Our community would not be what it is without the involvement of NWLL’s families and friends. Every family volunteers to ensure a great experience for the kids and families we serve - and we have plenty of roles to best fit your time, experience, and comfortability. We are more than a youth baseball program, we are a community. In this community, everyone has a place and a role to play.

The League provides a wide range of flexible volunteer opportunities to fit everyone’s schedule. Read about the Volunteer Team Roles to find the best fit for you and your family.

In addition to volunteering for a Team Role, every family volunteers in the Snack Bar. The number of Snack Bar shifts you need to cover change from season to season. Learn more about this season’s requirements and sign up for your shift on DIBS.  Please note there are two separate opt-out fees, one for your team volunteer role and another for Snack Bar.   Opt-out fees can only be paid during registration. 

Already have your volunteer assignment from your team? Find out if your role requires a background check and get started on your background check process.

NWLL has put together helpful resources for Managers & Coaches, Team Parents, Umpires, Scorekeepers, and Safety Officers.

• Coaches Corner

• For Team Parents

• Umpiring with NWLL

• Scorekeeper Field Guide

• For Safety Officers (this page doesn’t exist yet)

Our volunteers are not just responsible for making baseball happen, we’re also responsible for establishing and maintaining our community’s culture. Please be sure to review the Volunteer Code of Conduct and share it with your team’s volunteers.

Do you have questions? Please review the Volunteer FAQ. If you still have questions, email [email protected].

Why does the League require a volunteer commitment?

Northwood Little League continues to be an all-volunteer run organization in order to keep our registration fees low and accessible to all families in the community. Additionally, we have found that when parents are involved in the League, it creates a richer and more memorable experience for the kids. NWLL is more than a youth baseball league, it’s a community. 

What is the volunteer requirement?

To meet your volunteer requirements each season, each family is required to:

1. Volunteer for a Team Role

2. Work the Snack Bar

What do volunteers do?

Team Roles

During registration, you are asked to indicate the Team Role you may be interested in supporting during the season. These roles include Manager, Umpire, Team Parent, Assistant Coach, Practice Parent, Scorekeeper, Safety Officer, and others. During the Spring season, roles also include event support positions such as Photo Day Coordinator, Opening Day Volunteer, and Angel’s Day Coordinator. Learn more about Team Roles here>.

Game Duties

For every game, your team and the opposing team share the responsibility for:

• Setting up the field

• Supplying a scorekeeper 

• Operating the scoreboard and keeping the official pitch count 

• Announcing and music

Spring Season

Fall Season

*If you are interleaguing with a team from another D55 League, be prepared to cover all Away Team duties. The D55 Interleague rules state that the Away Team is responsible for operating the scoreboard and keeping the pitch count. However, should the Away Team not be able to supply a volunteer, the Home Team will need to cover the role.

Umpires

Every team is responsible for supplying volunteer umpires. Meeting your team’s requirement is based on a points system. Each team needs to earn 40 umpiring points each season. Points are awarded depending on the complexity of the umpiring role. (i.e. Plate umpires earn 5 points and base umpires earn 2 points per game). 

No prior umpiring experience is required! The League provides umpire training and teen umpires are compensated via gift cards. Umpiring is a great activity to do together with an older sibling. Please note that you cannot umpire your own team’s games. Learn more about Umpiring here.

Other duties

Many lower division teams choose to have families supply snacks after practices and/or games. This is not a League requirement for any team or family.

What is the requirement for working the Snack Bar?

Every family with a player on an upper-division team (AA and above) is required to volunteer in the Snack Bar two-to-three times during the Spring Season and once during the Fall Season. Each Snack Bar shift is two hours. The main duties are taking orders, delivering orders, and taking payment. You are NOT required to work the grill! You can choose to volunteer during your child’s game or at another time. All signups are done on the NWLL website using Dibs. Because volunteering in the Snack Bar requires handling money, children under the age of 16 are not allowed to volunteer. Sign up for your Snack Bar shift here>.

Families can choose to opt out of Snack Bar Duty during registration only for a $150 fee. Families who do not sign up or who do not show up for their assigned shift will be assessed a $250 fee. Please note that Snack Bar has a separate opt-out fee from Volunteering for a Team Role. 

Do I need a background check?

Probably! As part of Little League’s Child Protection Program, and to satisfy State of California mandates, NWLL requires that all volunteers in regular service to the League and with repetitive access to children complete a background check process. Depending on your role in the League, your process may include:

• Little League International Volunteer Application

• Background Check

• Live Scan Fingerprinting and Mandatory Child Abuse Reporting

• Safety Training on Sudden Cardiac Arrest and Concussion

For more information on fulfilling these requirements and to read NWLL’s Background Check Policy, please visit the Volunteer Registration & Compliance webpage.

Does the League provide training?

YES! We want to make sure our volunteers have the tools they need to feel comfortable in their roles. The League provides training at the start of each season for:

• Umpires

• Managers & Coaches

• Team Parents

Can I opt-out of volunteering?

NWLL is 100% volunteer-run, so we need everyone's help. That said, we understand that some parents are unable to meet this commitment. You may choose to opt-out of volunteering for a Team Role during the registration process for a $250 fee. You may also opt-out of Snack Bar duty for an additional $150 fee. Please note that you can only opt-out during registration - you may not choose to opt out after the season has started. If you do not sign up to volunteer and you do not opt-out at the beginning of the season, you will be assessed a fee.