LITTLE LEAGUE TOURNAMENT - POSTSEASON INFORMATION
- Revision Date: 05/14/2024
BACKGROUND & DESCRIPTION
- The Little League Tournament is the most widely known youth sports tournament
in the world – it is an annual postseason event composed of thousands of teams
from across the globe. Teams composed of top performing players (i.e. All-Stars) from each chartered
Little League complete against one another at various tournament levels as
applicable, to include the district, state, regional, and world series levels. Teams
compete within a double-elimination format and must continue winning at each
tournament level in order to continue progressing onwards to higher competition
levels. Games generally begin in mid to late June.
- Parents and coaches are advised that the annual Little League Tournament is
similar in many ways to the annual NCAA Basketball Tournament (i.e. March
Madness) – from a statistical standpoint the vast majority of tournament teams
play only a handful of games before being eliminated. However, the tournament
games are competitive, high energy, and exciting. The Little League Tournament
is usually a few weeks in duration. For a outstanding teams, the tournament can turn into a months-long event for teams that continue winning. Regardless of the duration or number of wins, many cherished memories, shared experiences,
and group camaraderie often await participants. What Parents Need to Know.
- Parents are advised that being selected by peers, classmates, and coaches as a top
performing player (i.e. All-Star) is a considerable honor & privilege. Not all
players will be selected. Players will represent Golden Little League (GLL) and
the Golden community when competing against other leagues in the tournament.
- Tournament participation by players and coaches is optional and selection to a
team is not guaranteed. Players and coaches that participated with GLL during
the regular season are not required to participate in the tournament. Interested
players and coaches must convey interest and commitment, and verify eligibility
by pre-registering with GLL prior to the start of tournament team selection
process. Players that don’t pre-register, or players that fail to pre-register
completely, will be eliminated from further roster considerations.
- Tournament League Age
- GLL Transition Ages: Transition ages utilized by GLL during regular season registration [transition years] are not
applicable during the Little League Tournament.
- In accordance with Little League regulations, tournament teams must be formed
by utilizing a transparent and democratic election process. Players and coaches will each have the opportunity to identify top performing players by way of an
anonymous online vote. Head coaches will be appointed by the League President
with Executive Board approval. Assigned coaches from the regular season (either
head or assistant) are eligible to become a Tournament team head coach. This
decision will be based upon the coach’s interest, availability, eligibility,
commitment, knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience. Appointed head
coaches will then choose 2 assistant coaches.
- Assuming that sufficient interest, commitment, and availability exists from both
tournament eligible players and tournament eligible coaches, GLL intends to form
the following listed Tournament teams, composed of the top performing regular
season players (i.e. All-Stars) as elected by the players and coaches.
GOLDEN LITTLE LEAGUE TOURNAMENT TEAMS
Team 1 (Chosen First)
- Division Name: Little League Tournament
- Tournament Levels: District, State, Regional, World Series
- Age: League Age 12 and younger
- Players: The top tournament eligible verified players from any GLL
Majors Division Team
- Coaches: Tournament eligible coaches from any GLL Majors Division
Team
Team 2 (Chosen Second, as Interest/Availability Allows)
- Division Name: 9-10-11 Tournament
- Tournament Levels: District & State only
- Age: League Age 11 and younger
- Players: The top remaining tournament eligible verified players from any
GLL Majors or Minors Division Team
- Coaches: Tournament eligible coaches from any GLL Majors or Minors
Division Team
Team 3 (Chosen Third, as Interest/Availability Allows)
- Division Name: 8-9-10 Tournament
- Tournament Levels: District & State only
- Age: League Age 10 and younger
- Players: The top remaining tournament eligible verified players from any
GLL Majors or Minors Division Team
- Coaches: Tournament eligible coaches from any GLL Majors or Minors
Division Team
District Tournament (Colorado District 2 Little League)
- Practices begin the week of June 10, 2024 [tentative].
- Games begin the week of June 24, 2024 [tentative].
- 2024 Game Location(s):
- Little League Division = Thornton, CO [tentative]
- 9-10-11 Division = Thornton, CO [tentative]
- 8-9-10 Division = Boulder, CO [tentative]
- Games are played against Tournament teams from the other 10 member
leagues of Colorado District 2 Little League, which are: Coal Creek LL,
Monarch LL, North Boulder LL, South Boulder LL, North Denver LL,
North Metro LL, Northern Lights LL, Sherrelwood LL, Standley Lake LL,
and Westminster LL. A team is guaranteed 2 games minimum within the
double elimination format. A team will need to win approximately 5 to 8
games in order to be crowned champion of the District Tournament.
