Baseball players league age 9 and up and Softball players league age 10 and up have the opportunity to try-out for competitive, play-to-win, Tournament Teams. In some cases, players who are league age 8 may also try-out. Try-outs typically occur late May/early June, with the teams being announced in June.

Tournament Team play is a unique time of the season, a fresh beginning in some respects, with new teams forming and the opportunity to create even more memories.

The following Tournament Team opportunities are available at Hampton in 2024:

Confirm your child’s Little League age with the age calculator.

Tournament Team Selection Process

The Tournament Team Selection Process applies to all Hampton Little League (HLL) Tournament Teams, across all divisions and age groups.

The selection process order is as follows:

1. Tournament Team Manager Selection
2. Interested players turn in signed Commitment Form & Player Code of Conduct
3. Open Try-outs
4. Teams are formed by the Manager, with oversight by the Selection Committee
5. Teams are announced
6. Assistant coaches are announced

I. Team Composition

The objective is to fairly and impartially select the most skilled and competitive teams possible for Tournament play that will positively represent HLL.

Teams will consist of a maximum of 14 players per Little League International rule, except for Seniors which has a 16-player maximum. The Manager of each Tournament Team may determine the size of the team roster with due consideration to recommendations as provided by the HLL Board.

II. Manager Selection

All HLL House League managers and coaches rostered during the current season are eligible to apply for Tournament Team Manager positions.

HLL will provide notification when Tournament Team Manager applications are being accepted. There will be a deadline provided for application submission. Tournament Team Manager Applications must be received prior to the deadline for consideration.

TOURNAMENT TEAM MANAGER APPLICATION WINDOW FOR 2024 IS May 15 for Baseball.

Click here to apply

All applications will be reviewed by the Tournament Team Selection Committee, with consideration given to each candidate’s knowledge of Little League tournament rules, coaching experience, coaching certifications, coaching style, commitment to Hampton and buy-in to the Hampton Philosophy. We are grateful and appreciative of everyone willing to support youth sports and get involved.

The Selection Committee will be comprised of HLL President, VP, Player Agent, Softball Director & Baseball Director. In the event of a conflict of interest the committee member will be removed from the selection of the conflicting manager’s position.

Each candidate will be invited to interview with the Tournament Team Selection Committee.

Following candidate interviews and discussion, the Tournament Team Selection Committee will recommend a Manager for each Tournament Team and bring their selections to the HLL Board of Directors for approval.

The Tournament Team Manager may request early approval of any non-parent assistant coaches by the Selection Committee. Parent coaches may not be selected until after player selection has completed.

III. Player Selection

Per Little League International, all players currently registered for House League, meeting catchment requirements, and participating in a minimum of 60% of their team’s games are eligible for consideration for HLL Tournament Teams.

Player evaluation has 3 components:

1. Submission of an online Tournament Team Commitment Form (see sample below)
2. Input from all House League managers & coaches in the division based on observations during practices and games throughout the regular season
3. Tournament Team tryout

Players selected to the team will need to provide a signed Player Code of Conduct.

The Basic Selection Criteria contains the following ideals:

• Skill level and ability to complete
• Attitude, hustle, team sprit and team leadership
• Overall character, integrity, sportsmanship, and attitude (coachability)

The Baseball Director, Softball Director and/or Player Agent will meet with each Tournament Team Manager to discuss roster, assistant coach selection and expectations for the competitive season.

Prior to the meeting:

• The Tournament Team Manager will submit their player selections to the Player Agent
• The Tournament Team Selection Committee will review player selection
• The Tournament Team Manager will be informed, in advance, of any player selections the Committee finds questionable and be afforded the time to justify his/her selections and/or prepare secondary selections.
• The Tournament Team Manager will prepare his/her selections for Assistant Coaches unless they are non-parent coaches and have been chosen and approved in advance of team selection.

During the meeting:

• If a player is deemed by the Selection Committee to be a questionable decision, the Tournament Team Manager will be asked to present the valuation/reasons for said player selection to the Selection Committee.
• The Tournament Team Manager will select Assistant Coaches. The Coaches selected must meet the approval of the selection committee.

After the meeting:

• Final approval of each team roster will rest with the Selection Committee.
• The Tournament Team Manager will be asked to inform any player not chosen during the final selection and to provide feedback and an explanation for the decision if requested.

IV. Some Notes About Player Selection

(AKA – How do they select the Tournament Team and why isn’t my child on it?)

There are very few things as controversial as the selection of a Tournament Team to represent a league. Why is that? Well, in most cases only 12-14 players are chosen to represent an entire league. At least half of the parents believe their child belongs on the Tournament Team. Now, they may not believe that their child is an All-Star, yet they know that their son or daughter is at least as good as one of the players selected to the team.

The following should be considered when selecting players to the Tournament Team:

A player may be a strong pitcher but only a small number of the best pitchers in the league pitch during Tournament play. Can the player who is strong as a pitcher hit or catch? If not, he/she probably will not be able to contribution to the Tournament Team.

A hitter that hits .400 but is slow or strikes out a lot may not be selected or may be passed over for a faster .300 hitter who seldom strikes out. In Tournament Team games speed is essential. Often a player who puts the ball in play is preferred over a player who strikes out often.

Can he/she hit fast “All-Star type pitching” or can he/she hit change ups, curveballs, drop balls or rise balls? The player might be able to hit slower house league pitching but be unlikely to hit the faster or more complex pitching that will be seen in All-Star tournaments.

Particular areas which are considered are:

• Does he/she get along with other players?
• Is he/she a leader on and off the field?
• Does he/she rally the players on the team when they are losing?
• Does he/she make other players around him/her play better because of his/her play?
• Is he/she willing to play a position other than their preferred one(s) for the sake of the team?
• Will he/she bunt to advance a runner?

These factors are often missed from the spectator stands yet are factors of which team managers are extremely aware.

Another part of the controversy is that it seems the managers’ or coaches’ kids always seem to be selected. The league does its best to ensure the best players are chosen regardless of who their parents are. Whether it is cause or affect, some of the best players are usually sons or daughters of manager and coaches. This could be due to the managers and coaches putting in more time with their own children or they got into coaching because they saw some ability in their child. It is a criticism that we are aware of and yet result which we feel in most cases has justification.

Usually, the Manager uses their last few votes to choose players who may not have had the best statistics or power or pitching ability but rather were good TEAM players who hustled and had good attitudes. A team of All-Stars is not easy to coach and a couple of kids who hustle and have good team spirit can be instrumental in having fun during those long summer practices and in winning tournament games.

It is important that all our parents understand the focus of the process is to field a roster of 12-14 players who it is felt will result with the best team effort. If you son/daughter is successful in being chosen to represent HLL on a Tournament Team, please understand players will be put into positions that best suit their skills. This may not be a player’s favorite, or even a glamorous position, but it will be the one best suited to the player and to the needs and requirements of the team.

Please remember that we are trying to field the most competitive team we can to represent all players of HLL. It is not an easy process.