Little League International Issues Update Regarding Composite Bats: Moratorium Imposed Immediately

Little League International Issues Update Regarding Composite Bats: Moratorium Imposed Immediately

UPDATE:  A list has been established for "Approved Composite" bats.  This list will grow, so please stay informed.

FCLL Press Release

For immediate release

Local Little Leagues to add new division for 11/12 year olds

Mount Airy, Maryland – December 22, 2010 – Four County Little League, and several other leagues in Maryland District 2, will now offer a new supplemental 50’/70’ program to their Little League Baseball program.  Traditionally, Little League Baseball, up to the age of 12 years old, is played with a 46’ pitching distance and a 60’ baseline.  This is how the game was played in 1939 when Carl Stotz modified the traditional 90’ baselines for a group of kids in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.  Stotz was the founder of Little League and the game has remained relatively the same ever since.  Traditionally, at the age of 13, the kids jump from a 60’ diamond to a 90’ diamond.  Over the past decade, there have been numerous other youth baseball organizations that have started playing 11 & 12 year olds on the 70’ diamond.  Little League International recognized this and in 2010 announced a 50’/70’ pilot program. 

For this upcoming 2011 season, Four County Little League will offer a Sunday only supplemental 70’ baseball program.  The new division is a supplemental program that will be played in addition to their normal “in house” Majors team program.

The current Four County Little League President, Jim Gill, said, “Other organizations, such as Pony League or Ripken Baseball, are already playing their 12 year olds at 70’, so this will give kids who have played for other organizations a chance to play with Four County Little League.  We are looking forward to this addition and hope it attracts some new players and some additional talent to our league.  We have talked to East Frederick Little League and they are committed to playing and we also have commitments from teams in District 1 and District 4.  Our hope is that the other leagues in our District put a team together so we can play mostly in our area.  With “in house” play, the Sunday only program and the tournaments this Summer, our kids are going to play more baseball than they ever have with Four County.”

To find our more about Four County Little League or to register for the upcoming season, visit the league’s website at www.FCLLbaseball.org.

About Four County Little League - Four County Little League, a member of the Positive Coaching Alliance, is chartered with Little League International. The league is based in Mount Airy, Maryland, but serves families in all of the four county area. The league provides a supervised program of youth baseball instruction and games for players between the ages of 4 through 14 under the rules and policies of Little League International.  Each summer the best players are chosen from the league and play in the Little League International Tournament culminating in Williamsport, PA at the Little League World Series. 

Four County Little League

www.fcllbaseball.org

information@fcllbaseball.org

P.O. Box 512

Mount Airy, MD  21771

866-741-4123

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Why play with Four County Little League?

Over the last few years local Little Leagues in this area have lost players to other baseball organizations and this has been a constant question in my mind;  Why?  Well, instead of trying to understand why, otherwise happy members, leave, I thought I might go over why someone should stay or join Four County Little League.