State Tournament (Colorado Little League)
- Games begin the week of July 15, 2024 [tentative].
- Only district champions advance.
- 2024 Game Location(s):
- Little League Division = Grand Junction, CO [tentative]
- 9-10-11 Division = Aurora, CO [tentative]
- 8-9-10 Division = Thornton, CO [tentative]
- Games are played against Tournament teams from the other 2 member
districts within Colorado Little League Baseball, which are: Colorado District 1 Little League (8 Leagues located within Colorado’s Western
Slope) and Colorado District 5 Little League (9 Leagues located within
Colorado’s South Central Front Range). A team is guaranteed 2 games
minimum within the double elimination format. A team will need to win
approximately 3 to 4 games in order to be crowned champion of the State
Tournament.
Regional Tournament (Mountain Region)
- Games being week of August 2, 2024.
- Only state champions advance.
- 2024 Game Location(s):
- Little League Division
- 9-10-11 Division = Not applicable
- 8-9-10 Division = Not applicable
- Games are played against Tournament teams from the other 4 member
states within the Little League Mountain Region, which are: Wyoming,
Utah, Nevada, and Montana. A team is guaranteed 2 games minimum
within the double elimination format. A team will need to win
approximately 5 to 8 games in order to be crowned champion of the
Regional Tournament.
- All games are televised live on ESPN platforms. Video of the Colorado
State Champion (Little League Division) at the 2023 Regional
Tournament:
- Parents should expect Little League
International to provide very limited reimbursement of any/all costs
pertaining to travel/lodging/food. Team fundraising efforts may be
required.
World Series Tournament (US Bracket & International Bracket)
- Games being week of August 12, 2024.
- Only regional champions advance.
- The 10 Regional Champion(s) from the United States will compete against
each other in a double elimination tournament bracket (and ultimately
against the winner of the International Tournament Bracket) located at the
Little League Headquarters Complex (Howard J. Lamade Stadium) in
Williamsport, PA. A team will need to win approximately 6 to 8 games in
order to be crowned champion of the International Tournament.
- All games are televised live on ESPN platforms. Video of the World
Series Champion (Little League Division) at the 2023 World Series
Tournament:
- Parents should expect Little League International to provide very limited reimbursement of any/all costs pertaining to travel/lodging/food. Team fundraising efforts may be required.
COMMITMENT, EXPECTATIONS, AND ELIGIBILITY
General
- Parents are advised that being selected by peers, classmates, and coaches
as a top performing player (i.e. All-Star) is a considerable honor &
privilege. Not all players will be selected. Players will represent GLL and
the local community when competing against other leagues in the
tournament.
Team Practices
- Practices may begin after tournament rosters are officially announced, at
the head coach’s discretion and in accordance with LL regulations. Player
participation at regular season games shall take precedence over
participation at postseason practices.
Players
- Tournament team interest/availability
- Parents of prospective players shall not and must not pre-register a
player unless willing & able to commit to attend all team practices
& games. Practices will occur at the head coach’s sole discretion. Tournament team coaches typically choose to practice for several
hours at least once per day, sometimes even twice per day as
circumstances dictate. Team practices typically work on the finer
points of the game, including game situations and strategies.
- GLL doesn’t control tournament game scheduling whatsoever –
parents can expect a wide variety of times – there could be 3
games in 3 days or 1 game in a week. For teams that continue
winning and move onto higher competition levels, teams may not
have a game for up to 2 weeks at a time.
- Parents are advised that pre-existing summer vacations/plans could
possibly be impacted by tournament play and schedule changes
due to weather. Therefore, parents should carefully consider the
potential impact before pre-registering. Verified pre-registered
players chosen for a team will automatically be assigned to a roster
spot and NOT have an opportunity to refuse a roster spot if
selected/assigned to a team.
- Tournament team eligibility
- Participated in at least EIGHT (8) regular season games with GLL.
- Proof of Age compliance [reference Pre-Registration details].
- Proof of Boundary compliance [reference Pre-Registration details].
Coaches
- Tournament team interest/availability
- Prospective coaches shall not and must not pre-register unless
willing & able to commit to attend all team practices & games.
- Coaches are advised that pre-existing summer vacations/plans
could possibly be impacted by tournament play and schedule
changes due to weather. Therefore, coaches should carefully
consider the potential impact before pre-registering.
- Coaches must also be willing & able to help collect/process any
and all player information and parent paperwork as directed by the
Registration Director. The Registration Director will then submit
all properly formatted player information to the League President
in order to fulfill all tournament enrollment requirements as
directed by the Colorado Little League District 2 League
Administrator.
