OBJECTIVE
To establish an equitable system for selecting Tournament teams that will best represent Littleton Youth Baseball in the 9U, 10U, 11U and 12U Cal Ripken divisions.


GENERAL

Tournament Teams - Will be comprised of players from Littleton Youth Baseball Minor, Major60 and Major70 divisions. Teams will be comprised according to age-only, determined by the player’s age on April 30th. There will be ONE team per age division.  The following Tournament teams will be created:

• 9U Team
• 10U Team
• 11U Team
• 12U Team

 
Tournament Rosters - Each team will endeavor to create a roster of 12 players, with the possibility of expanding to 13 players, based on the head coach’s discretion.  The coaching staff will consist of one head coach and two assistant coaches. 

Roster Eligibility – Every registered player for Littleton Youth Baseball and Softball is eligible to be selected as a tournament team member, based upon the player selection process (see “Player Selection Process”) and Cal Ripken rules.
 
Cal Ripken eligibility rules state:
TOURNAMENT REGULATIONS FOR CAL RIPKEN DIVISION (p. 22):

• Rule 11.03c - "To be eligible to compete in tournament play, a player, manager, or coach must be listed on league and tournament rosters."
• Rule 11.03d - "To be eligible for tournament play in any division of Babe Ruth League, Inc. a player must have played in at least one-half (1/2) of his team's scheduled league games played prior to the start of tournament play.  Note:  When odd numbers of games are involved the player receives the benefit - i.e. for eligibility 1/2 of thirteen games played is six games.  If a player is unable to meet the above because of injury or participation in scholastic sports, contact Babe Ruth League, Inc."
  
   

Players who are age eligible to play in a younger division are not allowed to play up (i.e. move-up’s), unless a team at that level cannot be fielded and the child has been selected through the coaches voting process.  If there are enough competitive players at a particular age to field a team, no player of a younger age will be placed on that team.  Any exceptions will be based on need for the particular team and must be approved by the LYBS Board.
 
Player Selection Process – Player selection will be based on a combination of performance during the regular season and the judgment of LYBS coaches of the player’s ability to perform at "tournament level."  (Note:  “Tournament level” is meant to convey that players will be able to achieve a level of competitive success, while also being placed in a situation where there are not safety concerns due to the advanced speed and level of play typical of a tournament environment).  The tournament team will be comprised of the 12 best tournament caliber players from the applicable age group / league and may not necessarily be an equal distribution from each team. (e.g. one team may have 4 representatives while another has 2)
 
As a general rule, a try-out procedure will NOT be incorporated into the selection process. 
 
The team will be selected after the fourth week of the regular season, in order to allow players to showcase their current skills level.  This should allow for more than 50% of games to have taken place.
 
Prior to the tournament team selection a meeting may be called to be facilitated by the Tournament Coordinator. The purpose is for the “voting” coaches and Tournament Coordinator to discuss individual players in order to gain additional insight to their tournament ability / qualifications. The Tournament Coordinator shall attend as many games as possible at the different division levels in order to offer additional input.
 
Coaching staffs (head coaches and assistants) will come to the tournament team selection meeting with their ratings based upon reviewing players during the course of the regular season and evaluate players based on whom they feel represent the highest skill and could play at “tournament level.”  Each eligible head coach must submit their own valid ballot. (i.e. no duplicating another coaches ballot, etc) If collusion is detected by either the LYBS President or the Tournament Coordinator they have the option to disregard the entire voting ballot in question. Each head coach shall solicit input from their assistants before compiling their ballot.
 
In selecting the players, coaches should consider all abilities in hitting, fielding and throwing – at tournament execution speed - as well as player attitude. Specific skills in pitching and catching warrant special consideration.
 
The meeting will consist of four “mini” meetings – one for each tournament team.  The meeting will be chaired by the President of LYBS and the respective league coordinators (Division One, Minor, Major).  The Tournament coordinator will facilitate the meeting. It is imperative that the tournament head coaches attend this meeting.
 
The “voting universe” will be comprised of:

• 9U Team - voted on by Minor League Coaches*
• 10U Team - voted on by Major League coaches*
• 11U Team - voted on by Major League coaches*
• 12U Team - voted on by Major League coaches*

 
*Important:It is required that all coaching staffs visit multiple LYBS games - outside of their own games - in order to legitimately evaluate players beyond the players on their roster.  Additionally, consideration should be given to the ratings that the players own coach is awarding as they have greater exposure to that players ability and attitude (Note:  In a blind voting process, this will be difficult to address, unless it becomes a necessary point of discussion.) If a “voting coach” (head or assistant) is unable to attend multiple LYBS games, outside of their own, during the regular season then, at the discretion of the LYBS President and / or Tournament Coordinator, they may be deemed ineligible to vote for the tournament team.  Also, if the LYBS President and / or Tournament Coordinator notices any voting irregularities (unrealistic ranking of players, etc) they have the option to disregard the entire voting ballot.
 