1. A Safety Awareness Program (ASAP) - is designed increase awareness of the opportunities to provide a safer environment for kids and all Little League participants.  Bottom line is with this program, injuries are down.  Four County Little League has been ASAP compliant for several years and plan to stay compliant every year.  To find our more about ASAP click here.  The number one concern here is the safety of our kids.
2. Pitch Counts - Not just innings pitched, but number of pitches.  The medical advisors to Little League have seen a reduction in arm injuries with the implementation of the pitch count rules.  Even non-Little League programs are using our system to stay safe.  Click here to read about a high school team who has implemented the pitch count.  People may not realize this, but Little League is a pioneer in youth sports safety.  From the development of batting helmets to the implementation of the pitch count, Little League is a leader in youth sports safety.  The safety of the children is first.
3. Background checks - All volunteers in Four County Little League are required to submit to a complete background check.  This includes all Managers, coaches, umpires and parents with continuous contact with the kids.  Once again the safety of the kids is of utmost importants.
4. We are Little League - We follow the rules and policies of Little League International which has been around since 1939.  This non-profit organization has 2.5 million children worldwide play Little League which makes it the largest single youth sports organization in the world.  Bigger than lacrosse, youth football and cheer leading.  We are part of something big.
5. Mandatory Play - Want to play competitive baseball and sit on the bench?  Not here.  Everyone plays.  We have minimum playing requirements and everyone plays baseball.  Even our top Majors Tournament team has minimum playing requirements.  You signed up for baseball, you will play baseball.
6. Opening Day Celebration - Each season we celebrate opening day with a large event culminating with the ceremonial "running of the bases" and the season's first pitch.    
7. Low Registration Rate - Look around.  Find another sport in this area that you can play for under $100.00.  Dollar for Dollar Four County Little League is the best most affordable sport in the area.  Try horseback riding $45-60 a lesson,  try other baseball organization $150 - $1000 a season.  Four County provides you with as many games as you can play, a uniform and tons of practice.  Plus if you are selected to our Tournament teams, you get an additional uniform at no more cost to the parents.  The league picks up the tab for the post season costs.  We also run numerous Free clinics for both players and coaches as well as plenty of batting cage time.  Our Umpires and coaches all receive free resources to help them do their job and teach your children.  Backed by Little League International, our coaches have videos, books and more at their fingertips.  Finally, FCLL puts on an end of season carnival and movie picnic in which the entire family gets together to celebrate the end of the season.  With all the food games and rides provided to you at no cost, this is a one of a kind event.  No other organization in the area puts on a show like we do.  Call around, do some research.  FCLL is the lowest cost sport in the area.
8. We are local - You will probably only drive 15 to 20 minutes to most games and practices.  Little League is your home town baseball league.
9. We travel - That's right, we travel to other leagues in our District and even to other areas of the state.  Our Sunday teams travel to Western Maryland and to the Baltimore area.  In addition, there are plans for our tournament teams to play in more travel style tournaments this summer.  If you want to travel, we can travel.
10. Positive Coaching Alliance - Little League International and Four County Little League has adopted the Positive Coaching Alliance philosophies.  Started at Stanford University in 1998, PCA helps create a positive, character-building youth sports environment for more than 3 million youth athletes.  Some of the top coaches in the nation are on the board of directors and follow the same philosophies.  So to say it's touchy, feely, everybody plays non-sense nothing could not be further from the truth.  Ask Phil Jackson, Dusty Baker and the other advisory board members if they think it's all touchy feely.  PCA teaches to win, but winning is not necessarily defined by the scoreboard.  Want to know more about PCA, click here.
11. We start teaching early - We have a clinic style T-Ball clinic for kids as young as 4 years old.  We teach the kids to play baseball and have fun.  As they move up in division, we teach life lessons utilizing the Positive Coaching Alliance philosophies.  We want them to learn life lessons through the great sport of baseball. 
12. We have provide competitive baseball up to age 14 - That's right.  Think your done at age 12?  No way!  Our Juniors program provides baseball at the 90' level and is designed to prepare a player for high school and upper level baseball.  Little League offers baseball until the age of 18, but unfortunately in this area we don't have many teams above age 14 in Little League.  Just keep in mind when you start at age 4, Four County is your home for baseball until you are age 14.
13. We have a new and exciting 70' division -  Many other organizations already play their 12 year olds at 70'.  Little League still plays their 12 year olds at 60', but this year we are running a Sunday only 70' division for our best 11/12 year olds.  So maybe you wanted to play with us, but we did not have 70'.  Now we do.  Keep in mind the 70' program is a supplemental program on Sunday's only.  11/12 year olds will still play their traditional Majors team Monday through Saturday.
14. The Little League International Tournament - Every summer our league participates in the International tournament culminating in Williamsport, PA at the Little League World Series which can be seen on ESPN and ABC.  How about being part of something this big?  A few years ago, when Hargarstown made it to the LLWS, you could not help rooting for them.  This past season, our fellow District Team, Brunswick, made it all the way to the regional tournament.  Four County Little League members watched and rooted them on all the way.  It was not our team, but in a way it was...They were from Maryland District 2,  That is our District.  We will battle you all the way on the field, but once the game is over, we are all part of the same family.  To read all about the LLWS, click here.
15. Positive comments from Parents - Below are some quotes from parents:
1. "FCLL is like family.  My son has so much fun and can't wait to get to baseball." Maureen, Mount Airy, MD 
2. "Four County cares so much for the kids.  They put teaching the kids baseball over winning.  The funning thing is that the kids excel even though the focus is not on winning." Pat, Mount Airy, MD
3. "We chose to play baseball with Four County because we heard it was a family-friendly league that emphasized having fun, which it is.  7 years later our boys continue to play baseball with four county because they have learned the skills to play baseball competitively while simultaneously learning to play fair and learning what it means to be part of a team."  Jenny, New Market, MD 

For more information about Four County Little League, visit our website www.fcllbaseball.org.  If you don't have any more questions and want to register right now, click here.

Jim Gill

President

Four County Little League