Through newly developed online chartering, Little League will gather additional Minor Division information to further support local league coaches and volunteers.
In an effort to continue supporting the youngest levels of the Little League® program, Little League International will begin collecting additional team information through the Little League Data Center for the Minor Division, with local leagues chartering Minor Division-Coach Pitch/Machine Pitch and Minor Division-Player Pitch programs starting with the 2018 season.
“The Minor Division of Little League Baseball and Softball is one of the most important steps in the Little League career for players and parents,” said Pat Wilson, Little League Senior Vice President of Operations and Program Development. “This is where players develop fundamental skills and learn the fun of the game. Having additional information about how local Little League programs are structuring their Minor Divisions will allow Little League to continue to provide enhanced resources for parents, volunteers, and coaches.”
The Minor Divisions of Little League Baseball® and Little League Softball® provide opportunities for children ages five to 12, depending on experience and local league structure. Typically, the Minor Division encompasses varying levels of developmental play, and Little League strongly encourages adapting play through the use of coach pitch or machine pitch, shortening games, and increasing practice opportunities, to provide young baseball and softball players a fun, active experience.
Through gathering additional team information within the Minor Divisions, Little League will have the ability to understand which local leagues are offering each of the respective programs, and provide specific resources and guidance to help those local leagues, volunteers, and coaches provide their Little Leaguers® with the best possible experience. From specifically-targeted resources on Little League University to additional tools in the Local League Resource Guide, these efforts continue to support Little League’s focus on supporting local league programs through teaching the developmental levels of the game at a young age.
Over the last five years, Little League has been able to develop a weekly program designed for coaches at the Tee Ball and Coach Pitch/Machine Pitch level to easily assist in developing practice plans and other activities to keep the Little Leaguers having fun, while still actively involved in the program. For the third year, leagues will receive a free copy of the Little League Tee Ball Program, a 10-week guide to fun, fitness, and fundamentals, for every chartered Tee Ball team.
For more information on the Tee Ball program and the Coach Pitch/Machine Pitch program, visit LittleLeague.org.