- Tournament team eligibility
- Must have been an officially assigned GLL coach during the
regular season, as either an assigned head coach or an assigned
assistant coach. Per Little League regulations, unofficial and/or
unassigned coaches from the regular season are not eligible to
become tournament coaches.
- A prospective player must be a rostered team member prior to the
corresponding parent coach being appointed by the League
President with Executive Board approval (i.e. As a head coach, if
your child isn’t selected to the team, then you can’t be a head
coach on that particular team).
- Must have successfully completed the GLL background check
process.
- Must have successfully completed online training as mandated by
Little League (Diamond Leader; Child Abuse Awareness).
- Must have successfully completed concussion awareness training
as assigned by GLL and mandated by Colorado state statutes.
- Publish Roster Date
- Number of Players
- Minimum Required = 12
- Goal = 12
- Maximum Allowed = 14
- Number of Assigned Coaches
- Minimum Required = 3 (1 head coach, 2 assistant coach)
- Maximum Allowed = 3 (1 head coach, 2 assistant coach)
- Considerations
- A verified pre-registered Majors Division player will be automatically
rostered onto a tournament team before a same-age (League Age) Minors
Division player so long as that player received a vote from at least half of
the Majors Division coaches. GLL recognizes that (1) a Majors Division
player has been competing during the regular season at a higher
competition level, and (2) a Majors Division player was chosen for a
higher competition division by way of an extensive and thoughtful pre-
season evaluation and draft process. GLL recognizes that although
exceptions to this condition can exist, these exceptions will not be
permitted as GLL believes this approach will generally result in teams of
higher quality players.
- Teams should be chosen in part, to provide sufficient pitching strength
when considering potential tournament game schedules.
- Players are not required to be chosen for a particular baseball position, or
even the primary baseball position that a player may have occupied or excelled at during
the regular season.
- Players and/or coaches can vote for any player for any reason, and while
statistical information may help form opinions, player selections may
NOT be based primarily on statistical information.
- Little League International and GLL does not require a minimum number
of players to be selected from any one regular season team.
- Alternates/Replacements
- In lieu of extenuating circumstances as characterized by the District
Administrator (i.e. broken arm), player or coach alternates are NOT
authorized to be recognized on a tournament team roster. An official
player pool of standby replacements is not authorized during the Little
League Tournament.
- Multiple Teams
- In lieu of extenuating circumstances as characterized by the District
Administrator (i.e. broken arm), a player or coach may NOT be rostered on more than one
tournament team at any one time.
- LINK
- Sequence
- Occurs PRIOR TO the formation of team rosters. Open to and mandatory
for any interested player or coach.
- Timeframe
- Opens: May 1, 2024 [tentative].
- Closes: May 31, 2024 [tentative].
- Fee: NO COST
- Players Considerations
- A parent of an interested player is required to pre-register that player. Player fees will be collected at a later time during a separate registration ONLY if the Player is rostered onto a Tournament team. Partially
completed pre-registrations will NOT be accepted and/or considered. Parents shall carefully review all pre-registration documents.
- Parents shall check eligibility, acknowledge expected commitment, verify
schedule availability, and submit written documentation regarding proof
of age and proof of boundary. The parent(s) of an interested player unable
and/or unwilling to accept these conditions and requirements shall/must
not pre-register their player.
- Coach Considerations
- Interested coaches are required to pre-register. Coaches shall check
eligibility, acknowledge expected commitment, verify schedule
availability, and submit written documentation as requested. Coaches that
are unable and/or unwilling to accept these conditions shall/must not pre-
register.
- Required Documents
- The following documents shall be submitted via email to the GLL Registration Diretor [registration@gjba.net]. The Registration Director
will review the documents submitted and confirm receipt with a return
email. Parents are advised that if a return remail is not received, then the
documents have not been properly received (please allow up to 48 hours
of initial response time).
- Acknowledgement of Commitment, Expectations, and Eligibility
- Parent recognition/acceptance of Postseason Information listed here on this website.
- Medical Release
- Player Verification
- Proof of Age – Chose ONE of following methods to comply:
- A player’s age shall be established and supported by providing a
birth certificate, submitted via email [registration@gjba.net]. Note, the birth certificate does not need to be an original; it does not need to be certified. Jefferson County birth certificates may be ordered here. Parents that need to order a replacement birth certificate using other methods may do so here.
- For players that do not have a birth certificate, a player’s age may alternately be established and supported by providing an
In-Lieu Statement, submitted via email [registration@gjba.net].
