FAQ | Hickory Baseball

FAQ

Rec Baseball & Softball

Q. When and where do I register?
A. Registration for Spring Baseball & Softball usually opens December 1st. Registration for Fall Baseball & Softball usually opens on July 1st. The link to register will appear in the top menu bar of this site, or you can go to https://hfgrec.sportngin.com/register/form/930041691

Q. If I register and my child makes a travel team with another program, can I get a refund?

A. No, it is our policy that we do not refund registration fees. If your child makes a Hickory Hornets travel team, your registration fees will be rolled over to help cover program costs.

Q. What are the Bat requirements?

A. We have no barrel restrictions. Ensure that the bat you purchase or have has the BPF 1.15 Stamp, USSSA Stamp, or USA Baseball Stamp.

Q. What is the lightning Policy?

A. Play MUST be stopped after there is a visible lightning strike. If a lightning strike is observed, play can't resume for 30 minutes as long as there is no lightning within those 30 minutes. If lighting strikes again, the clock resets to wait another 30 minutes from the last seen lightning. Only "hearing" thunder does not mean game should be stopped; however, once anyone has seen lightning, the game must be stopped.

Q. Should my child play up?

A. We don't encourage playing up, but we allow it. We strongly recommend that you get feedback from your last coach to get a better assessment of whether your child should play up.

Q. Do I need experience to volunteer?

A. Absolutely not! WE NEED VOLUNTEERS. We will provide coaching clinics to make sure you feel prepared to teach the game of baseball.

Q. When does pitching start?

A. 7-8

Q. When does inter-league play start?

A. 9-10

Q. What days of the week will my child practice and play games?

A. Spring practice/game days of the week for each age group are shown below:

- T-Ball (4-5): Monday OR Wednesday AND Saturday afternoons.
- 5-6 Clinic: Tuesday OR Thursday OR Friday AND Sunday afternoons.
- 7-8 Baseball: Monday OR Wednesday AND Saturday mornings.
- 9-10 Baseball: Monday AND/OR Wednesday AND/OR Friday.
- 11-12 Baseball: Tuesday AND Thursday.
- 13-15 Baseball: Monday OR Wednesday AND Sunday night.
- 7-8 Softball: Tuesday & Saturday
- 9-10 Softball: Thursday & Saturday
- 11-13 Softball: Monday & Friday

Q. When should I expect to hear from my child’s coach?
A. Commissioners set up the teams and schedules during the first two weeks of March. You can then expect to hear from your child’s coach sometime around mid-March. By rule, in-house teams are not able to use the fields until April 1st.

Q. How long is the season?

A. In-house practices start the week of March 25th. Play ends in mid June.

Fall Baseball & Softball

Q. What days of the week will my child have games/practices?

A. Fall practice/game days of the week for each age group are shown below:

4-6: Sunday afternoons.

7-8: Friday evenings (practice) AND Sunday afternoons.

9-10: Thursday OR Saturday (practice) and Sunday (games)

11-12: Tuesday OR Saturday (practice) and Sunday (games).

13-15: Monday OR Thursday AND Sunday night (games).

Q. When should I expect to hear from my child’s coach?
A. Coaches will be reaching out to parents by late August.

Q. How long is the season?

A. The 4-6 age group will end on October 31. The 7-8, 9-10, 11-12 and 13-15 age groups will end on November 7.

Travel Baseball

Q. What are the time / commitment requirements for playing travel?

A. Playing travel requires play on Weekends & Holidays. Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Father’s Day, 4th of July.
Travel Coaches put a lot of time and effort into their Travel teams so make sure you are 100% committed before you agree to play. Travel teams usually practice two (2) week nights and have double header games on Saturday or Sunday – not both unless involved in a tournament. Travel teams do not play our in-house rec program. Check with your age group travel coach for the specific schedule.

Q. What kind of Travel is involved?
A. Depending on the age group, league games can be mainly in Harford/Baltimore County or all over the State. Check each age group to identify which league they are playing in to get a better idea. Discuss with the coach before committing.
Some travel teams will also enter out-of-state tournaments which might require lodging and overnight stays. Hershey and Ocean City are two examples. Discuss this with your coach before committing to a team.

Q. How much does it cost to play travel?
A. The answer varies by age, coach, and number of tournaments played. Some teams do fundraising to offset costs. Keep in mind each player must pay the registration fee to sign up. This in addition to travel fees and it is NOT REFUNDABLE.

Q. When does the Travel Season start & end?
A. Most teams hold tryouts in the July/August timeframe. The teams typically play Fall baseball, then begin winter indoor workouts in Dec/Jan to prepare for the upcoming Spring season. The Spring season begins in March/April (14U and above begins in May) and most age groups end the season around mid-July.

Q. How do we tryout?
A. Travel workout and tryout information is available by contacting the travel coach of each respective age group.