2023 Tournament Team Selection Process

It is the goal of Irmo Little League (“ILL”) to field the strongest Tournament Team possible in each division of tournament play during the summer, giving the teams the best chance of winning a State Championship. In order to give the teams the greatest chances of winning, the ILL Board (the “Board”) is placing a great amount of faith in the Tournament Team Manager selected as they will be the ones devoting the time and effort to working each day with the team to help achieve the greatest success. The Tournament Team Manager will select, through discussion with other coaches in the division and the Board, the players that will give the team the best chance of succeeding during the tournament season. The following process has been reviewed by the 2022-2023 ILL Board as the means that the 2023 Tournament Teams will be selected to represent Irmo Little League (the “League”).  Please note that this process is being documented and shared with the League so that you are aware of all policies, dates and processes well in advance of the team selections.  This process applies to all divisions of baseball and softball except where specific notes for a division are identified. 

2023 Tournament Team Selection Schedule

Manager Letter of Intent

At the beginning of the regular game season, the ILL President will announce the start of the Tournament Team selection process and how to request consideration for a Tournament Team. Any regular season Team Manager or Coach who is interested in being considered to manage a Tournament Team will need to submit a Letter of Intent to the league by March 26, 2023. The Board will review the submitted Letters of Intent and select a tournament manager for the Coach Pitch, Minors, Majors, Intermediate, Junior and Senior All Star teams (baseball and softball).

At the end of March 2023, the ILL President will announce the managers selected for each Tournament Team. In divisions where two teams are allowed to be entered by the league (CP and Minors), one Tournament Team Manager will be appointed ahead of time and the second manager will be announced later as the first team of players begins to be finalized. The Tournament Team Manager along with the Board will determine dates to hold group workouts for all players interested in being considered for the various Tournament Teams. All interested players will need to submit a Letter of Intent to be considered for tournament selection and to take part in these voluntary workouts. These workouts will be held on weekends throughout April and May for players to attend to allow the Tournament Team Manager to work with and evaluate all players interested in being considered for the Tournament Team. Attendance at these workouts is not required but is strongly encouraged to allow the Tournament Team Manager to work with and watch all interested players to form a competitive Tournament Team. Participation in these workouts does NOT guarantee selection to a Tournament Team.

The Board will be appointing the Tournament Team Managers early in the season to give them as much time as possible to evaluate the talent of all potential players and to start putting together a cohesive team that will hopefully succeed in each tournament. The selected Tournament Team Manager will talk regularly with all the regular season Team Managers in their Tournament Team Division to receive 

updates on each player that is interested and to discuss who they feel will help form the most competitive team. At the end of the regular season, the regular season Team Managers in each division will meet with the selected Tournament Team Manager to discuss the interested players and the list of players that the Tournament Team Manager has developed throughout the season to finalize the Tournament Team roster.

The Board has the right to remove a Tournament Team Manager if it has been determined that he/she has not carried out his/her responsibilities in assessing the talent in the division and has not dutifully carried out the directives of the Board in assessing talent. In the event this occurs, the Board will appoint a new Tournament Team Manager and continue the process of Tournament Team selection.

Important Note:  A Letter of Intent is only required if you want to be the Tournament Team Manager.  Those wanting to be an assistant coach do not need to submit this letter as the selected Tournament Team Manager will choose his/her assistant coaches.

Coach Pitch Timeline

May 10, 2023 – The ILL President will announce all Coach Pitch Tournament Teams on the ILL website and authorize the Tournament Team Managers to contact their players.  Practices are allowed to start immediately after announcement.

Minors/Majors Timeline

May 15, 2023 (8/9/10, 9/10/11 and 10/11/12 Baseball and  Softball) – The ILL President will announce these baseball and softball Tournament Teams on the ILL website and authorize the Tournament Team Managers to contact their players.  Practices are allowed to start immediately after announcement.

Intermediate/Junior and Senior Timeline

Selection and open workouts for these teams will not begin until the Senior division begins their season in May. Any players interested in being considered for the Intermediate, Junior or Senior Tournament Teams are strongly encouraged to register for and play in the Senior division for baseball and softball which will play May to mid-June.

By June 15, 2023 – The ILL President will announce the Intermediate, Junior and Senior Tournament Teams on the ILL website and authorize the Tournament Team Managers to contact their players.  Practices are allowed to start immediately after announcement.

2023 Tournament Team Selection Process

For all 2023 Tournament Teams, a minimum of ten (10) players will be named to the team by the selected Tournament Team Manager after discussion with the other regular season Team Managers.  The final roster size will be determined by the selected Tournament Team Manager and the Board.

Irmo Little League will field the following number of Tournament Teams in each division depending on the interest of participants within the league.

Senior Division – 1 Baseball and 1 Softball (if enough participants)

Junior Division – 1 Baseball and 1 Softball (if enough participants)

Intermediate Division – 1 Baseball

Little League Division (10/11/12) – 1 Baseball and 1 Softball

Minors Division (9/10/11) – 1 Baseball and 1 Softball (if enough participants)

Minors Division (8/9/10) – 2 Baseball and 1 Softball

Coach Pitch Division (6/7/8) – 2 Baseball and 2 Softball (if enough participants)

The players for each team will be selected by the appointed Tournament Team Manager after thoroughly watching all interested players both during the season and at any additional open workouts. The appointed Tournament Team Manager will discuss with the other regular season Team Managers in the division the interested players and will complete the final selection of players for the team. Since there is an overlap of league ages for teams, the appointed Tournament Team Manager for each team will discuss any players who could be eligible for consideration of different Tournament Teams during the season.

Letters of Intent (Players and Managers)
Player Letter of Intent
Manager Letter of Intent