Letter from Tournament Coach to Williamsport

I received a copy of an email sent from a Little League coach in New York to Patrick Wilson of Little League International in Williamsport. I was given permission to copy the letter here on our blog.

NOTE: This letter does not represent any views of the Little League Insider Blog.

REMINDER: This blog is not affiliated with Little League Baseball and Softball in anyway

Read the letter by clicking here

Mr Patrick Wilson/Williamsport Rules Committee,

I trust in God.  I love my Country and I will “play fair”.  That’s  part of the Little League pledge written on the back of the rule book.  Little League also added a patch a few years ago to their uniforms worn at the World Series that says, “I will not cheat”.  But with the new school residency rule that was implemented for this season it’s hard to believe that teams will play fair or won’t do something that would be conceived as cheating.  I am a coach, Board Member and Division Coordinator in the Stony Point Little League in Stony Point, NY and would like to take a few moments to share my thoughts on some of the potential changes presently being contemplated in Little League.

The new school residency rule  allows for kids to play where they go to school.  Stretching the boundaries for a number of little leagues to gain access to more players.  A league can now recruit players in the same school district to play for them.  They don’t even have to live in the same state.  Trust me they won’t be recruiting the average player.  They will be looking to take two or three of your league’s best players to put them over the top for tournament play (All Stars).  For instance, if team A takes 3 of team B’s 5 best players, a game that generally would be a 6-4 game in favor of Team A, will now likely be a 14-2 game in team A’s favor due to a depleated Team B.  Now Team A can consistently save their pitching due to the bullying of teams and results of their scores.   As they plow through Districts, Sections and even States until they reach Regionals and face an opponent who likely did the same thing.

How is this considered fair?  The right thing? In a program that promotes good sportsmanship, it will now likely be building animosity and resentment between leagues.  What about the players and their families?  The 3 players who came over from the other towns and bumped their children off the team or because they were recruited they will most likely be starters.   This means that three other players will now have their playing time cut down.  That makes for 6 upset kids and 6 sets of parents that will be angry and bitter towards the 3 new players.  Is this a good thing?  Good luck to those coaches and the stressful atmosphere they will go through.

The funny thing is, this is exactly what we stopped Taiwan from doing approximately 20 or so years ago.  Taiwan was getting kids from too big of an area.  They were consistently winning the World Series a majority of the time and in numerous cases embarrassing the US Champion while doing it.  Then Williamsport tightened the reins if you will to insure a more level playing field.  As a result, the competition and game results have been much better.

Is it ok now because we are going to let everyone do it?  Is it now not considered cheating because we’ve changed the rules?

Towns that have more schools will consistently dominate towns that have fewer schools or none at all.  So now in order to win or “get to Williamsport”, the kids with the opportunity will likely do so.  District play and Sections would have a lot of blow out scores with the same team winning year after year.  It’s not just the players who will be jumping ship, it’s the coaches also.   Leagues will be decimated, possibly fold or not join tournament play to avoid embarrassment.   The team will no longer be town teams.  There won’t be any “Hoosiers” type team anymore.  These teams will now be considered “travel teams” or “club teams”.  “Super teams” if you will.    These are the types of teams you take to Cooperstown (NY), Diamond Nation (NJ) or Ripken (Maryland) and other such tournaments across the country.

For the games on ESPN/ABC in Williamsport, people most likely will not notice the difference.  Super Team vs. Super Team should be evenly matched.  Blanketing the decimation of teams along the way.  I don’t understand how this rule wasn’t voted on by District Administrators.  I could see if it were a matter of safety like all players must wear a helmet or a cup, these types of bats are illegal, etc.  It does become a safety issue however when a team (tournament play) faces a “super team” with their number 3 pitcher, due to days rest, etc which in fact is really their number 5 pitcher.  That team lost their 2 best pitchers due to the new school rule.  Odds of the balls flying off the bats in that game will spike.  As a parent you would fear for the safety of the players in the field.  As you can see I can go on and on with the problems with this rule change.

The other rule that has been rumored to change is the birthday rule or age change/bracket.  Williamsport is talking about pushing back the cut-off date for each age bracket to January 1st.  The age you will be that year is the age bracket you will be in.  For example, if you turn 12 December 31st, you are considered a 12 year old that year. It would take away this year’s 10 year old group of ever having a chance to play tournament play at the Major Division.  There will be no dream of playing in the Little League World Series.  That will be taken away from them.  How horrible is that.  Especially for the kids who have visited Williamsport.   This years 11 year old group will be grandfathered in  Meaning that group can stay in the Majors next year. Falsely giving hope to this years 10 year olds (who would be considered 12 year olds next year), that they would have a shot at All Stars and Williamsport.  Considering they would have to up against kids 15-20 months older to make the team.  How could this be considered fair or right?   Not that I agree with ANY of the changes because I don't!  But minimally why wouldn't you grandfather in all of the age groups and start with the new kids 6/7 year olds entering Little League. This way less  kids are hurt by the new rule.

I doubt there is little debate that Little League’s biggest drop-off in enrollment is after a player’s 12 year old year (Majors).  I wrote a letter in February of 2010 suggesting that the Juniors (13/14 yr olds) should go to 50/70.  To better acclimate themselves for the big field.  To drop it down an age group would have a terrible effect.  Instead of trying to keep players (13 year olds) in your program you will now lose 12 year olds.  Reason being a lot of 13 years olds play modified baseball for their middle schools along with a few 12 year olds.  The Little League teams will have to wait until the school practices and games are over before they can play their own.  Most Leagues won’t be able to start their games until after 7pm depending upon where the school players are traveling from.  These 50/70 games take a lot longer than the average little league game 2 ½ hours would be kind, holding runners on, dropped 3rd strike.   If that’s the case, a lot of these kids won’t be getting home until at least 10pm on a school night with homework to do.  This is for the regular season.  A number of these kids will still be 11 years old.  Technically 12 by Little League standards.  Being that they will turn 12 later that year.

Little Leagues are now told by school coaches that a certain number of kids can’t pitch for them.  What are these games going to be like if you can’t use your best players at certain positions.  Players to hold runners on or quality catchers.  You would be lucky to have some of them for the All Stars.  But how many could you have to spread out evenly in your town teams.  The combination of not being able to use certain players and due to the age change having eleven years olds in the league who can’t handle this type of baseball, makes for sloppy games.

Generally the scores would most likely be 21-12 or 18-11 range on average.  The school players parents whose kids are now getting home so late will be turned off by Little League games.  I could easily see players saying, “I am not playing Little League anymore.  I am just going to play school ball during the week and play for a travel team on the weekends”.    I couldn’t blame them.  In turn, what would be left at the Little League level.  Quality of play will now be so bad, no one will want to play including coaches.  More and more kids will leave Little League at a younger age than before.     Little League, instead of keeping 13 years olds around, will now lose 11 & 12 year olds.  Leagues will fall apart.

These are not good things.  There is a lot more I could say but I believe you can see some of the problems involving possible rule changes.  Honestly, I don’t want to attack Williamsport.  I love everything about it and what it stands for.  I have been coaching, in the major division, for approximately 16 years and was fortunate to win the State and reach Bristol, CT in 2010.  We lost in the semi-finals.  I have been around, I hear what other coaches, parents and players are thinking and planning on doing.

I apologize for the way I may have come across.  I am just trying to help prevent what I think would be a disasterous result.    Little League is great the way it is.  It should stop trying to compete with Travel.  Don’t change a thing.  Little League is special because it is unique.

Thank you for taking the time to hear me out.

Brian Coyle

Major Division Coordinator

Major Pirates Manager

Stony Point Little League

Stony Point, NY 10980



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