ripcitybaseball.com

Thunder Valley    A family entertainment center, located on Apperson Drive, across from the Salem Valley 8 Theaters.  Facilities include outdoor covered batting cages, but there is no instruction available. The batting cages are part of a larger complex which includes Mini-Golf and Go-Kart racing.