2022 HBLL ALL-STAR SELECTION PROCESS
Every season, HBLL sends All-Star teams to the Little League tournament. In Little League, we select teams for the 12-year-old team (Little League), 11-year-old team (10 & 11-year-olds) and the 10-year-old team (9 &10-year-olds). There is a separate selection process for those players in Junior and Seniors.
Age groups are determined by Little League DOB guidelines.
In 2019, HBLL adopted a new selection system that allows both coaches and players to vote for the players on the team, as well as allow the All-Star Head Coach to make his/her own selections to the team. This new, comprehensive process is designed to allow players to be recognized by their coaches and peers for their performance in the current season, and at the same time, limit the possibility of politics or “playing favorites”. In any sport, the All-Star selection process is never an exact science, however, HBLL implemented this new system to make this as fair to every player as possible.
Coaches and Players are encouraged to vote for players based on their performance in the current season only, and to also consider attributes such as leadership, sportsmanship, and respect for the game. The ability for a player to commit to the All-Star game/practice schedule will also be a consideration in the process.
All coach and player voting is done confidentially, and only the League President, Director of Baseball, Majors Commissioner, AAA Commissioner and AA Commissioner are aware of the all-star vote totals.
Players are selected in a three-tier process:
- Coach Vote
- Player Vote -Majors Only
- All-Star Coach’s Player Selection
COACH VOTE - 12-yr old team
NOMINATION ROUND:
1. Coaches will be provided a list of all players for each age group that applies to their division.
2. Both the head and assistant coaches from each team cast their own ballots - meaning two ballots per team.
3. Each coach receives 10 Nomination votes that they will use for selecting players from the player list that are NOT on their own team.
4. The Top 15 vote getters from the nomination round will advance to the Final Coach Vote.
FINAL COACH VOTE:
1. Ballots that contain the Top 15 players from the Nomination Round will be provided to the coaches in the division.
2. Each coach will choose their Top 8 players from this nomination list of 15 players. Coaches may select any player on the list, including those on their OWN team.
3. The Top 9 vote getters from the Coaches Vote are automatically on the All-Star team for their age division in that particular season.
COACH VOTE – 11-year-old team
NOMINATION ROUND:
1. Majors coaches will be provided a list of all 11-year-old players that play in the Majors Division. AAA coaches will be provided a list of all 11-year-old players that play in the AAA Division.
2. Both the head and assistant coaches from each team cast their own ballots - meaning two ballots per team.
3. Each Majors coach receives 8 Nomination votes & each AAA coach gets 6 Nomination votes. Each division vote will be used for selecting players from the player list from each age group that are NOT on their own team.
4. The Top 12 vote getters from the Majors 11-year-old nomination round and the top 9 from AAA will advance to the Final Coach Vote.
FINAL COACH VOTE:
1. Ballots that contain the Top 12 players from the Majors 11-year-old Nomination Round will be provided to the coaches in the division, and the Top 9 from AAA will be provided to AAA Coaches.
2. Each Majors coach will choose their Top 8 players from this nomination list of 12 players. AAA Coaches will select their Top 3 players from their Nomination list. Coaches may select any player on the list, including those on their OWN team.
3. The Top 8 vote getters from the Major Coaches Vote and the top 1 from the AAA Coaches Vote are automatically on the All-Star team for their age division in that particular season.
COACH VOTE – 10-year-old team:
NOMINATION ROUND:
1. AAA coaches will be provided a list of all the 10-year-old players that play in the AAA division. AA coaches will be provided a list of all the 9-yr old & 10yr-old players that play in AA Division.
2. Both the head and assistant coaches from each team cast their own ballots - meaning two ballots per team.
3. Each AAA coach receives 10 Nomination votes & each AA coach gets 7 Nomination votes. Each division vote will be used for selecting players from the player list from each age group that are NOT on their own team.
4. The Top 12 vote getters from AAA 10-year-old nomination round and the top 9 from AA will advance to the Final Coach Vote.
FINAL COACH VOTE:
1. Ballots that contain the Top 12 players from the AAA 10-year-old Nomination Round will be provided to the coaches in the AAA division, and the Top 9 from AA will be provided to AA Coaches.
2. Each AAA coach will choose their Top 8 players from this nomination list of 12 players. AA Coaches will select their Top 5 players from their Nomination list. Coaches may select any player on the list, including those on their OWN team.
3. The Top 6 vote getters from the AAA Coaches Vote and the top 2 from the AA Coaches Vote are automatically on the All-Star team for their age division in that season.
PLAYER VOTE – MAJORS DIVISION ONLY:
1. The Player Vote is only utilized for the Little League All Star Team (12-year-olds) at this time.
2. 12-year-old players in Majors will be presented a ballot with every 12-year-old player.
3. Each player will be allowed to vote for 6 players who they feel deserve to be on the All-Star team.
4. Players may NOT vote for their own teammates.
5. The top 3 vote getters from the Player Vote are automatically on the 12-year-old All-Star team.
ALL-STAR COACH’S PLAYER SELECTION
All-Star Head Coaches are chosen by the Executive Board of Directors and Commissioners of the AAA and Majors divisions. Coaches will not be selected until after all of the All-Star ballots are submitted and the players from the Coach vote and Player vote are selected.
Once selected, the Head Coach of each All-Star team has the responsibility of deciding the size of the roster. HBLL will always encourage coaches to select larger roster sizes to give All-Star exposure to as many kids as possible, but generally, rosters range anywhere from 11 – 15 players. Little League has substitution and mandatory play rules based on the size of the roster, and the Head Coach will consider those rules and the strategy behind them to determine his roster size.
As previously stated, the Coach Vote determines 9 roster spots, and the Player Vote determines 3 roster spots. Given the possibility of players being selected to the All-Star team by both the Coach Vote and Player Vote, the All-Star Head Coach will have the opportunity to select anywhere from 2-6 players to make the All-Star team. However, the All-Star Head Coach may ONLY select players who have received at least ONE vote in the Coach’s Nomination Voting round.
ALL-STAR TEAM ROSTER APPROVAL
Once all the ballots are counted, the All-Star coach has been selected and finalized the roster, the HBLL Executive Board of Directors will review all rosters and vote on their approval. While the intent of the All-Star player selection process is to rely primarily on Coaches and Players to create the team, the Executive Board does reserve the right to add (or remove) one or more players to the team at their discretion.
ALL-STAR TEAM ANNOUNCEMENTS
Coaches and All-Star rosters will be announced after June 1 at Closing Day Ceremonies.