THINGS YOU PROBABLY DON’T KNOW ABOUT LITTLE LEAGUE STATE TOURNAMENTS
How are Little League State Tournaments Assigned?
Many, many, years ago, the 13 District Administrators from around the State had a meeting and put in place a rotation of ALL eleven (11) state tournaments to share them equally.
Baseball has 6 tournaments = 8/9/10 – 9/10/11 – Majors – Intermediate – Juniors – Seniors
Softball has 5 tournaments = 8/9/10 – 9/10/11 – Majors – Juniors – Seniors
The rotation works like this:
If in year 1, District 1 was awarded the 8/9/10 State Softball Tournament, Year 2 it went to District 2, Year 3 it went to district 3, and so on. District 1 would not host the 8/9/10 State Softball Tournament again for 12 years.
If in year 1 District 2 was awarded the 8/9/10 Baseball Tournament, Year 2 it went to District 3, and so on
If in year 1 District 3 was awarded 9/10/11 Softball Tournament, Year 2 it went to District 4 and so on
Now stagger year 1 for all eleven (11) tournaments and only 2 Districts did not get a state Tournament, which holds to this day – Every year there are only 2 districts without a State Tournament. It’s simple math, 11 tournaments, 13 Districts.
EXCEPTIONS:
There are cases when a District doesn’t want to host or can’t host a tournament.
1. They don’t have enough volunteers to coordinate or host a tournament.
2. They cannot secure fields during the dates needed.
3. Example: The District does not have the division of play they are hosting, in any league in their District (Example) Only 10 Districts have Junior Baseball and only 5 districts have Senior baseball. Why would they host a division of play no one in their District plays?
There is an endless number of reasons a District may not be able to host when their rotation comes around, but you get the idea.
What happens if the District does not want to host?
The District Administrator whose turn it is to host a tournament, contacts the other District Administrators from around the State until they find someone willing to host their rotation of the tournament.
In some cases, a District can host more than one (1) tournament in the same year, because it was given to them by another District and was not their regular rotation.
Tournament operating guidelines?
Each District has complete Autonomy to run the State Tournament the way they see fit. It is their turn in the rotation to host a State Tournament.
The only thing they must do is have their tournament bracket approved by Little League Western Region. Use, little league umpires that come from leagues in which are 100% volunteer and do NOT compensate umpires for their work, follow little league international tournament game rules and meet the minimum state requirements.
Before each game: Recite the pledge of Allegiance, Recite the Little League Pledge, introduce all players, coaches & umpires.
Awards: Provide Champions with sweatshirts proclaiming them as State Champions. Provide all participants with participation medallions.
New 1st year District Adminstrators may not host a State Tournament during their first year without the unanimous consent of the State Board of Directors.
Most District Administrators LOVE hosting tournaments and when they do, they put their best foot forward to make the event something the players and coaches will never forget.
They don’t have to make programs, give out medals, have opening ceremonies, live stream games, have Barbeques, or make a big hoopla over the tournament. MOST OF THEM WANT TO DO THOSE THINGS.
What District Administrators need for a successful tournament, is LOTS & LOTS of volunteers, to make it a memorable tournament. Fewer volunteers usually mean something doesn’t happen at that tournament. If you have no tech person who has the equipment & unlimited data plan? Games don’t get live-streamed, No one to put together the tournament Program, means you get no program. No one to coordinate medallions/trophies means you get no medallions or trophies. You get the idea… More volunteers = more things get done.
So before you criticize a tournament for not doing something another tournament did, you should go tell the District Administrator you will volunteer to take care of that for them. You don’t have to be from that district to help. Volunteers are always welcome.
In the end, there are as many different ways to hold a State Tournament, as there are District Administrators, and no 2 tournaments will ever be the same. It is their District money that pays for it. There is no money from Little League, Western Region, or State. There is NO tournament fee anyone pays to be in the tournament (You can only get there by winning your district).
In the end, you get the State Tournament experience that the District Administrator puts on for you, no matter how good or bad you think it is, 100% of the responsibility is with the District.
Never compare how a district with strong financial support runs a tournament, versus a district that is in a less fortunate area. That is just wrong…
You may not like the fields, because they are not as nice as your fields, you may think the area is in a bad neighborhood, however, we assure you that the fields they use for the tournament, are probably the best they have in the district, so don’t be critical because they are not a nice as yours (we all come from different circumstances).
Who pays for the tournament (since there is no entry fee)?
No one funds Districts to host a tournament. The District either takes the money out of their operating budget (that each league in their District pays into) or they raise money, get donations/sponsors to put on a tournament.
Expenses include Field Rental, cost of pins/medallions, cost of baseballs/softballs, programs, food for volunteers, some have to rent PA equipment, some rent equipment to live-stream. Banners, Poster size laminated brackets for the field, etc., etc.
Now you know the basics of State Little League Tournaments.