When do you play?
Our fall recreational season registration opens in July/August and we start play in September. Spring registration opens in December/January and play begins in February. We encourage online registration at phippsparkbaseball.com but you can come in person to the park on select dates that are TBA.
How much does it cost?
The fee is $150 per child with a $10 discount for each additional sibling. Introductory T-ball (3-4 yo) is $100.
What does my registration cover?
What will the schedule be?
We cannot pre-determine any schedule for your player or players. You will not know your schedule before you sign up! As you might imagine, we cannot make a schedule until we know how many children, and therefore how many teams will be in each division. Schedules are not released until AFTER signups are complete, coaches are selected and teams are formed. Practices are typically Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday nights (one of those) with games Thursday or Friday (one of those) and Saturday. Our seasons run 8-10 weeks Your child will usually play 15-20 games depending on the number of teams, how far they go in the playoffs, etc.
What ages can play?
For baseball, A player's "league age" for the fall and spring seasons will be determined by their age as of May 1st, of the following year. So for example, if your 5-year-old turns 6 on April 30th 2020, his league age is 6, even for the fall 2019 season. For softball, the age determining date is January 1st.
How much will my child play?
Our recreational league has "must play" rules in place. At all ages, everyone hits in the batting lineup. Up to age 8, everyone plays every inning in the field. From age 9 & up, players must play at least two innings in the field, but we do our best to keep our teams small so there is the least amount of "pine time" possible. We want the kids playing!
Baseball
Introductory T-ball | 3-4 yo (baseball only) |
T-ball | 5-6 yo |
Coach (machine) pitch | 7-8 yo |
Minors (kids pitch) | 9-10 yo |
Majors | 11-12 yo |
Seniors | 13-16 yo |
What if I cannot afford to pay?
To that end, if families have a demonstrated financial need, there are grants available to help cover registration costs. For more information, please visit: https://everykidsports.org/every-kid-sports-pass/ or https://www.oneloveoneheartfoundation.net/ We have never turned a child away for the lack of ability to pay - so if you do not qualify for one of the grants listed above, please contact your child's Division Vice-President to request help.
To fund these activities and park improvements, we are always seeking individual and corporate sponsors, volunteers and donations.
What equipment does my child need?
At a minimum, all players need their own baseball glove and batting helmet. We also recommend cleats and a bag to carry equipment. Most children like to have their own bat, but if you're new to the sport, there will be plenty to borrow/try.
Legal bats for recreational baseball are USA BASEBALL ONLY. Softball allows for ASA, USSSA or USA Softball, or any bat marked "Official Softball".
Softball batting helmets must have a full-face mask or cage across the front. We also recommend protective fielding masks for softball players, especially beginners.
Where can I buy the equipment?
There are numerous retailers that sell baseball & softball equipment, but at least early on, we would always recommend you visit a retailer when possible to try items on and seek the advice of the staff there. Some local options:
Dick’s Sporting Goods - 8821 Southern Blvd, West Palm Beach, FL 33411 (check our Facebook posts or your email for coupons!)
Superstar Team Sports - 3169 Forest Hill Blvd, West Palm Beach, FL 33406 (tell em you play at Phipps for a discount!)
Rawlings Factory Store - 1791 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd w111, West Palm Beach, FL 33401
What about Travel Ball or All-Stars?
We do offer opportunities for travel baseball (year-round) & all-stars (summer only) for players seeking a higher level of competition. Those teams all operate independently, and their fees & schedule vary widely depending on the preferences of the coaches & parents.
Who are the coaches?
In the recreational program, all of our coaches and volunteers must pass a background check and head coaches are certified & trained by our governing body, Babe Ruth / Cal Ripken Baseball.
Can I write off donations?
We are a Florida registered not-for-profit 501(c)3 corporation. Please contact your tax professional for details on available deductions for charitable donations.
Where do you play?
We operate the baseball facility at Phipps Park (4715 South Dixie Hwy, West Palm Beach, FL 33405) under an agreement with the City of West Palm Beach, and also have practices and games at Northwest Park in the City of Lake Worth Beach (900 22nd Ave N, Lake Worth Beach, FL 33460), which is about two miles south of Phipps off of Dixie Highway. We are the official baseball partner for the City of Lake Worth Beach Leisure Services department.
Please visit us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/PhippsParkBaseball or online at http://phippsparkbaseball.com/ for more information
Your Phipps Park Baseball Board of Directors