BASEBALL & SOFTBALL


    • spring 2025 | T-Ball

      T-Ball: Ballplayers, roughly between the ages of 4 and 6, learn hitting and fielding fundamentals in a supportive team environment. Participants hit the ball from a batting tee, height-adjusted for a level swing, batting in order through the lineup for the entire game. The primary goal is teaching kids the basics of the game—and having fun! Players must supply their own glove, and personal helmets are recommended, but loaners are available if needed. Shared bats will be available to all players. One team practice per week with one game on Saturdays.

      This program’s success is dependent on finding enough volunteer coaches!  Please let us know if you can coordinate, head or assistant coach this spring!

      REG DEADLINE | March 1

      +$30 Late Registration | March 2 onward

      Age Groups | 4-6 year olds

      Field Clean Up Day | TBD

      Opening Day | TBD

      Practices | TBD

      Games | Start on Opening Day

      Evaluation Date | No Evaluation for T-Ball Level

      Register here!

      want to be a uniform sponsor for 2024?

    • spring 2025 | rookie

      Rookie: Designed for players who are baseball 8U and 7U (any player born between May 1, 2016-April 30, 2018) and baseball 6U (any player born between May 1, 2018-April 30, 2019) who have already played tee-ball or have mastered the baseball skills at that level. This division utilizes pitching machines as pitchers to allow for more hittable balls and more action in the field. Participants continue to develop fundamental skills—hitting, catching, and throwing—while batting through the entire lineup in games. Players must supply their own glove, helmet and a bat that must be USA Baseball approved. One team practice per week, one Rookie skills session per week with one game on Saturdays.

      This program’s success is dependent on having enough volunteer coaches!  Please let us know if you can head or assistant coach this spring!

      REG DEADLINE | March 1

      +$30 Late Registration | March 2 onward

      Age Groups | 8U & 7U

      Field Clean Up Day | TBD

      Opening Day | TBD

      Practices | 1 Team Practice per Week; 1 Rookie Skills Session per week

      Games | 1 Game on Saturdays; Starting Opening Day

      Evaluation Date | No Evaluations for Rookie Level

      REGISTER FOR ROOKIE HERE!

      want to be a uniform sponsor for 2024?

    • spring 2025 | Minors 

      Live Pitch Minors: Recommended for players who are baseball 10U and baseball 9U (any player born between May 1, 2014-April 30, 2016) and *some baseball 8U’s and 7U’s (any player born between May 1, 2016-April 30, 2018)* who attend evaluations and are found to be a fit for this level. Players compete on a field featuring age-appropriate 60-foot base paths and a pitching distance of 46-feet, building and refining their fundamental skills while beginning to understand game strategy and learning the art of pitching and playing catcher. Players must supply their own glove, helmet and bat that must be USA Baseball approved. In 2025, Minors teams will have one, 2-hour practice each Saturday with 2 games per week on Monday and Wednesday.

      *Kids who are baseball 8U should register at Rookie. If an 8U player wishes to be considered for Minors they must attend the minors evaluation.

      This program’s success is dependent on having enough volunteer coaches! Please let us know if you can head or assistant coach this spring!

      REG DEADLINE | March 1

      +$30 Late Registration | March 2 onward

      Age Groups | 10U & 9U

      Evaluation Date |March 10th, 4-7 pm Seacoast Epping Indoor Facility

      Field Clean Up Day | TBD

      Opening Day | TBD

      Practices | Saturdays (2 hours); Starting TBD

      Games | Mondays & Thursdays; Starting TBD

      REGISTER FOR MINORS HERE!

      Want to be a uniform sponsor for the 2024?

