Media Little League Post Season Baseball - A Bit about the Process


Successful postseason teams have been a source of great pride to MLL. These postseason teams give our most skilled players an opportunity to play additional baseball against players from other towns and leagues. Coaching and playing on these postseason teams requires significant commitment and a willingness to sacrifice a large portion of summer vacation time.

MLL sponsors multiple postseason teams from age 7 up to age 12. Postseason tournament play becomes more competitive each year, especially at the 10, 11 and 12 age groups where there is District team play.

District teams are selected specifically to compete in the official Little League International annual tournament. The 9/10-year-old and 10/11-year-old District teams compete to an eventual state champion, and the 9/10s can advance to a regional tournament. The 11/12 District team competes to an eventual national and world champion. For the six U.S. teams talented and lucky enough to make it, this tournament culminates with a trip to Williamsport, Pa., to compete in the Little League World Series.

The District Team selection process takes place in early June with the official announcement of our District Teams on June 15th per Little League International rules. District team managers are selected early in the season by a vote process of select members of the MLL Board of Directors. District Team players are decided by a nomination and vote process involving the regular season managers of the league from which a majority of the players will be selected (i.e. Major League managers for the 10/11 and 11/12 District teams and American League managers for the 9/10 District team). This vote process determines the first 10 players selected to each team. The District team manager then decides if additional players are desired and who those players are.

Non-District team managers are selected by early June by the league Commissioner of the league from which the majority of the players participated during the regular season. Non-District team players are decided using the same process as used for the District teams though there is a stronger focus on giving at least 12 players an opportunity to participate on each team.

All post season players are required to fund a portion of the cost associated with post season play. The 2009 fees were $50 for 1 player families, $80 for families with 2 players and $100 for families with 3 or more players. However, no selected player will be excluded due to financial hardship.