Player Pool Policy & Procedures

Last updated: April 30, 2024

The Dale City Little League Player Agent will operate a Player Pool program to help prevent games from needing to be rescheduled or forfeited due to low player availability. The Player Pool program also provides an exciting opportunity for younger players to “play-up” and experience a higher division of play. This serves to help develop our players and get them excited for what lies ahead.

The rules/procedures of the Pool Player program are as follows. Failure to follow these rules will result in a forfeiture of the game in question.

Dale City Little League Pool Player

1. The Player Agent will create the Player Pool. Initially the Player Pool will consist of players volunteering to be part of the pool.  Managers will have the opportunity to recommend other players to the Player Agent as the season gets underway with parents approval. 

2. The Player Agent will create and run the 4 pools for the following divisions: Minors, Majors, Juniors, and the Seniors.  The Player Agent will ensure players are skill capable (meaning it is not a safety issue) and age eligible to play up a division. The Player Agent can exclude players from either Player Pool if it is determined they are not skill capable or age eligible.  On that same note, a player can be eligible to play “up” if they are skill capable.

a.     Minors players must be league age 8-11

b.      Majors players must be league age 9-12

c.     Juniors players must be league age 12-15

d.     Seniors players must be league age 13-16

3. Timing is critical!  When a player is needed, the Player Agent will contact players (i) whose current games do not conflict with the game date and time of the calling-up team, and (ii) who are next in the Player Pool queue. The queue shall be randomized, and once through that order, the Player Pool prospects who have not yet been called-up shall have priority over Pool Players recently called up. Once a Pool Player has experienced a call-up opportunity, he/she will be moved to the bottom of the list. Assuming the player pools are of sufficient depth, all efforts should be taken by the Player Agent and involved managers to avoid a player missing his regular season team's games for a call-up opportunity.  Managers may not request a specific player.

4. Only Dale City LL’s Player Agent, the League President or VP (if the Player Agent is unavailable) are authorized to access the list and contact Pool Players. Managers/Coaches are expressly prohibited from contacting Pool Players until one has been secured for their team. 

Procedures to Request a Temporary Pool Player

1. A Manager may request from the Player Agent pool player(s) for a game when he/she has reason to believe that he/she will be down to 9 or fewer regular rostered players available to play for a game.

2. During the regular season, if a team has fewer than 8 available players for a game, they must forfeit the game. Therefore, it is highly recommended that managers obtain Pool Players.

3. Timing is critical!  It is strongly preferred that as much advanced notification as possible is given to the Player Agent to ensure a Pool Player is secured. At a minimum, notice should be given to the Player Agent 24 hours before the game is scheduled to be played . If 24 hours notice is provided, it is very likely a Pool Player can be secured. If less than 24 hours notice is provided, the Player Agent will try their best, but cannot guarantee a Pool Player can be secured. It is the requesting manager’s responsibility to track their team’s player availability for games.

4. Any team that finds out less than 24 hours prior to game time that they do not have the minimum of 8 players required to play (up to 30 minutes prior to game start), should notify the Player Agent immediately to try and produce a Pool Player. If one is not found, the game will result in a forfeit and for the benefit of those that arrived; an unofficial game will be played amongst the remaining players. Any pitches thrown in the unofficial game still count towards pitch count limits in order to protect arms. Therefore, it is a great opportunity to let other kids have an opportunity to pitch!

5. Once a manager has requested a Pool Player, and the Player Agent has confirmed a Pool Player, and introduced the Pool Player’s parent(s) to the calling-up manager, the Pool Player must not be uninvited.  Pool Players are not a disposable insurance policy for any team. The manager with potential roster shortages must make the decision whether/when and how many Pool Players to request, and once the Player Agent has delivered the requested Pool Player(s), the calling-up manager is committed to playing the Pool Player(s) per the rules below.

 In Game Rules for Pool Players

1. It is paramount that Managers/Coaches and the team hosting a Pool Player provide a welcoming and friendly game atmosphere for any Pool Player playing-up for their team.  These players may be nervous and excited and it is up to the host Manager/Coaches and the entire team to make sure they feel comfortable and encouraged playing for the team.

2. Pool Players will dress in their own team uniform.

3. The opposing Manager, Umpires, and the Scorekeepers must be notified that a Pool Player is being used.

4. Pool Players must meet the Mandatory Play requirements for that specific division in which they have been called up to play, are placed at the bottom of the batting line-up, and be substituted in accordance with that Division’s rules for substitutions.

5. Pool Players are NOT allowed to pitch or catch.

6. If a rostered player arrives late or is at the game unexpectedly making the Pool Player unneeded, both the player on the team roster and the pool player(s) will still play for that team and playing time rules still apply.

7. Pool Players cannot be used only if a player is ejected or injured during a game. Pool Players must be in the lineup/batting order from the start of the game.

8. Within 24 hours of the end of the game, the calling-up manager shall report to the Player Agent (via email, text or phone call) how the experience with the Pool Player went. The Player Agent shall then reach out to the Pool Player's parent(s) to gain feedback from the Pool Player and his/her parent's perspective how the experience went. Any indication of adverse or unfriendly treatment by the calling-up manager, their assistant coaches, and/or players shall be addressed by the Player Agent, involving as needed the Commissioner for that division, and possibly the Disciplinary Committee of the Board.