Corey M. Wright, the Director of Little League’s East Region, explains the process and requirements for creating game schedules used at the U.S. district, section, and state level of Little League International Tournament; the Tournament’s chain of command; procedures for addressing game protests; and tournament mileage filing and reimbursement.

Local and District volunteers are the agents of operation at the beginning levels of the annual Little League International Tournament. The District, Section, and State tournaments require these staff members to develop a schedule of games using a bracket that accommodates the number teams entered in a given division of play. This same structure also serves as the checks and balance mechanism that oversees the execution of the tournament, so that it can advance teams to the tournament’s conclusion, either at the state or World Series levels.

As part of the chain of command is the operational oversight that manages the tournament. To that end, there is a process in place to consider protests that may arise during the course of a game. The procedure for hearing and addressing these issues falls under the purview of the Little League International Tournament Committee. This body, seated at Little League International in Williamsport, Pa., is responsible for the management and oversight of the annual tournament.

At the conclusion of the tournament, Little League International provides a measure of financial reimbursement to those local leagues in the United States that advanced to the Section, State, or Region levels of the International Tournament. This reimbursement is accounted for at $1 per mile traveled to and from the tournament site(s) where the teams competed, given that a single round trip covered a distance of 150 miles or more. Teams from the U.S., which advancing to the regional tournament also receive an additional $200.