- Proof of Boundary – Chose ONE of the following methods to comply:
- Method 1 – School Address Method
- A player’s school attendance shall be established and
supported by submitting a Little League issued School Enrollment Form completed by the school administrator,
principal, or vice principal, OR by submitting a
certified/official School Enrollment Record created by the school and dated prior to
October 1 of the current academic year (2024).
- Method 2 – Residency Address Method
- A player’s residency shall be established and supported by
submitting residency documents containing the full
residence address, which includes parent(s) or court-appointed
guardian(s) name, street address, city, state, and zip code
information. Documents must be dated or in force between
February 01, 2023 and February 01, 2024.
- Residency documents shall come from EACH of the three groups
listed (Group 1; Group 2; Group 3). Note 1: Three
documents from the same group constitute only ONE
document. Note 2: Certain documents may be used in
different Groups, but will count for only one Group per
player. Example – If a water/sewer bill is used to satisfy
Group 2 as a municipal record, that same bill CANNOT be
used as a utility bill to satisfy Group 3.
- Method 3 – Waiver Documentation
- This method of boundary compliance is not applicable to
the vast majority of GLL players. If a player’s school and
residence are both located outside of the GLL boundary,
but the player qualified for GLL via the Transition Player
status “i.e. Grandfather Waiver”, please email/inform the
registration director. Waiver II(d) [sibling]; Waiver IV(h)
[moved]; Waiver Charter Committee Waiver [grandfather].
- Election Timeframe
- Begins: June 01, 2024 at 9:00 am [tentative].
- Closes: June 03, 2024 at 9:00 am [tentative].
- Election Procedures
- The League President shall operate and supervise the election.
- Players and coaches will each have the opportunity to identify top
performing players by way of an anonymous online vote. Voting will
occur via an online platform (e.g. Election Runner or similar). The voter’s
email of record will receive an invitation to vote. The existing
TeamSideline email address within the GLL registration system
(TeamSideline) will be utilized as the voter’s email of record.
- A player may vote with the help of a parent by utilizing the parent’s email
address on file within the TeamSideline registration system. Each
individual player or coach may only vote once.
- The open voting period will be 48 hours in duration and votes will not be
received/collected by alternate methods or during other timeframes.
- A vote received by an assigned coach will account for 95% influence,
while a vote received a player (by way of the parent’s email address) will
account for 5% influence.
- Team #1 will be formed first, Team #2 will be formed second as interest/availability allows, and Team
#3 will be formed third as interest/availability allows.
- Procedures for Players
- Players on each team within the Majors Division and the Minors Division
will have the opportunity to identify and rank the top players from their
own team. Players can vote for themselves or any other player on their team. Players will not be asked/required to identify top players from other
teams.
- Based on the regular season distribution of player ages, each player
shall identify and rank their choices as follows:
- 2024: TOP 4 PLAYERS PER TEAM
- Procedures for Coaching Staffs
- Individual assigned coaches (head and assistants) shall each carefully
observe players on all teams within their particular Division throughout
the regular season. In collaboration with each other, the assigned head
coach is authorized to elect players on behalf of the entire coaching staff.
- Coaches shall identify players based on regular season performance,
regardless of any known/unknown expectations pertaining to a particular
player’s pre-registration status or postseason desires or intentions.
- Based on the regular season distribution of player ages and GLL’s
expected postseason participation rate, each team’s coaching staff identify
and rank their choices as follows:
- Majors Division Coaching Staff
- 2024: TOP 30 MAJORS DIVISION PLAYERS
- Minors Division Coaching Staff
- 2024: TOP 24 MINORS DIVISION PLAYERS
- Confidentiality
- Voting scores will be keep confidential (or as confidential as reasonably
possible). Voting scores will not be shared with parents, players, or other
coaches.
- Results & Processing
- The League President shall provide the Registration Director with election
data.
- INITIAL LIST
- The Registration Director shall combine the weighted votes and
create a preliminary ranking of all players (Majors and Minors)
that received a vote.
- Players from the Majors Division shall be ranked above players
from the Minors Division.
- The INITIAL LIST shall include at minimum: Ranking Number,
Last Name, First Name, Regular Season Division, Regular Season
Team Name, Jersey Number, and League Age.
- VERIFIED LIST
- The Registration Director shall identify players on the INITIAL
LIST that are NOT pre-registered (i.e. uninterested, unwilling, and/or unable). Improperly pre-registered players will not be
placed upon team rosters and therefore will be prohibited from
further team roster considerations.
