There are seven divisions in NWLL, offering baseball, softball and challenger programs. Each spring, teams are formed and players participate on a team during April, May and June. Players usually will move up to the next division or stay with the same team for a developmental fall season during September, October and November. NWLL also operates a program over the summer months of June, July and August. For summer baseball, players are organized by their Little League age (simply age on April 30th of the current year) and participate in competitive tournaments throughout the Washington, DC metropolitan area.
| Division | Number of Players | Number of Teams |
| Tball | 131 | 9 |
| AA | 183 | 13 |
| AAA | 67 | 5 |
| Majors | 77 | 6 |
| Prep/Senior | 56 | 4 |
| Softball | 15 | 1 |
| Challenger | ~25 | 1 | Totals | 554 | 39 |
Below is information on each division, including ages, philosophy, practice levels and regular game days. If you have any further questions, please contact the appropriate division commissioner.
T-Ball provides our young players an introduction to baseball. Since few children at this age have developed hand-eye coordination to hit a pitched ball, players hit from the stationary batting tee. This results in no demoralizing strike-outs, lots of hits and runs and the use of the best device for learning hitting fundamentals and allowing coaches to control the game’s flow.
NWLL uses a softer and safer ball for T-Ball, which reduces fear of being hit by the ball and promotes confidence in fielding. Games are action-packed and players taught baseball rules, teamwork and mutual cooperation. NWLL emphasizes instruction and having fun. Winning and losing are de-emphasized and scores are not kept in T-Ball.
Teams are often organized from neighborhood groups or schools and we try to keep friends together, although we place all children who apply on a team.
There is usually one practice a week and T-Ball games are held on Friday afternoons.
Players in this Division learn to hit a ball from a pitching machine operated by an adult coach. There are no walks, as players must hit to reach base. A premium is placed upon learning throwing, catching and regular defensive positions. Emphasis remains on instruction and teamwork, while building fundamental baseball skills.
Play is exciting. Players quickly become used to pitching machines, there is considerable hitting, fielding and base running.
AA Division teams are organized on a neighborhood, school or church basis, although an effort is made to create balanced competition. Scores are kept, although we de-emphasize winning and there are no standings or championship.
Games are played on Saturday afternoons and teams practice one day per week.
AAA Division (Age 10 and some 11 year-olds)
NWLL's AAA Division is for 10 year-olds and some 11 year-olds who have just started playing baseball or not mastered skills to play in our Majors Division. Play is a kid pitch format, where players learn to pitch, the play of catchers is key and kids learn to run bases. Since we have a sufficient number of 10 year-olds to run the AAA Division program, our younger players are not overwhelmed by older players and the level of play and development of skills and baseball knowledge progresses quickly.
AAA Division players have "try-outs" for the spring season and are drafted onto teams, with every effort made to distribute players by ability and to ensure balanced competition among teams. No matter how a player performs in the try-out, they are placed on an AAA team.
The rules in our AAA Division are generally the same as regular Little League Rules. Games are umpired by professional umpires. Standings are kept and AAA Division winners receive a championship trophy awarded for the spring season.
Teams practice one or two times per week and games generally played on Saturday afternoons.
Majors Division (Ages 11 and 12 Only)
The NWLL Majors Division is the highest level of play in our traditional Little League program. We limit Majors to 11 and 12 year old players and all 12 year-olds play in our Majors Division.
All players participate in try-outs in the Majors and all players who submit timely registrations are placed on teams. Through a Draft process, NWLL seeks to distribute players based upon ability, so that Majors teams are equally balanced. This has resulted in close, exciting games in recent seasons.
Games are umpired by professional umpires, formal standings are kept and the Majors Division winner is awarded the NWLL Championship Trophy. Recent Majors games have been generally well-played and very competitive, with superior pitching, fielding and timely hitting. Observers familiar with Little League age level play among NWLL Majors teams regard it as the equivalent of any program in the metropolitan area.
Majors games are played on Saturday afternoon, with weekly practices and some games on week nights later in the spring.
Prep/Senior Division (Ages 13-16)
NWLL’s Prep/Senior Division was established to provide our players the opportunity to continue playing baseball as teenagers. NWLL provides a competitive playing environment and strong, experienced, professional coaching for these teams. Those players willing to make the commitment to learn new rules, playing on a larger field, against stronger competition are provided a great opportunity to significantly advance their baseball careers.
NWLL sponsors Prep teams for those turning 13, playing on a 75-foot diamond, against competitive teams from the metropolitan area, under regular baseball rules (leading, stealing, pick-offs, etc.).
NWLL also fields Senior teams for those 14, 15 and 16 year-old baseball players, playing on a full-sized 90-foot diamond against higher competition from throughout the region.
These teams will be coached by experienced, professional, baseball coaches who will concentrate on teaching the fine points of advanced baseball practicing and play, stressing team discipline and building baseball knowledge and skills. These teams supplement participation on school teams and do not conflict with those schedules since games are on weekends and practices late on weekdays.
Softball Division (Girls ages 9-14)
NWLL sponsors fast pitch softball for girls and welcomes girls of all experience levels, from beginners to girls who have played baseball or softball for several years. Spring 2008 marks NWLL’s third softball season. This season, NWLL is sponsoring two teams.
One team, generally for girls ages 11 and above depending on age and experience level, will play games in the Arlington Girls Softball Association, a league for fast pitch softball with a range of age groups and experience levels. These games will be exclusively kid pitch and be played under rules that allow base stealing and other standard competitive softball rules.
A second team, for girls 9-12, will play in the Capitol City Majors division in Northwest Washington. This team will play fast pitch softball using rules that allow for a combination of beginner kid pitching and coach pitching. The majors team is suitable both for beginners and girls with baseball or softball experience.
Challenger Division (Ages 6-18)
Since 1983, NWLL has run a unique Challenger program for physically and mentally challenged youngsters who wish to participate. There are no applicable ‘boundaries’ since NWLL has the only such program in the District.
The rules and the spirit of our Challenger program are designed to spur friendly competition and instill the love of baseball. Challenger players are teamed with players from our Majors Division, who serve as “buddies” and assist with fielding and hitting.
The NWLL Challenger Division is sponsored by McKinsey & Co.