We offer many levels of play for all ages. Players of any age and ability level should be able to find an appropriate level for them. Fairfax Little League goes to great lengths to ensure each child is placed on a team with his/her peers. The chart below summarizes the various levels of Softball that are offered. Additional information is below, which includes more details on the levels of play, schedules, time commitments, etc.
Note: If you experience any issues during the registration process, email [email protected]
Softball
Coming in Spring 2026- Single-A & Teenage levels
For girls not yet old enough to play Little League Softball, our Tee Ball through Single A baseball programs allow girls the opportunity to prepare themselves to play Softball.
| Level | Typical Grade Levels | Typical League Age Range | Allowable League Age Range | Typical Weekly Schedule | Pitching | Evaluation & Draft |
A
AA | K-2
3rd - 4th | 6-8
8 - 9 | 6-8
7 - 10 | 1 Practice, 1-2 Games | Coach
| Evals - No,
Draft - No |
| AAA | 4th - 5th | 9 - 10 | 8 - 11 | 1 Practice, 2 Games | Player
35 ft | Yes |
Majors
Teenage | 5th - 7th
7th - 8th | 10-12
13-14 | 9 - 12
13-16 |
1 Practice, 2 Games
| Player
40 ft (Majors)
43 ft (Teenage) | Yes |
For Softball, all League Age 12 year olds must sign up for Majors level & League Age 13 year olds must sign-up for Teenage level. At the request of a child's parent or at the determination of the league, League Age 7 & 8 year olds may be moved to Single A and/ League Age 11 & 12 year olds may be moved to AAA.
Frequently Asked Questions:
When are games usually played? All teams should have at least one game on Saturday. If multiple games are listed, the second game is almost always played on a weeknight.
What is "League Age"? A child’s League Age determines the level(s) that the player is eligible for. For Softball, a child’s League Age is the actual age of the child on December 31 of the current year. The League Age determines the level(s) that the player is eligible for. League Age can be found using the Little League Calculator.
What is the difference between the typical age range and the allowable age range? While the registration system will allow anyone to register if they fall within the "allowable" age ranges, most players at the listed level fall within the "typical" range. Depending on the player's ability level and experience, they may play above or below the typical age range listed. Players with little to no experience may start at a level below what is typical, and those with significant experience and/or ability may play at a level beyond what is typical for their age group.
What if we feel our child should be able to play at a level outside of what is listed? As with almost any rule, exceptions can be made. We recognize there are certain instances where it may be appropriate for a player to play above or below the listed age ranges. For example, it may be appropriate for a 12-year old who has played little to no softball to play AAA instead of Majors. If you think it may be warranted, please contract our Softball Player Agent ([email protected])
SINGLE-A SOFTBALL*Little League Softball ages 6-8 or grades K-2* Comparable to other 6U & 8U local softball programs. This level is entirely coach pitch. The ball size is 10 inches and the mound 30 ft from home plate. Parent volunteers or coaches serve as game umpires. Games are subject to a time limit - no new inning shall start later than 1 hour and 30 minutes after the scheduled start time. The addition of this division will be based on registration interest.
AA SOFTBALL*Little League Softball ages 7-9 or grades 3-4* A steppingstone level similar to some 8U local softball programs, but unlike those other programs, during AA player pitching is introduced. Our AA program is perfect for the softball player who has excelled in coach pitch and wants to experience player pitch prior to full-on player pitch in AAA. This level is a combination of coach and player pitch with priority focused on developing fundamental pitching skills in players. Coaches pitch the first 3 innings with max of six pitches and players pitch the last three innings as skill level increases during the season. The Softball mound is 35 ft from home plate, and the ball size is 11 inches. Parent volunteers or coaches serve as game umpires. Games are subject to a time limit - no new inning shall start later than 1 hour and 40 minutes after the scheduled start time and the game terminates after 6 complete innings or completion of the last legally started inning.
If you registered before the waitlist is activated, you should expect to be contacted by your Manager/Coach in mid-March in the Spring and late August in the Fall.
