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New to CBSL?

Welcome! These are the questions new parents usually ask us.

What ages and divisions do you offer?

Rec baseball has five levels. Quickball is for ages 4–5 (we play Quickball instead of T-Ball). Coach Pitch is for 5–6, and Machine Pitch is for 7–8. Minors is 9–10 on a 46/60 field. Majors is 11–12 on a 50/70 field. The ages are a guide, not a hard rule. A 5-year-old might fit in Quickball or Coach Pitch. Girls softball plays in the Inter-Community Girls Softball League (ICGSL) with four divisions: Rookies 8U (ages 6–8), Minors 10U (9–10), Majors 12U (11–12) and Seniors 15U (13–15). See the Softball page. We also have Travel/Tournament teams for 7U–12U, and a 13U Connie Mack team. Not sure where your child fits? Try the division finder.

Who can play? Do I have to live in Conshohocken?

We serve Conshy and the towns around it. Under the league bylaws, kids who live inside the league boundaries can play. If you live outside them, your child can still play with a waiver.

How much does it cost?

Spring 2027 fees are TBD; we’ll post them here. Spring 2027 registration opens Dec 10, 2026 and runs through Feb 10, 2027. If fees are a stretch right now, read about the Ayala Memorial Fund below.

Is financial help available?

Yes. The Natanael Issac Ayala Memorial Fund helps cover registration fees for families going through a hard time. Just email the league. It stays confidential.

When is the season?

Spring 2027 registration opens Dec 10, 2026 and runs through Feb 10, 2027. Spring 2027 games start Monday, April 5, 2027. Conshy Baseball Day, the league’s big celebration with a parade and activities at Sutcliffe Park, is Saturday, April 17, 2027. It isn’t the first game day; we hold the parade later in the season to get a warmer day. In past years, spring signups opened in December or January. Spring 2026 opened Dec 18, 2025, and Spring 2025 opened in January 2025. Fall signups open in late July. Fall 2025 opened Jul 29, 2025, and Fall 2026 opened Jul 24, 2026.

How are teams formed?

In Machine Pitch and Minors, players come to skills evaluations in March. They throw, catch and hit, and Minors players pitch too. Teams are drafted from those results. A manager gives up their draft pick in the round where their own kids and their coaches’ kids are ranked. In Machine Pitch, each head coach picks one assistant, and coaches’ kids play on their team. Coach Pitch is for learning, and nobody keeps score.

What gear does my child need?

Keep an eye out for our Gear Swap. Families pass along bats, gloves and cleats their kids have outgrown. The rules are simple. Batters and baserunners wear NOCSAE helmets. Bats need the "USA Bat Marking." Kids wear closed-toe shoes, and metal cleats aren’t allowed. Catchers must wear a protective cup.

Where are games played?

CBSL baseball home games are at Sutcliffe Park, 900 Freedley Street in Conshohocken. Softball plays in the Inter-Community Girls Softball League (ICGSL), with home games at Sutcliffe and away games at other towns’ fields. Here’s the map, field layout and directions.

Where can I see scores and stats?

Our teams use GameChanger for live scores, game updates and player stats. Your team manager will send you an invite. Game dates, times and fields are on the schedule page.

Do parents have to volunteer?

CBSL runs on volunteers. The bylaws mention a volunteer requirement for each family during the season, and serving on a committee doesn’t count toward it. Here are the open roles.

How can my child practice at home?

Short, fun backyard drills go a long way. Scroll down to Practice at home for drills by age, safety basics, talking points for parents and a printable 10-minute routine.

What is the travel program?

Tryouts for 8U–12U travel teams happen every fall during Fall Ball. The 7U tryout is in April. Picks are based 70% on rec evaluations and 30% on the tryout. Teams are picked fresh every year. The Travel page has the teams and tryout details.

Who do I contact?

