The Little League All-Star Tournament is the most widely known youth sports tournament in the world. There are six levels of tournament play in Little League Baseball and five within Little League Softball, with opportunities for players ages 8 to 16.

Announcements about All Stars, including Player and Coach applications, will come out in May. For any questions, please contact RUG's All Star Coordinator Jeff Wodlinger at [email protected].

All tournaments start at the local District level (RUG is in Washington District 8). District 8 champions at each level advance to the next round. The 11-10-9-year-old and 10-9-8-year-old tournaments end at the state level, with the winners crowned as State Champs. The older levels move on to regional tournaments and ultimately the World Series Tournament. Famously, the “Little League” tournament (12-11-10-year-olds) takes place in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Any eligible player intending to represent RUG Little League in the All-Stars tournament must first submit a letter or intent, application, and medical release. Players must be League Age 8 or above to be eligible for All-Stars.

Referencing the table above, a League Age 10-year-old player is eligible to play on the 10-9-8 team, the 11-10-9 team, and the “Little League” team. However, RUG encourages players to play on the team that matches their league age, so a 10-year-old is encouraged to play on the 10-9-8 team. Doing so sets up the player for the best individual success in the All-Star tournament and builds their confidence by competing against other players of the same age. This approach also allows more players the opportunity to play in All-Stars because, for example, a strong 10-year-old would not displace a strong 12- or 11-year-old from making the team they are eligible for.

Therefore, RUG All-Star teams are typically made up of players whose League Age matches that of the team. However, it is possible that an older team could have a highly talented younger player selected to play on an older team.

In some years, RUG may not have enough players applying and trying out for All-Stars to form a competitive team at all levels of play. For example, in a year when RUG does not have enough players to field competitive Little League (12-11-10) and 11-10-9 teams, the 11-10-9 team may not be formed, and the Little League team may be made up of several 11-year-olds. In these same seasons, RUG may be able to combine with neighboring leagues, allowing players to play on a competitive All-Stars team that matches their League Age. Up to three leagues may co-league to form an All-Star team.

All-Star Team Selection

All-Star season is the most competitive time of the Little League year. For most divisions, All-Star teams include a maximum of 14 players, one manager, and two coaches. For the Seniors division, the team can include up to 16 players, one manager, and two coaches.

Eligibility Criteria

In order to be eligible to participate on an All-Stars team, players must meet the following criteria:

• Met RUG Little League eligibility requirements for residence or enrolled school

• Must have participated in at least eight (8) regular season games. (Note: For Seniors Baseball and Softball, there is no regular season minimum play requirement).

• Must produce proper tournament player documentation in a timely manner.

• Be able to commit to the practice and game schedule with few exceptions.

Selection Criteria

The following are the most important criteria for being selected to join an All-Stars team:

• Player’s performance during the regular season of THE CURRENT YEAR.

• A player’s attitude, sportsmanship, and being a good teammate will be considered.

• A player’s selection is a REWARD for a great season and being a good member of the RUG Little League community; it is not “owed” to anyone.

• Selection will NOT be based on friendships or past All-Star team participation/performance.

Player Selection Process

The typical roster size for RUG All-Star teams is 12 players, though as mentioned above, up to 14 players may be selected for a roster. Players will be selected to All-Stars rosters in the following ways:

1. The first nine (9) players will be selected by the All-Stars Selection Committee using input from regular season coaches in each division of play. 

2. In consultation with fellow All-Stars coaches, other coaches around the league, and the All-Stars Selection Committee, the All-Stars manager for each team will select the final three (3) players to fill out the roster of 12 players. That manager will also make the final call as to whether to expand the roster to 13 or 14 players. The manager may also elect to hold a tryout to finalize the roster selections if definitive information is not available from regular season observations.

3. For more information on the All-Stars Player Selection Process, please refer to RUG Little League’s by-laws.

Team Manager and Coach Selection Process

1. Prospective All-Stars managers and coaches must submit a Letter of Intent to the All-Stars Coordinator and League President.

2. Each manager/coach applicant must be registered as a volunteer with RUG Little League, pass a background check, and complete required training modules including Abuse Awareness, Diamond Leader, concussion awareness, and cardiac arrest awareness.

3. The RUG Board of Directors will select All-Stars team manager and coaches by May. 

4. If more team managers or coaches apply than there are open positions, an anonymous vote will be held to elect the team manager and coaches. Votes may be cast by the applicants, relevant team managers and coaches, the relevant Player Agents, the relevant Vice Presidents, the League President, and other members of the Board of Directors who wish to participate.

Important Information for Parents

It is important for parents to be reminded that participating in All-Stars is a choice, and that while it is a privilege to play, it comes with a huge commitment with added practices and games. If you realize that your son or daughter has several conflicts with the All-Stars schedule, it may be a wise decision to not submit your player’s name for All-Stars consideration. 

Additionally, we all want our teams to go as far in the tournament as possible, but please recognize each tournament win comes with additional travel, time, and financial commitments. For example, the path for the “Little League” Baseball All-Stars team (ages 12-11-10) to reach Williamsport for the Little League World Series would look like the following:

1. Win District 8 Tournament

2. Win Washington State Tournament (location varies)

3. Win Western Regional Tournament in San Bernardino, CA

4. Williamsport, Pennsylvania

While RUG Little League, District 8, and Little League International may be able to provide some financial support depending on how far your team makes it in the tournament, parents should be aware that significant out-of-pocket travel expenses (and time off work) may be incurred for All-Stars participation.

Parents should also be prepared to provide the following required documentation to RUG’s All-Stars Coordinator in a timely manner:

• An original birth certificate

• Three (3) proofs or residency OR a school enrollment form

  • The three most common forms to prove residency are driver’s license, utility bills, and mortgage statements.

  • All documents will be treated confidentially by RUG President, RUG All-Stars Coordinator, and District 8 Staff.