Frequently Asked Questions
Learn more about Seattle Pilots Baseball
What is Seattle Pilots?
The Seattle Pilots Baseball teams are select teams composed of North East Seattle Little League players, guided by volunteer coaches. We build our schedules to complement NESLL, enriching a classic American tradition by keeping top players in Little League while affording them the opportunity to develop by participating in next-level, supplemental play. Seattle Pilots allows for a solid commitment to both a Little League team and to a select team.
Pilot teams engage in offseason training at a facility in South Seattle and have chances to participate in regional tournaments, with the possibility of playing out of state. Their home base is Magnuson Park, Field 9.
Typically, the Pilot season includes several weeks of fall baseball, followed by a break during October, November, and December. Offseason workouts commence in January, and the season extends until Memorial Day weekend.
Who is eligible?
The Seattle Pilots are composed exclusively of players who participate in the Northeast Seattle Little League. Playing in the NESLL each spring is a prerequisite for being part of the Pilots. To participate in NESLL, you must live or go to school within the boundaries of NESLL. Please use the contact form if you have any questions around eligibility.
What are some of the benefits of playing Seattle Pilots?
– Playing additional baseball locally in the neighborhood, with friends from NESLL
– Customizing the right level of commitment and play for the current team
– Building up the quality of play within NESLL
– Making memories that are some of the best the kids will ever have
– Providing a more accessible experience than some other local clubs
How are the teams selected?
Unlike Little League, not every kid will make the team. This is similar to other select/club programs and is geared towards kids that have a passion for baseball and want to play at a more competitive level.
There are several factors and data points that we will look at when selecting the team:
– Past performance in NESLL
– Past performance in a select/travel program (Seattle Pilots, Shoreline Royals, Seattle Select, City Baseball, etc.)
– Past performance in All Stars
– Performance in a tryout
If you haven’t participated in one or more of those areas, it won’t preclude your child from making the team.
In addition to past performance, we also look for kids that are eager to play baseball, have positive attitudes, are good teammates and are coachable.
We generally keep 12 to 13 kids on the roster.
How old can my player be to participate on a team?
Normally teams are built around the Little League age calendar which runs from September 1st through August 31st the following year. For example, if a kid turns 10 during that time frame, he or she would be eligible for the 10U Seattle Pilots team.
What is the typical plan and schedule for the season?
The schedule for the season is determined by the coaches of each team and may differ, so the most accurate information regarding a team’s specific schedule can be obtained by following up with the coach.
From a high level, this is generally the schedule a team will follow, but is not guaranteed to follow:
Tryouts
These occur in July and August, with the goal of having the team selected by the end of July or Early August.
Fall ball
We will have approximately 4 to 8 practices in the fall (August, September and early October). They may be on a weekend or weeknight. A team may also play 2 to 6 + games in the fall season, with most occurring on a Saturday or Sunday.
We realize that kids are doing other sports during that time, and we encourage that, so these will be optional practices and games.
Tournaments
Teams typically play in 2 to 7 tournaments a season. Locations and timing are TBD, but here are some ones that most Pilots teams have done in the past:
– Late Summer/Fall Tournament – Everett
– Mid/Late January – Chehalis
– Mid-March in the Puget Sound area
– Late March in Eastern Washington (Tri-Cities, Yakima or Wenatchee area)
– Cinco De Mayo tournament in Early May (Puget Sound area)
– Art Wright Tournament over Memorial Day weekend (Puget sound area)
Tournaments will take place over the weekend and game times won’t be known until the Tuesday before the tournament. For the Memorial Day weekend tournament, there is a chance that we play all 3 days that weekend.
There is a chance that a team could do an out of state tournament. We’ve had several Pilots teams participate in Arizona tournaments in March. That is a fun trip where we play a bunch of baseball and get to watch a Spring Training game or two.
Games
In addition to tournaments, teams typically play a couple scrimmages on Sundays at the Mick, or at fields in the Seattle metro area. These can occur anytime between late February through May.
Offseason Practice
During the months of January, February and Early March, we will do twice a week workouts down at EL1 in South Seattle. One will be on a weeknight, and one will be on Sunday, usually later in the day.
Weeknight training will be led by the EL1 staff (all ex-D1 or minor league ball players/coaches) and weekend training will be led by Pilots coaches.
How are coaches and teams setup?
The Seattle Pilots Baseball Association, being a volunteer organization, relies on parents at each age level to form teams. Usually, if there’s no existing team for a certain age group, a group of three to four parents will unite to take on the responsibility of managing a team. Our organization offers a comprehensive “plug and play” framework that simplifies team management. Those interested in coaching are encouraged to visit our contact page for more information.
Connect with us today!
Use the link below to connect with someone at Seattle Pilots to learn more!