Program areas at Little League Baseball - Parent Org Do Not Change Address
League operations:born in williamsport, Pennsylvania, in 1939 and alive all over the world today, approximately 2 million children ages 4-16 played Little League Baseball and softball last year in communities around the world. Little League is more than just a source of community engagement and youth sports. Little League Baseball and softball programs serve as powerful vehicles for personal development, shaping character, cultivating lasting friendships, and reinforcing the foundation of community. Local Little League programs have long been where thousands of communities come to life. On and off the field, youth playing Little League, are offered the opportunity to play, grow, and learn, instilling in them the values of teamwork, inclusion, and community. Since the inception of Little League in 1939, local leagues have relied on local fundraising efforts to support the day-to-day operations, from maintaining fields to purchasing uniforms and equipment. Volunteers work tirelessly to ensure the values of the program thrive in communities around the globe. Last year, approximately 6,000 community-based Little League programs fielded 130,000 youth Baseball and softball teams in more than 80 countries and every state in the united states of america. The administrative and service core of the movement is Little League international, a non-profit membership organization that maintains the international program, with headquarters in williamsport, Pennsylvania. Part of the administrative structure includes nine region headquarters and staff in the u.s. and internationally. The dedicated full-time staff provides year-round support for our leagues, volunteers, and players. This support ranges from direct volunteer support both at our facilities and with our staff traveling to our leagues to providing guidelines on child safety and background checks for volunteers, to free digital educational resources that support community-based volunteers in bringing Little League to life and welcoming all players to the program. Little League international routinely provides experiences at all of their locations, including special events to provide more opportunities for children to enjoy Baseball and softball, as well as in-person educational opportunities for its volunteers. Today, local leagues face new challenges as the participatory nature of youth sports continues to evolve. As Little League remains a staple in community sports programming, disparities continue to emerge. Little League international strives to make its program as affordable and accessible as possible by having low affiliation fees, providing free background checks for volunteers, operating a custom insurance program, and identifying support opportunities for partners to impact families, local leagues, and communities. However, local leagues are confronted with the complexities of growing program resources, securing, and ensuring better trained volunteers, reprioritization of municipal recreational facilities, and competing with the traditional and non-traditional youth activities for precious, overscheduled time. As a mission-based, non-profit organization, Little League international is dedicated to addressing these global disparities, and fostering worldwide growth, through a concerted focus on philanthropy and social impact. Fundraising is necessary to create more strategic resource development, and impact, allowing Little League international to continue to use the power of youth Baseball and softball to teach life lessons that build stronger individuals and communities, around the globe.
World of Little League peter j. mcgovern museum: the world of Little League peter j. mcgovern museum, located at the Little League international complex in williamsport, Pennsylvania, is where, year-round, people can learn about the Little League experience, celebrate the organization's history, and connect with the global reach of Little League. While the museum was not open for the first three months of 2023 due to construction in the museum as a result of the vehicle incident in 2022, approximately 15,852 people visited the museum in 2023, with august, the month of the Little League Baseball world series, continues to be the museum's most popular month. The museum remains a popular destination for travelers, primary school classes seeking an educational and fun way to learn about the program, as well as tour agencies, senior citizen groups, and minor League Baseball booster clubs. The museum has also begun to host other civic and professional events for such groups as the local chamber of commerce, local colleges, businesses, and professional organizations. The world of Little League museum has taken home a program-record four ishy awards this year, as presented by the international sports heritage association (isha), for its creative content and exhibits celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Little League Baseball world series.
Little League international tournament and special activities: each year, the Little League season culminates with one of the most anticipated events in youth sports, the Little League international tournament. With additional playing opportunities at 11 age-based divisions of play for Baseball and softball, leagues bring together teams to represent their communities in the most-recognized youth sports tournament in the world. The tournament, which starts with neighboring communities competing against each other, beings in late june and over the course of about 60 days, more than 30,000 Baseball and softball games are played throughout the world with oversight orchestrated by Little League international. At our seven oldest divisions of play, these tournaments conclude at our Little League world series tournaments, where the sportsmanship, teamwork, and fun are showcased on espn platforms each summer (the Baseball and softball divisions for 8- to 10-year-olds and 9- to 11-year-olds officially conclude at the state level only). Little League international provides direct financial support to those leagues and communities hosting tournaments at our highest levels, including those at the widely recognized Little League Baseball and softball divisions for 10- to 12-year-olds. This involves coordinating the travel of thousands of players, coaches, and managers on airline flights and buses around the world, hotel and lodging at the respective world series and region tournament locations for all the participants, and food services to those who participated while at the event.throughout the past year, special activities were also conducted in support of local leagues and volunteers throughout the Little League program and included such activities as special games and visitations at Little League international and the regional facilities, recognition programs honoring local Little League volunteers, and coordinating the opening ceremonies and special events as part of the international tournament.