Schedule -- The Spring regular season starts in late March or early April and generally runs through the first or second week in June. The Fall regular season starts in late August or early September and generally runs through the end of October. Weather permitting, practices start a couple of weeks prior to the regular season. There will typically be more than one practice per week prior to games starting. AA teams typically play one game on weekends and have two practices each week. No games are scheduled on the weekends associated with Fairfax County's Spring Break, Memorial Day, Labor Day.
AAA SOFTBALL *Little League Softball ages 9-11 or grades 4-5* Comparable to other 10U local softball programs. This level is player pitch. Player pitch has no walks, with coaches coming in at ball 4 with up to 5 pitches. The Softball mound is 35 ft from home plate, and the ball size is 11 inches. Games are umpired by Fairfax LL youth and adult umpires. Players are selected to teams based on a draft. Players who must play at the AAA level based on age (Little League Softball age 11) are guaranteed to be selected to a team. Players who are still eligible to play in the AA division and are not drafted to a team in AAA will be entered into the pool of players available for the AA team placement.Games are subject to a time limit - no new inning shall start later than 1 hour and 45 minutes after the scheduled start time and the game terminates after 6 complete innings or completion of the last legally started inning.
If you registered before the waitlist is activated, you should expect to be contacted by your Manager/Coach in mid-March in the Spring and late August in the Fall.
Schedule -- The Spring regular season starts in late March or early April and generally runs through the first or second week in June. The Fall regular season starts in late August or early September and generally runs through the end of October. Weather permitting, practices start a couple of weeks prior to the regular season. There will typically be more than one practice per week prior to games starting. AA teams typically play one game on weekends and have two practices each week. No games are scheduled on the weekends associated with Fairfax County's Spring Break, Memorial Day, Labor Day.
MAJORS SOFTBALL *Little League Softball ages 11-12 or grades 5-6/7* Comparable to other 12U local softball programs. Players in games hit a ball pitched by another player. The Softball mound at this level is 40 ft and the ball size 12 inches. Games are umpired by Fairfax LL youth and adult umpires. Games are subject to a time limit - no new inning shall start later than 1 hour and 50 minutes after the scheduled start time and the game terminates after 6 complete innings or completion of the last legally started inning. Players are selected to teams based on a draft. Players who must play at the Majors level or above based on age (Little League Softball age 12) are guaranteed to be selected to a team. Players who are still eligible to play in the AAA division and are not drafted to a Majors team will be entered into the pool of players available for the AAA draft and will receive a refund for any difference in registration fees. Note, Majors is considered to be the most competitive of our 12 and under divisions, and as such has different minimum Player Participation requirements than other divisions. All teams still bat a continuous batting order (with all players reporting for a game batting sequentially before the order returns to the top of the lineup), but players are only guaranteed to play 2 of every 6 innings defensively, and there is no requirement that players play an infield position on defense or that bench innings be evenly distributed among players. Please consider these factors when selecting the most appropriate division for your player.
If you registered before the waitlist is activated, you should expect to be contacted by your Manager/Coach in mid-March in the Spring and late August in the Fall.
Schedule -- The Spring regular season starts in late March or early April and generally runs through the first or second week in June. The Fall regular season starts in late August or early September and generally runs through the end of October. Weather permitting, practices start a couple of weeks prior to the regular season. There will typically be more than one practice per week prior to games starting. AA teams typically play one game on weekends and have two practices each week. No games are scheduled on the weekends associated with Fairfax County's Spring Break, Memorial Day, Labor Day.
TEENAGE/JUNIORS/SENIORS SOFTBALL *Little League Softball ages 13-16* Comparable to other 14U & 16U local softball programs. The Softball mound at this level is 43 ft and the ball size 12 inches. Games are umpired by Fairfax LL youth and adult umpires. Games are subject to a time limit - no new inning shall start later than 1 hour and 45 minutes after the scheduled start time and the game terminates after 6 complete innings or completion of the last legally started inning. The addition of this division will be based on registration interest only.
If you have any questions about any of these levels, please contact our Softball Player Agent ([email protected]). For other program questions please contact Softball Leadership at [email protected].