A symbol of Little League values?
This past week was San Antonio’s Little League District 19 city tournament.
Texas District Tournament Schedules
2007 City Championship Tournaments
The results so far are:
- 10 and Under: McAllister Park National
- 12 and Under: McAllister Park National
- Little League: McAllister Park National
- Juniors: McAllister Park National
- Seniors: Alamo Heights
- Softball Minors: McAllister Park American
- Little League Softball: Northside Suburban
- Softball Juniors: McAllister Park
Notice a pattern here? McAllister Park is so big, even split into American and Nationals, it still dominates everyone else. And just to make sure that McAllister has every chance possible to make it into the tournament, teams from their two leagues do not play each other at the bottom of the brackets. This courtesy certainly didn’t extend to other districts last year with two teams in the tournament.
Now this situation, McAllister being at least twice the size of a good many other leagues in the district, has been going on for some time. Even if officials higher up in the Little League organization actually believe the population numbers coming out District 19*, surely they might suspect something is not quite right?
Apparently, it’s more important to some people that McAllister shows up in the state tournaments than providing the optimal playing experience for as many Little Leaguers in San Antonio as possible. Never mind that McAllister has been known to turn away people because they reached their “limit” and deny them the chance to play in another league. What seems to guide the district policy is to ensure that McAllister Park has the best all-star team possible.
This seems to be at odds with the Little League policy of encouraging leagues to have as many players as possible making the all-stars. According to what we have been told, Little League will allow an all-star team to have three coaches in the dugout only if there are 13 or more players on the team. Otherwise, they can only have two which would require a player as one of the base coaches. This is supposedly to encourage leagues to put more kids on the teams. If McAllister park was split up, it would at least double the number of all-star positions available.
But then they might not be assured of dominating tournaments in the district. This is causing problems beyond their league since other leagues are considering merging so that they’re better able to compete with McAllister Park. So instead of having three all-star teams, they will be consolidated into one all-star team that can compete against McAllister.
Ultimately, this focus on having a “quality” all-star team from San Antonio is hurting the district as whole. Yet nothing is being done. I guess we know what’s important in District 19.
*Once an area reaches a certain population level, leagues are supposed to be broken up. Despite the fact that McAllister covers the fastestgrowing area of San Antonio, it somehow reports that it remains under this limit. However, in order to make it believable, the district hasto make sure the population being reported for other leagues “correlates”with McAllister’s. That means smaller leagues are reporting smaller populations than what actually exists. It would be interesting to see the reported base populations by the various leagues and see just how closely they reflect the city’s actual population.
Technorati Tags: Little League, San Antonio, Texas District 19, Baseball, McAllister Park, McAllister Park Little League
mc allister
sux
and we just beat both twice in the juniour boys all stars
they fefused to shake my dads hand after the game
they are rich snot nosses
and we just beat them twice and ive nvr fellt soo good
Comment by a little leaguer — July 8, 2007 @ 1:20 am
we are gonna kill northwestern tonite they dontr have a chance
Comment by mcallister is badass — July 10, 2007 @ 3:12 pm
DONT PLAYA HATE ON THE TEAM THAT BEAT YAL L14-0 IN CITY.
YOU GOT ONE PITCHER THATS ALL.
NOTHING ELSE.
AND WE PLAYED HORRIBLE THAT GAME. GET READY, WERE DISTRICT 19 CHAMPSSSSSSSS
Comment by MCALLISTER OWNAGE — July 10, 2007 @ 3:16 pm
WE OWN YALL.
LMAOOO
YALL BLOW.
Comment by MCALLISTER OWNAGE — July 10, 2007 @ 3:17 pm
dude northwest dosnt even have a chance.And its really funny how they dont even know what a homerun is.
Comment by mcallister is the best — July 10, 2007 @ 3:20 pm
Aside from the comments from some of our youngsters, I hope youngsters, you do bring up some valid points.
