Thank you for your interest in South Charlotte Recreation Association Baseball. Below are some of the most frequently asked questions we hear. More FAQ's will be added over time, so visit here before contacting someone at South Charlotte.
to contact us with any additional questions!
Frequently Asked Questions
How old does my child need to be to play baseball?
We recommend they be at least age 4 by the start of the season.
Does SCRA offer rec-style baseball for players who are older than 12?
Yes! SCRA just started a Babe Ruth league this past Fall. Please reach out to
with more questions.
Is SCRA a Little League organization?
No. SCRA is affiliated with 3 national sanctioning bodies, each of which allows us to execute on our mission. We are affiliated with Cal Ripken/ Babe Ruth, USSSA and PONY. We had ruled out Little League for 3 reasons:
Little League is the most geographically restrictive entity, and joining Little League would require us to lose about 2/3 of our membership.
Little League does not teach leading off or pickoffs by pitchers through age 12, a fact that in our opinion does little to prepare players to play at the Middle School level or beyond.
Little League from age 9-12 has base paths at 60 feet and pitching distances at 46 feet. In North Carolina, Middle School baseball is played on a 90-foot basepath and a pitching distance of 60 feet, 6 inches, a regulation size field, same as Major League Baseball. Cal Ripken, PONY and USSSA all have a gradual increasing of the size of the field throughout a players youth career, so that they are better prepared for the greater distances.
Does my child have to play in his age group?
It is the policy of SCRA that all baseball players must register and be evaluated with the appropriate age group (division). SC Baseball believes that there are several factors impacting this decision:
Children’s SKILLS are likely to develop faster if they play with stronger competition (ie. older players)
Children’s CONFIDENCE is likely to suffer as the result of playing against stronger competition.
Children have a more natural social attraction to players of the same age, and society (school, church) tends to group individuals by age.
A player may play up or down if:
The child’s parents want the child to play outside their age group and
The Selection Committee believes that it is in the best interest of the player.
The decision regarding the player will need to be made EACH SEASON the player registers. Because players develop at different rates, the “best” player in the league this year may not be the “best” next year. This may result in a child whose age is “Machine Pitch” playing “Minors” one season and then being moved back to “Machine Pitch” the following season. Parents and coaches understand and accept this. Players are only eligible for All-Stars in the age group in which they play rec ball.