- The VERIFIED LIST shall
eliminate payers from the INITIAL LIST that are not completely
or adequately pre-registered. The VERIFIED LIST shall include at minimum: Ranking
Number, Last Name, First Name, Regular Season Division,
Regular Season Team Name, Jersey Number, and League Age.
TEAM FORMATION PROCESS
- Team #1 [Little League Division]
- Player Criteria
- Utilizing the VERIFIED LIST, the Registration Director will automatically roster Team #1 players [ranking #1 – #12; must be a Majors Division player; any League Age is acceptable].
- Coach Criteria
- The head coach for Team #1 will be appointed by the League President with Executive Board approval. The assigned head coach shall then immediately choose two eligible assistant coaches.
- Team #2 [9-10-11 Division]
- Player Criteria
- Utilizing the remaining VERIFIED LIST, the Registration Director will automatically roster Team #2 players [ranking #13 – #24; League Age 11 and younger is required].
- Based on the 2024 regular season distribution of player ages and GLL’s expected postseason participation rate, GLL expects to form this team from almost entirely Majors Division players. If a Majors Division player on the VERIFIED LIST of League Age 11 and younger remains, and that player received a vote from at least half of the Majors Division coaches, then that player will be automatically rostered for a Team #2 roster spot prior to a same- age Minors Division player.
- Note: In 2024, if the actual number of Majors Division players on the VERIFIED LIST is lower than expected, then Minors Division players will be utilized.
- Coach Criteria
- The head coach for Team #2 will be appointed by the League President with Executive Board approval. The assigned head coach shall then immediately choose two eligible assistant coaches.
- Team #3 [8-9-10 Division]
- Player Criteria
- Utilizing the remaining VERIFIED LIST, the Registration Director will automatically roster Team #3 players [ranking #25 – #36; League Age 10 and younger is required].
- Based on the 2024 regular season distribution of player ages and GLL’s expected postseason participation rate, GLL expects to form this team from almost entirely Minors Division players. However, if a Majors Division player on the VERIFIED LIST of League Age 10 and younger remains, and that player received a vote from at least half of the Majors Division coaches, then that player will be automatically rostered for a Team #3 roster spot prior to a same-age Minors Division player.
- Coach Criteria
- The head coach for Team #3 will be appointed by the League President with Executive Board approval. The assigned head coach shall then immediately choose two eligible assistant coaches.
REGISTRATION FOR ROSTERED PLAYER(s)
- Sequence
- Occurs AFTER the formation of team rosters. The Registration Director
shall provide each rostered team member with a payment link.
- Timeframe
- Opens: June 6, 2024 [tentative].
- Closes: June 10, 2024 [tentative].
- Fee: $135 per player [tentative]. Fee includes tournament uniform, tournament team fees, practice field fees, and umpire fees.
- Refund Policy
- Zero Refunds will be provided to tournament players, regardless of
circumstances, situations, or conditions.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- Why is GLL not conducting a player tryout in order to form tournament teams?
- Performance during competitive regular season play offers a dependable prediction of a player’s expected performance, whereas tryouts typically offer a more limited preview of player’s ability, and those snippets occur during non-game situations.
- Conducting a tryout is labor/time intensive for volunteer coaches and board members.
- Why are the team coach(es) from the regular season champion not automatically appointed as tournament team coach(es)?
- For tournament scheduling purposes, head coaches need to be appointed prior to the end of the regular season, and the regular season champion may not yet be determined by that time.
- The potential for 3 tournament teams exists but GLL has only two regular season divisions/champions, so relying solely upon that approach with cause mismatch issues to occur.
- The coach(es) of the regular season champion, or even the regular season runner-up, may not be willing/able/qualified/experienced to also coach a postseason tournament team.
- Why are team coach(es) from the regular season champion not allowed to
unilaterally and/or completely/partially choose their tournament team roster?
- Little League regulations are based on a millennia of volunteer experience
related to operating a youth sports league, and therefore require a
democratic voting process to choose players and coaches. This process
will reduce and/or eliminate many of the typical complaints, abuses,
pressures, and charges of alleged favoritism against the League, which are
directed towards the League President.
- Can the League President coach a tournament team?
- Yes, the League President can coach a tournament team with approval from
the District Administrator.
- Can a Majors Division player of League Age 11 or younger [or 10 and younger]
who is not chosen for an older age tournament team automatically be rostered
onto the applicable younger-aged team?
- No, not unless the player is on the VERIFIED LIST, and that player has
received a vote from at least half of the Majors Division head coaches.