Minor coaches must rank the top 9 and 10 year old players playing in their division, separated by their respective age group. Major 60 coaches must rank the top 10, 11 and 12 year old players playing in their division, separated by their respective age group. Major 70 coaches must rank the top 11 and 12 year old players in their division, separated by their respective age group.
 
In the event that a 9-year-old is playing in Major 60, then the coaching staff of the team that has the 9-year-old player on its roster will alert the 9U tournament head coach and Minors league coordinator and detail the qualifications of that child to be placed on the 9U tournament team.
 
Each eligible (as indicated by the previous “voting universe”) LYBS head coach will be given the opportunity to vote.  The coaches will be expected to come prepared with their proposed tournament selections nominations – from the entire roster of LYB teams.  At this meeting, the coaches will submit (via a blind hand-in) the list of players (with values assigned) they feel should be placed on the team. The coach’s votes and rankings are confidential.
 
Special note: When possible, during the course of the regular season, LYBS will send out an email to parents of all registered players indicating that parents should alert the Tournament Coordinator of their willingness to have their child considered as a nominee for placement on the tournament team.  This email will also contain dates of the selected tournaments so that parents can notify coaches of the child’s availability to participate. It will also be stated that a full commitment to practice times and tournaments is expected in order to be considered for placement on the team.  Prior to the selection meeting, coaches should confirm child availability with the parents.
 
Each coach will submit player nominations based on the following rating system.
 
Each coach will assign points within groups of three players

• The top first through third rated player (player 1-3) receive eight points each
• Player 4-6 receive six points each
• Player 7-9 receive four points each
• Player 11-12 receive two point each

 
A “coach” must vote for 12 players.  If a coach is unable to complete a tournament ballot due to an incomplete assessment of the age group / league, then they are ineligible to vote for the tournament team.  The tournament coordinator, with supervision by the league coordinators will then produce a ranking of the players.  From this list the top 8players will be placed onto the tournament team.  The head coach will select the 9^th, 10^th, 11^th and 12^th players from the pool of players receiving votes. If in the tournament head coach’s discretion there is a positional need, the coach may select a 13^th player.  A reiterative process will be used as necessary to build a complete team and resolve ties.
 
Team Selection/Timing -In order to allow for maximum player “showcasing” of current skill level, while balancing potential family needs for summer planning the tournament team will be selected on/around Memorial Day weekend.  Timing is as follows:

• March/end - Final selection of tournaments
• April/end – rosters of all LYB teams are sent to LYB coaching staffs in order to observe player skill level during the course of the regular season.  This roster will indicate the age-level that the player would be eligible for placement on a tournament team
• May/early – order team uniforms - 13 child and 3 adult (per team)
• May/mid - Tournament team head coaches selected 
• May/mid – by this date, email will be sent by LYBS to parents of all registered players indicating that parents should alert the tournament coordinator of their willingness to have their child considered as a nominee for placement on the tournament team.  Responses are due from parents no later than 5/17/07.
• May/end – coaches meet to determine tournament team rosters
• May/end – head coach contacts potential team members to inform parents and reaffirm commitments and tournament dates. 
• May/end – parents inform head coaches if they are willing to commit their child to team
• May/end – final team determined.
• June/early – tournament team practices begin
• June/July/Aug – tournaments begin

 
Coaching StaffSelection - Tournament team head coaches will be selected by the LYBS board of directors.  All head coaches will be selected on or by Mid-May.  The head coach will select two assistant coaches after the players have been selected for the respective tournament team.
 
In order for coaches to be considered for tournament coaching staffs they must have been coaches during the regular season.  Coaches, who are interested in being selected by the tournament team, must make this known as part of the regular season coaching selection process.  Interested candidates should contact the respective league coordinators and make their interest known, as regular season coaching staffs are projected to be finalized by the first week in March.
 
Factors which will be considered include the following:
 
(1) Experience of the coach; (2) Parental feedback based upon previous experiences with the coach; (3) How the coach interacts with players, parents and other coaches or umpires; (4) Any negative experiences or encounters the coach has had with other coaches or umpires during the season; (5) That the coach will positively represent the league in tournament play.