    • Spring 2025 | Majors

      (1 team practice/week on Wednesday, 2 games/week on Tuesday & Friday, Field Clean Up Day April 12, 2025, Opening Day 4/19/25):

      Live Pitch Majors: Recommended for players who are baseball 12U and baseball 11U (any player born between May 1, 2012 and April 30, 2014) and *some baseball 10U’s (any player born between May 1, 2014 and April 30, 2015)* who attend evaluations and are found to be a fit for this level.  Players compete on a field featuring age-appropriate 70-foot base paths and a pitching distance of 50’, building and refining their fundamental skills and building on their understanding of game strategy, and refining the art of pitching and playing catcher.  Players must supply their own glove, helmet, and bat that must be USA Baseball approved.  In 2025, Majors teams will have one, 90-minute practice each Wednesday with 2 games per week on Tuesday and Friday.

      *Kids who are baseball 10U should register at Minors. If 10U player wishes to be considered for Majors they must attend the Majors evaluationATTENDING THE MAJORS EVALUATION DOES NOT GUARANTEE THAT YOUR 10U PLAYER WILL BE PLACED ON A MAJORS TEAM.  Whether a 10U player is placed in Majors will depend on player safety, evaluation results, and program registration numbers.

      REG DEADLINE | March 1

      +$30 Late Registration |  March 2nd onward

      Evaluation Date |March 10th, 4-7 pm Seacoast Epping Indoor Facility

      Opening Day | TBD

      Practices | Saturdays (2 hours); Starting TBD

      Games | Mondays & Thursdays; Starting TBD

      REGISTER HERE!

    • Spring 2025 | Babe Ruth

      Recommended for players who are baseball 13U through 16U (players between the ages of 13 and 16 as of May 1, 2025). High school and middle school players are encouraged to sign up.  The Babe Ruth Coordinator hopes to have sufficient registration numbers to form two teams.  Registration will be capped after that threshold has been reached, and additional players will be placed on a waiting list.  Players can prioritize their school team schedules over Babe Ruth, and then continue playing baseball with Babe Ruth long after their school seasons have ended. Babe Ruth all-stars will play into early or mid-July. (DOB May 1, 2011 – April 30, 2008)

      This program’s success is dependent on receiving enough volunteer coaches! Please let us know if you can head or assistant coach this fall!

      REG DEADLINE | March 1

      +$30 Late Registration |  March 2 onward

      Evaluation Date |March 10th, 4-7 pm Seacoast Epping Indoor Facility

      Opening Day | TBD

      Practices | Starting TBD

      Games |  Starting TBD

      REGISTER FOR BABE RUTH BASEBALL HERE!

      One-Time Fee:

    • spring 2025 | softball w/ barrington

      Since we do not have enough local interest to create our own softball teams our players participate within Barrington’s great program.

      Click on the link below to visit Barrington’s website and check out their options for the season.

    • Why do Durham, Lee & Madbury residents pay different recreational program rates?

      When ORYA receives funding from the communities we serve, it directly subsidizes the participation of our in-house, recreational programs for members of that specific community. The differences between each residency-rate is a reflection of the expected or actual funding from each community in the budgeted year. If one community has a lower player fee, it means that community has chosen to reduce your participation fee in youth, recreational athletic programs. Travel-based programs are not subsidized by town funding.

        COACHING RESOURCES


        DOCUMENTS


        CONTACT INFORMATION

        • ORYA Programs

          programs@oryarec.org

        • Stephanie Johnson

          Co-Lead Coordinator

        • Jim McKiernan

          Co-Lead Coordinator

        • Eric Stern

          Sponsorship Coordinator

        • Keith O'Brien

          Babe Ruth Coordinator

        • Brett Carneiro

          Rookies Coordinator

        • Dan Fletcher

          Majors Coordinator

        • Keith Kirk

          Minors Coordinator

        • Kelly Condon

          All-Star Coordinator

        • Alex Melvin

          Umpire Coordinator

        • Andrew Engebretson

          Tball Coordinator

        • Shane Birkel

          Fall Ball Coordinator

        ABOUT US

        The Oyster River Youth Association provides inclusive, fair, diverse and developmentally appropriate recreational programs to the youth of Durham, Lee and Madbury, NH. ORYA meets the changing needs of the children and families in our community for sports and recreational activities by acquiring and maintaining facilities, promoting volunteerism and seeking collaborative and strategic partnerships.

        CONTACT US