About JBBA
Jacksonville Beach Baseball is Jacksonville Beach’s local Babe Ruth & Cal Ripken Youth Baseball Association. JBBA offers Spring & Fall seasons of Recreational Baseball and Advanced Baseball (AB). JBBA also offers Summer All-Star Baseball.
Cal Ripken Baseball Division – Ages 4-12
Our league was formed to provide a safe and fun environment for children ages 4-12 to learn sportsmanship, teamwork and the skills to play baseball.
Keeping baseball FUN-especially in the early stages of youth baseball-is a primary concern of Babe Ruth League’s Cal Ripken Division, which is comprised of the following divisions:
Major/70: he most experienced level of Cal Ripken Baseball, recommended for 11 and 12 year old players. Cal Ripken Baseball is played under the Official Baseball Rules, but implements some special rules as necessary for the development and welfare of this young age group. Games consist of six innings. Featuring a 50′ pitching distance and 70′ base paths, this division is offered as an option to the major division format, and includes a tournament trail from District competition through the World Series in Aberdeen, Maryland at the Ripken Baseball Complex featuring 8 International Champions. In order to encourage the league to train more pitchers, there are rules that set the maximum number of innings a pitcher may pitch in a calendar week.
Minor: Recommended for ballplayers ages 9-10. Players build and refine their fundamental skills while beginning to understand game strategy and teamwork. In most regions, participants first experience post-season tournament competition in this level, leading to the 10 Year-Old World Series.
Rookie: Designed primarily for ballplayers ages 7-8, this division makes use of a pitching machine to allow for more hitable balls at the plate and more action in the field. Fear of actually being hit by a pitched ball is diminished. It makes the game safer and improves the playing confidence and ability of all participants.
T-Ball: Ballplayers ages 4-6 learn hitting and fielding fundamentals in a supportive team environment. Young athletes hit the ball from a batting tee which is height-adjusted for a level swing, batting in order through the line-up for the entire game. The primary goal is to begin to instruct young players in the fundamentals of baseball in a supportive team environment.
Babe Ruth Baseball Division – Ages 13-15
Founded in 1951, Babe Ruth Baseball League was created for ballplayers ages 13-15 who wished to continue their baseball playing experience beyond the age of 12. This is where players get their baseball cleats muddy for the first time on standard 90′ diamonds under Official Baseball Rules used by Major League Baseball. In this division, teams are eligible to enter tournament competition and move along the tournament trail, culminating in a World Series. Three World Series are held in this division: one for 13 Year-Old players, one for 13 and 14 Year-Old Players, and the renowned 13-15 World Series.
Babe Ruth Baseball – Ages 16-18
The highest and most accomplished level in Babe Ruth Baseball. A favorite among high school players and coaches, this division prepares players for collegiate recruiting and the professional draft. This division allows players a chance to compete through a tournament trail to reach the 16-18 Year-Old World Series.