Email us at ConshyBaseballSoftballLeague@gmail.com. For placement and eligibility, that’s Joe Montemayor, our Player Agent. For umpires, Rob Alexander, our Umpire-in-Chief. For safety and clearances, Sarah Yantz, our Safety Officer. For sponsorship, Jenn Nelson, our Director of Sponsorship, or Anna Kelly, our Sponsorship Liaison. For softball, Scott English (senglish60@gmail.com) or Jenn Nelson (j.nelson621@gmail.com).

For parents

Practice at home

While learning in the structured CBSL environment is wonderful, the players who excel most are the ones who take it upon themselves to improve. Here are some drills and talking points you can use with your child.

Board approved

Ages 4–6

Quickball & Coach Pitch

Soft-ball catchKneel close and toss a soft ball underhand; your child catches with two hands, then tosses it back. Take a step back after 5 catches in a row.You need: A soft or foam ball
Rolled groundersSit a few feet apart and roll the ball; your child scoops it with two hands and rolls or tosses it back.You need: Any soft ball
Tee swingsSet the ball on a tee at belly-button height and let them swing away at a fence, net or open yard.You need: A batting tee and wiffle or soft balls
Throw at a targetToss underhand or overhand at a laundry basket or bucket from a few steps away. Count the hits.You need: A soft ball and a basket
Run the basesSet out four “bases” (shoes, towels or cones) and race around them, touching every one.You need: Anything for bases

Ages 7–8

Machine Pitch

Wall ballThrow a tennis ball against a solid wall and field it on the bounce. Start close, then back up.You need: A tennis ball and a solid, windowless wall
Soft tossKneel off to the side and toss wiffle balls into the strike zone; your child hits them into a fence or open space.You need: Wiffle balls and a bat
Pop-up catchesToss easy pop-ups; your child calls “Mine!”, gets under it and catches with two hands above the head.You need: A glove and a soft or tennis ball
Grounder and throwRoll ground balls; your child fields, sets their feet and throws to you or a target.You need: A glove and a ball
Tee targetsHit line drives off a tee at a target (a towel on the fence or the middle of a net).You need: A tee, balls and a target

Ages 9–12

Minors & Majors

Partner catch ladderPlay catch, stepping back after 5 good throws and in after a miss. Finish with a few short, quick throws.You need: Gloves and a ball
Wall ball with footworkField tennis balls off a wall, then add footwork: field, shuffle and make a throwing motion.You need: A tennis ball and a solid, windowless wall
Short-toss hittingToss wiffle balls from a short distance behind a screen or from the side; focus on hitting line drives up the middle.You need: Wiffle balls, a bat, a screen or fence
Fly ball readsThrow high fly balls left and right; your child takes a first step back or to the side, then runs to the spot and catches.You need: A glove and a ball
Tee workA few minutes of slow, focused tee swings, working on balance and a smooth finish.You need: A tee and balls

Backyard safety basics

Use soft, foam or wiffle balls with young kids, and tennis balls for wall ball.
Give yourselves plenty of space, and keep other kids and pets clear of swings and throws.
Don’t throw at a wall near windows, cars or traffic, and never chase a ball into the street.
Helmets for anything with a real baseball and a live pitch. Stop if anything hurts.

Talking points for parents

Praise effort over results. “You hustled on every ball” goes further than “nice hit.”
Ask open questions on the ride home. “What was the most fun part?” or “What did you learn today?” Then listen.
Let them lead. Practice when they ask, and let them pick a drill. Kids who own it stick with it.
Keep it short and fun. Ten good minutes beats an hour of nagging. Stop while they still want more.
Back up the coach. Use the same words and cues your child hears at practice instead of teaching something different. If you have a question, ask the coach privately.
Keep mistakes in perspective. Every great player strikes out and boots grounders. Treat mistakes as part of learning, not something to fix in the car.

Ages 9–12, arm care: warm up before throwing hard, build up gradually, take days off, and stop if the arm hurts. Follow the age-based pitch counts and rest in the Pitch Smart guidelines.