Understanding Little League’s Regular Season vs Tournament Teams

Little League offers two distinct experiences for participants.  The regular season, plus the Snoqualmie Valley Playoff Championships (Upper Division), which provides an opportunity for every league participant to learn and experience the games of baseball or softball, receive ample playing opportunity and compete against local friends. 

Following the regular season, Little League offers a shorted second season with Tournament teams, primarily known as All Stars teams.  The Little League All Stars Tournament is a competitive post-season competition where All Stars teams from each league compete for a District Championship, with winners advancing to the State Tournament. League Age 12 (Majors) All Star baseball and softball teams that advance from State and continue to win participate in Regionals, then can go on to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA (baseball) or Greenville, NC (softball).

The All Stars experience is Little League’s most competitive program, and quite different from the regular season  program because the goal is to win and advance to the next level.

Little League All Star Governing Rules
The Little League All Star program is governed by the official Little League Baseball Tournament Rules and Guidelines and Little League Softball Tournament Rules and Guidelines Falls Little League uses “All Stars” and “All Stars team” to refer to the Tournament team as defined by these rules and guidelines.

All Stars Committee and Selection Process
Falls Little League established the “All Stars Committee” in 2019 for the purpose of managing the selection of players, managers, and coaches participating in All Stars teams at each division level. This committee shall consist of the League President, League Vice President, Vice-President of Baseball/Softball, Player Agent Baseball/Softball, and Board Approved Independent 3rd Party Contributor (when available).

Defining the Goal of All Stars for Falls Little League
The formation of a Falls Little League All Stars team, both in the selection of players along with the coaching staff (Manager and Assistant Coaches), is targeted at forming the most competitive roster from eligible and available Falls Little League players.  The primary purpose of the All-Stars team is to compete in an ultra-competitive environment to their best of their ability, while collectively striving to win and advance in post-season tournaments.

• Manager selection should be based on finding a leader who has the baseball/softball knowledge base to build, prepare and lead a team in Tournament play.  Managers must have been either a team Manager or Coach during the regular season by Little League International rules. He/she must have the ability to develop team chemistry in a short-amount of time, position players to take advantage of skills and capabilities to help the overall team, and clearly define strategies to maximize on-field performance.  He/she must possess the ability to make tough decisions and the willpower to be objective even when presented with inherent challenges of leading a team with his/her child on the roster, and managing the dynamics of parents (many of whom may be close friends).  He/she must be able to effectively communicate with both players and parents to manage scheduling and playing time expectations.

• Player selection is targeted at not only determining top league baseball/softball performers (skills, abilities, and player attributes), but also identifying players who have begun to build the age-appropriate mental ability to control themselves in stressful and challenging situations.

• The participation of League families in the All-Star Team experience is not limited to on-field preparations and execution, but also off- the field support with player/family discussions reviewing playing requirements and support of a positive team environment.

All Stars Player Submission Process

Any league family can apply for All Stars team consideration with the completion and agreement noted in the submission process.  Prior to submission, all families must read, review and agree to a wide variety of commitments including:

• Understanding of the time commitment and player availability requirements associated with All Stars
• Understanding of game playing time requirements for All Stars
• Ability to submit required residency documentation by no later than May 24, 2024 (see section below for further details)
  
• Ability to submit player’s original birth certificate following roster announcement - no copies are allowed per Little League International rules
• All Stars candidates are required to submit the Falls Little League All Stars Player/Family Commitment online form, open from May 1 – May 8, 2024 at 11:59pm PST.

Submissions will only be accepted via an online registration on fallsll.org – late submissions will be evaluated on an extremely limited, case-by-case basis.

All Star Tournament Player Eligibility and Attributes

• To be eligible, All Stars candidates are required to have played in 60%* of their team’s regular season games,  *60% is a Little League International requirement, not a local rule definition.
• If a player misses the 60% playing time requirement in regular season, the Falls Little League Board my permit a player to be eligible for selection, if the player/family provides physician’s note documenting injury or illness period, and such note releases the player for the balance of the Regular Season and/or Tournament play.   
• Players will be evaluated not only on seasonal Little League “performance” but also roster versatility for highest potential team performance. 
• Regular season 2024 Managers will provide prospective All Star players' regular season statistics and data to the Falls All Stars Committee via GameChanger export for 2024 games. 
• Regular season Managers are required to validate GameChanger data prior to the All Stars roster selection meeting.

2. Original Birth Certificate
Should your player be selected to an All-Stars roster, you are required to supply (1) original birth certificate to player agent Natalie Ritchie by June 2, 2024.

The All Star season selection includes additional time commitments.  All players who submit for roster consideration, understand and agree to the following requirements.

BASEBALL

• Player is available and willing to attend all practices on all scheduled days between June 1 and throughout the month of July 2024 – depending on player age and success of team in advancing through multiple Tournament rounds.
• Player is available and willing to participate in all Warm Up Tournament(s) and game(s) per designated age range
   - 8/9/10s All Stars: 6/15-16
   - 11s All Stars: 6/15-16 and 6/22-23 or 6/29-30
   - Majors/12s All Stars: 6/15-16 and/or 6/22-23
• Player is available and willing to participate in all District 9 Little League Washington Tournament Games, and should team advance, all Washington Little League State Tournament games per designated age range
• 2024 District 9 Tournament Dates for each age range can be found here
  .

SOFTBALL

• Player is available and willing to attend all practices on all scheduled days between June 1 and throughout the month of July 2024 – depending on player age and success of team in advancing through multiple Tournament rounds.     
• Player is available and willing to participate in all District 9 Little League Washington Tournament Games, and should team advance, all Washington Little League State Tournament games per designated age range.
  
• 2024 District 9 Tournament Dates for each age range can be found here. 

Understanding All Stars Mandatory Play Requirements

• Little League International has revised Tournament rules and requires all teams to have one continuous batting order of all players. 
• There is no minimum playing time in the field.