Frequently Asked Questions
  Revised September, 2007

 What is the competition level of this league?
  While there is no age restriction in the Quad County Optimist League, most of
  our players are either active or former college players.  Most other players are
  played in high school or in other leagues for a number of years.  If you have
  never played baseball before, or haven't played in a long time, the competition
  level would probably be too high for you to compete in this league. 

  What rules do you play by?
  We play by official Major League Baseball rules except where noted in the
  league by-laws.

  I want to play in this league, how do I sign up?
  Contact the coach of the team that you wish to play for (either through email or
  telephone).  Each coachs' contact information is listed on the "Contact" page.
  Most coaches would like to have some idea of who is going to be on their team
  a few months before the season starts, so the sooner you contact them, the
  better.

  How much does it cost to play in this league?
  While the cost varies from team to team, there is a minimum league fee of $40 
  assesed for each rostered player, with exceptions as noted in the by-laws.  The
  average cost for the league is probably around $250. 

  What must I do if I want to start a team in this league?
  You must contact the league president, Don Smith.  Also, you must attend the
  first league meeting of the year, held in January, where all of the coaches and
  league executives will vote as to whether or not to admit your team to the league.
  The minimum requirements for having a team are as follows:
          1. You must guarantee that you can secure enough players for every game.
           Keep in mind that depending on where you will base your team out of,
           some away games can be over an hour's drive away. 
           2. You must have identical team uniforms for every player.  It doesn't matter
           what uniform style you prefer (T-shirt, mesh, etc.).
           3. You must be able to produce in April, $40 for each player on your roster
           prior to the start of the season.
           4. You must produce at the April meeting, a team roster, directions to your
           home field (from Lancaster and Reading).
           5. You must, by the beginning of the season, have access to a field to
           play your home games on.  It does not need to have lights.
           6. While it is not required, it is highly recommended that you have a
           computer and access to the internet in which to electronically submit stats
           for each home game.  
           7. You must produce, prior to the start of the season $200 to be kept in
           your teams "fine fund", in case at any time during the season, you need to
           be fined.  This is a one-time fee; you do not need to pay this every year.
           8. You must be able to produce enough money to pay 2 umpires for each
           of your home games.  While umpire fees vary depending on what county 
           you are in, expect to pay somewhere around $50 per umpire.

  What equipment is provided to me when I sign up for this league?
  You are issued a team uniform.  You must provide your own cleats, bats, glove,
  pine tar, rosin bag, etc.

  Have any Quad County players made it to the pro's?
  Yes, there have been a number of players that are currently playing Minor 
  League affiliated baseball.  View the entire list on the players page. 

  Why is there a minimum requirement of games/innings played to be eligible for playoffs?
  This rule was made to ensure that teams could not simply sign star college
  players at the beginning of the season, who would then go south to play in
  collegiate leagues during the summer, only to return just in time for the playoffs.
  This rule is strictly enforced: there are no exceptions to it.

  My stats are wrong!  What should I do?
  I cannot stress this enough: DO NOT HESITATE TO LET ME KNOW THAT
  STATS ARE WRONG.  Coaches, scorekeepers, and even myself make
  mistakes.  I want the stats to be accurate.  The reason I post score-sheets is so
  that players can email me to let me know when something was screwed up. 
  Again, if your stats are wrong, please let me know.  Usually it only takes a few 
  minutes to fix a mistake.

  Why isn't a particular box score posted on the schedule page?
  Some score sheets from games this past season were never submitted by the
  home coach, and I had to consult the away coach to give me the stats for his
  team only.  Also, some scoresheets were submitted to me in paper-form, and
  thus, no digital copy of it exists.

  If you have a question, submit it via email at this link.