Why Play Clairemont Hilltoppers?

As part of the oldest and largest youth sports organization in history, Clairemont Hilltoppers Little League is proud to offer the finest experience possible for the youth of Clairemont.

For 75 years, the name "Little League" has been the most respected and recognized brand in all of youth sports. Now entering our 62nd year, Clairemont Hilltoppers represents that brand as both the longest-running youth organization in Clairemont, and also its only Little League program. Over 20,000 boys and girls have passed through the Hilltoppers program since 1957, and we take special pride in the number of second- and third-generation players in our league.

Clairemont Hilltoppers had well over 300 kids playing ball in our Spring 2017 season, and we continue to find new ways to bring fun, safety, competition and life lessons to every child who joins our program.

Here are just a few of the reasons for our growth and popularity:

• We offer divisions for kids of every age. Little League has teams for youth from 4- to 16-years-old. Any child who will be 4-years-old by August 31, 2018 is eligible to start in our T-Ball program. And, while many leagues end when players are 12-14-years-old, Clairemont Hilltoppers offers teenage divisions in the 13-14 & 15-16 age groups in 2018.

• Reasonable costs. With many families facing challenging economic times, we have long made a commitment to make playing Little League affordable for everyone who wishes to play. Our registration fee for 2018 is just $68, the lowest of any youth sports league in town. We also ask participation in our fundraiser, selling 50 candy bars or making a $60 buyout. Plus, if you sell 75 candy bars, your registration fee is just $48! If you sell the candy, the fundraiser has a net cost to you of nothing, and you really can place your child in a full season of 20+ Little League games (plus all the associated fun and activities) for a net cost of just $48!

• Developing neighborhood and community relationships. With so many families living such busy lives, and sending kids to schools and activities in other parts of town, it's sometimes difficult to even get to know your neighbors. At Clairemont Hilltoppers, though, it's all about Clairemont. All of our players live within the community. We only advertise in our community. Most of our sponsors are in the community. We plan fundraisers within our community. The bonds that develop as kids and parents make friends in their neighborhood often last for a lifetime.

• Safety, training and education priorities. Little League has always been the leader in safety, and Clairemont Hilltoppers believes in that model. All of our managers and coaches are taught to make the safety of our children the number one concern. From our leaguewide ASAP Safety Plan, to mandatory background checks for every league volunteer, to continuing training programs for our coaches and umpires, our league will never take shortcuts on keeping our players out of harm's way. Our coaches and umpires are given rules and skills training on a regular basis, and our annual Parent Orientation is designed to make all parents part of the solution, rather than the problem, for our program.

• The Little League World Series. Certainly no event in youth sports is more recognized around the world. Each year, ABC and ESPN televise over 70 games in the various Little League All-Star tournaments. Not only is this an exciting summer tradition, but it gives Little League exposure to kids in every part of the country and in dozens of countries around the world. In addition to the World Series for the 11-12-year-old division in Williamsport, championship games in all of the teenage and softball divisions are also televised. Excitement has been high in Southern California recently, as two recent United States Champions (Park View Little League and Eastlake Little League) have come from our area. Every year, Clairemont Hilltoppers places teams in the All-Star tournaments. You can't get to the Little League World Series unless you sign up for Little League! 

 • Great fun activities for our parents. We strive very hard to bring fun beyond just the practices and games... and some of it is for the adults. Every year we have a great fundraiser dinner & auction at a local restaurant , an adult coed softball tournament, a trip to a USD game, a poker tournament, Little League Day at a Padres game, and more. And, we're always looking for new ways to get together for some fun.

 We know that families have lots of choices when it comes to their kids' activities. If you choose to join us at Clairemont Hilltoppers Little League, please know that we will be doing everything we can to make that the best decision possible!