But, do not make McAllister out to be the bad guys!!! We have many issues to deal with just as all leagues do. It may be true that the numbers may have increased in this area, but we still have to attracted these youngsters to play here. We are fortunate to have strong group of dedicated vollenteers that help make McAllister succesful, as I am sure all leagues do. As far as I know how the brackets are done, it is a random draw. All the coaches in District 19 are present at the city and district tourny meetings to view the drawing and any bias is thrown out the window. In past seasons, may times McAllister teams have been paired in the same side of the brackets. As one of the Northwest players was quick to notice, they have beaten both McAllister teams so for in district play, so what does this tell you? If the kids play well, good thing will happen. It doesn’t matter which league you are from.
I wish all leagues in District 19 Good Luck
Comment by McAllister Little League Dad — July 11, 2007 @ 12:50 pm
Being from another Little League hotbed in the Texas West division, I can relate to the frustration by some of the parents. My son was fortunate to play on the All-Star team last year that won the Texas West state tourney and advanced to the Southwestern Regional in Waco. In Lubbock, Western also dominates the LL scene. Our majors play the other city leagues ( 6 other)
and our 5 team league lost only two interleague games! Once the season is over, these All-Star teams are selected not on the merits of a season, but are determined by the best select team that have been playing as a group for as many as 3-4 years. The current Western All-star team members have been together for the last three years. During the regular season, the players are split between the 5 teams, but are re-united at All-Star time. Don’t agree with it, but I guess it’s the times in which we live. The only reason my son made the All-Star team last year was he was affected by the age-limit change, and he was able to play majors for his third year. This is why these All-Star teams can run all over alot of the All-Star teams that are picked traditionally.I’m sure the parent’s from Lubbock have already made their Williamsport reservations! Best of luck to McAllister’s team, as they may be facing the Western team fron Lubbock on Wendsday.
Comment by Lubbock Western LL Dad — July 24, 2007 @ 1:04 pm
I am torn about the league my son plays in. There is a strong political click that if you not involved in your son doesn’t stand a chance. I know they are ballots in the majors but I heard that a team called the Sliders are all Allstars that play at McAllister and are guaranteed a spot on the All star team. Any truth to that.
Comment by McAllister Dad — February 19, 2008 @ 12:53 am
There is definitely a strong political clique that runs the league at MPLL. This clique is filled with parents that never amounted to anything in their athletic lives, so they have decided to redo their failed athletic careers through their boys.
And yes, the Sliders is their all-star team. This team was put together when the boys were 9, and the only way to get on the team is to kiss ass. There are several kids that deserve to be on the all star team that will not be selected. Unfortunately for them there is so much talent at MPLL that a few kids can be ignored and it will not hurt the team too much.
MPLL secret to all star success is not that their best players are any better than the best players at the other leagues, it’s that the back of their lineup is better than the back of the other leagues’ lineups because we have so many kids at MPLL. It’s the quality out of quentity theory (i.e, Judson football).
Comment by Another MPLL Dad — March 11, 2008 @ 1:44 pm
I am a mom to a son who is both on the MPLL Allstars & Slider team. I do not feel that my husband, son (who is 12), or myself have kissed any _ _ _! I feel that you can not group an entire set of kids reputations (and their families) on that of a select few… That is not fair. My son has worked hard, dedicated his summers and weekends to the game of baseball. Isn’t that what it is suppose to be about? Honoring the name of the teams, coaches, and all the boys that look to one another for support! So please, when making general statements like that consider “all” not just a few… Remember, these boys are only 10-12 years old and are getting caught in the middle of adult egos!
Comment by mom to MPLL & Sliders — March 18, 2008 @ 4:31 pm
I live in a small town near San Antonio. Our boys play all sports and do not have the privilege of being on select teams. Our little league choses the 12-13 kids who have the best seasons and places them on the all-stars teams. Obviously we don’t stand a chance against the San Antonio or Lubbock elite, but at least we do things the way they were intended to be done! I am just so appalled by what I’ve been reading.
Comment by Small town ll mom — June 1, 2008 @ 11:29 pm
I see that Western little leage from Lubbock does not “dominate” anymore!
Comment by steve — July 11, 2008 @ 3:25 pm