Volunteering with Little League
South Portland Little League relies on volunteers to make the season safe and fun for our players. There are a range of opportunities for parents, grandparents, family members, and other dedicated members of our community willing to help. No matter the time you have to give, we have volunteer opportunities that can make a difference for South Portland families.
For players' safety, Little League International requires all volunteers to complete an easy league-administered background check. More information on that is below.
Coaching
Head Coach
Manage the team and set the lineup for games, identify training priorities and run practices, and teach the players about skills, strategy, and sportsmanship.
Assistant Coach
Help the head coach run practices and manage games, lead drills, teach players, and at the head coach's discretion, serve as a base coach.
Bench Coach
Help keep the dugout organized and the players focused, ensure players bat in order, and often keep the book.
To volunteer to coach, check the box when you reigster your child for the 2026 season, or email the appropriate division director below.
Game Support
Umpiring
Help keep our games fair and fun for players at the player-pitch/mini-majors levels and older. Training is available for first-time umpires. For more information about umpiring, contact Umpire-in-Chief Andrew Paladino.
Grounds Crew
Help prepare the infield before games and practices at Wilkinson and Pine Street fields, giving our coaches more time to focus on the players. For more information about helping maintain our fields, contact TJ Hubbard.
Scoreboard/ Announcing
Help make our Majors games more fun by operating the scoreboard and announcing players as they come to bat.
Off the Field
Concessions
Help feed our fans, improve the game experience for families, and raise money for SPLL that helps keep registration fees low. Starting with the 2026 season, we'll offer an orientation training session to make the volunteering experience easier. This is an especially great opportunity for grandparents! For more information about volunteering in our snack shacks, contact Concessions Director Sarah Martin.
Fundraising
Help the SPLL board raise funds and keep registration fees low by recruiting businesses to participate in our annual calendar raffle or managing individual fundraising activities. For more information about volunteering with our fundraising, contact Vice President Ian Koski.
Research
As we celebrate 75 years of Little League in South Portland, we're working to piece together our shared history. We could use help with research, engaging neighbors, and organizing facts and stories. For more information, contact Vice President Ian Koski.
Special Skills
Help SPLL by utilizing your professional expertise. Lawyer? Electrician? Medical professional? Painter? Party planner? Chef? There are so many ways to help. To volunteer your professional skills, contact President Jon Hartford.
Background Checks
Little League International requires all leagues and districts in the United States to conduct an annual background check, including a nationwide criminal search, a search of the National Sex Offender Registry, review of the U.S. Center for SafeSport Centralized Disciplinary Database and Little League International Ineligible List. Little League’s required provider, J.D Palatine, has a Criminal File database that contains more than 685+ million records, including criminal and sex offender registry records covering 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as the review of the U.S. Center for SafeSport Centralized Disciplinary Database and Little League International Ineligible List, meeting the current Little League Regulation 1(c) 8 & 9 requirement.
The following offenses prohibit an individual from participating:
- Any charge, conviction, no contest plea or guilty plea, or admission to any crime involving or against a minor.
- An individual is listed on either of the U.S. Center for SafeSport’s Centralized Disciplinary Database and/or Little League International Ineligible List.
- If an individual has any charge, conviction, no contest plea or guilty plea, or admission to any crimes that are considered sexual in nature or listed on the National Sex Offender Registry, they must contact the Security Manager at Little League International (570-326-1921) before appointing the individual as a volunteer to participate in any capacity in the league.
- NOTE: If an individual involved with a league, or any activity of the Little League program, is under investigation for any type of child abuse, or has a pending charge against, or involving, a minor, they must be suspended until the outcome of the investigation or pending charges are complete and the allegations are resolved.