With the recent guidance to suspend/delay Little League® seasons around the world, Little League International has made the difficult decision to suspend its National Little League Awards Program for the 2020 season.
“Based on the projected late start to the season for many of our local Little League programs around the world, and the challenges that our volunteers, parents, and participants will face these next few months, we want to make sure our focus is on supporting these volunteers as we work together to get kids back on the field this year,” said Stephen D. Keener, Little League President and CEO. “While we may not have a National Awards Program this year, we will continue to celebrate and acknowledge our volunteers and players in a variety of ways throughout the year, and encourage our local leagues to celebrate all of their dedicated supporters within their community as well.”
Typically, the Little League Awards program recognizes individuals for their commitment to, and participation in, the Little League program with the following awards: Volunteer of the Year Award, Mom of the Year Award, Challenger Award, Good Sport of the Year Award, Howard and Gail Paster Little League Urban Initiative Volunteer of the Year Award, Softball Volunteer of the Year Award, and the Carl E. Stotz Community Award. Nominations for these awards are typically submitted throughout the spring with the winners notified in early June. Due to that timing, Little League International made the difficult decision to suspend these awards this year. Leagues and districts are welcome to continue to submit their recommendations, and although no formal winner will be recognized for the 2020 season, Little League International will continue to celebrate its dedicated volunteers and participants across its social media platforms. More information on this program can be found at LittleLeague.org/Awards.
Any questions on either the Little League Awards Program can be directed to Scott Rosenberg, Little League Director of Public Relations, at [email protected].
For more information about Little League’s recommendations surrounding the Coronavirus (COVID-19), including event cancelations and a list of Frequently Asked Questions, visit LittleLeague.org/Coronavirus.