Why Choose Little League?

The Little League Advantage 

Little League Baseball began with just 4 teams in 1939 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.  Since then, it has grown to 2.5 million participants in dozens of countries worldwide.  It is the largest youth sports program in the world!

Little League Canada started in 1951.  Currently, there are six divisions: B.C., Alberta, Prairies, Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic.

Little League Alberta officially was formed in 1979 and prides itself in being a leader in developing new initiatives and programs that not only support our member leagues, but also look at ways to grow the program.

Here are some great reasons to choose Little League:

It’s affordable

Low player registration fees and low charter fees for leagues.  We believe in low fees so leagues have more money in their fund to deal with important items such as operating costs, equipment and uniforms, and safer facilities!

It’s easy

Chartering with Little League is really very simple.  For many leagues, the entire chartering process takes less than a couple hours and from start to finish, you will be an official league in less than two weeks!

The World Series

The original and most respected youth baseball World Series is played in five divisions of baseball and four divisions of softball.  The granddaddy of all youth sports world championships, the Little League Baseball World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, involves 16 Little Leagues from around the world each year.

Instant recognition

The words “Little League” have symbolized the very best in youth sports for more than six decades. Little League is played in more than 70 countries.  This year, dozens of Little League Baseball and Softball games of the International Tournament will be televised nationally on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3 or ABC. No other youth sports organization comes close.

Little League pays YOU for travel

Once you advance, all travel expenses are paid by Little League to travel to Canadian Championships as well as World Series for a nominal entry fee.

Insurance

As a province we receive a preferred rate and are now including Insurance with the program.

Coaches Kit

Included in Alberta's Charter Fee rates, all Little League teams receive a coaching kit filled with a coaching manual, rule books, scorebook and other pertinent information for each team.  Additional kits are available for a nominal fee.

Always on duty

Little League has a free, full-time rules interpretation service by telephone and e-mail.

Training

Little League offers clinics and seminars at various locations around the country each year for league officers, managers/coaches, and umpires.

Rule changes

Through the Little League International Congress, local league volunteers have a democratic voice in changes to the rules and regulations.

Challenger Division

Little League has a Challenger Division for physically and mentally challenged players, giving every child a chance to be a Little Leaguer.

Boundary protection

No Little League program can “raid” players from another Little League program. In fact, the same rules and regulations apply to all chartered Little Leagues worldwide.

A healthy combination

At its core, the purpose of Little League is to provide a safe, fun, wholesome combination of recreation and competition to players ages 4-18 through regular season play among local teams. For those players whose skills are more advanced, the Little League International Tournament provides the largest sports tournament in the world, with more than 40,000 games played each summer on the road to the various World Series tournaments. (Compare this to “travel ball” or “elite teams” for which parents pay exorbitant amounts of money, and players get burned out.)

Education programs

Little League offers a variety of easy-to-implement programs for local leagues that help keep children safe, and make the game more fun for everyone: A Safety Awareness Program (ASAP), and the Little League Canada Teaching for Tomorrow Program Education Program are  just two of the programs that are offered.

Child protection

Through the innovative Little League Child Protection Program, Little League was the first national youth sports organization (and remains the ONLY national youth baseball/softball organization) to mandate background checks on managers, coaches and other key volunteers. But it doesn’t stop with a mandate. Little League provides leagues with advice on how to perform the checks simply, and affordably (free, in most cases).

Support Organizations

Little League offers many levels of support.  Starting at the League level where the President and his/her Board operate the league as they desire within the general parameters of the program.  Close by, the District Administrator and his/her staff, are there to ensure each league has all their concerns and questions answered in a timely fashion.  The District Administrator also operates and oversees Tournament Play in each District.  Little League Alberta offers programs and support for all of the leagues in the Province.  Little League Canada coordinates all National business, including the travel for all teams to National Championships.  Little League, Inc. provides a successful infrastructure to oversee the entire program worldwide.  All of these groups provide excellent support to make each player in the program receive a memorable and satisfying experience.