All Stars
All-Stars is an opportunity for a select group of MILL’s most competitive and skilled players to participate in a tournament(s) against “all-star” teams from other leagues in District 9, and potentially beyond. For baseball, Mercer Island typically fields three All Star teams each year, organized by league age.
The Teams
10/11/12 (also known as "Majors"): restricted to players who are league age 10, 11, or 12. The Mercer Island team in this division is typically composed of players who have played in the Majors division.
9/10/11 (also known as our "11s Team"): The team at this age level is comprised of players league age 11 years-old only (as per MILL local rules), but can come from either Majors or Coast.
8/9/10: The team at this age level is typically made up of players from the Coast division.
Mercer Island Little League has one team represented in the District tournament for each of the above age groups. In addition, Mercer Island players in upper baseball divisions may be eligible for All Star teams that combine with other leagues in District 9.
These teams participate in the District 9 tournament against all star teams from other Little League chapters in Division 9. The Division 9 winner competes in the Washington State tournament. At the Majors level only, the Washington State winner competes in a regional tournament, the winner of which is invited to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA. Check out the All Star Championships page to see how Mercer Island teams have fared in past years.
​
More information about District 9 and the All Star tournaments can be found on the district website.
All Star Selection Process
Who is eligible for All-Stars?
All players rostered on a Little League player pitch team who also participated in 60% of their team’s regular season games are eligible. However, players must be invited to tryout. At the Majors division (10/11/12), invitations are determined by manager/coach and player voting. At the younger levels, invitations are determined by manager nominations.
What is the commitment level?
All-stars is a significant commitment and players/families will be expected to sign a letter of commitment. Players are expected to commit to all games and practices until the team is eliminated from tournament play. The tournaments themselves last anywhere from two to ten days, but teams practice nearly each day (sometimes twice a day) leading up to the start of the district tournament. Teams who win the district tournament will advance to the state tournament. At all levels Majors and above, teams who win the state tournament advance to the regional and then national/international tournaments.
How are selections made?
The process for selecting players and coaches is outlined below. The process is managed by the Boys & Girls Club with oversight from the Baseball All Star Committee (BASC). The BASC is comprised of:
-
President
-
MIBGC representative
-
Baseball Commissioner
-
Majors VP
-
Coast VP
-
Player Agent for player-pitch baseball
-
Coaches Coordinator
​
How are players selected?
MILL will hold tryouts for each all-star team no earlier than May 15th (per LL rules). The manager of each team selects the players based on the player’s performance during the regular season and their performance during tryouts. Per LL rules, each team must be between 11 and 14 players. The manager will decide how many players to select. Players can only play for one all-star team in a given year.
Invitations to all-star tryouts are managed differently for each division.
Majors All Star Team (10/11/12)
Players are selected for the Majors all-star tryout based on voting by Majors players and coaches. This team, often referred to as the "12s Team", has three paths to a nomination:
1) Nine players are nominated based on the results of player voting. Ballots are distributed by the MIBCG to Majors managers and coaches prior to the first game of the MILL Tournament and collected from the coaches after the first game of the tournament. Ballots include names of all league age 11 and 12 year-olds. All Majors players are allowed to vote for their peers. Players are not allowed to vote for players on their own team. MIBGC collects and tallies the votes, and the top 9 vote getters are nominated to tryouts.
2) An additional 6 to 9 players are selected based on voting by coaches. Majors coaches will vote for 12 players on the ballot for the Majors all-star team. Two coaches ballot for each team (manager and one coach). If only one ballot is returned, the votes on that ballot will count as two votes for each kid. Managers and coaches may not vote for players on their own Little League team. MIBGC collects and tallies the votes, and the top 6-9 players who were not already selected by the player voting are nominated to tryouts.
3) The Majors all-star manager may make discretionary nominations to tryouts after discussion with other managers in Majors. A Manager may appoint his son/daughter only if he/she was in the top 20 vote getters in the coaches voting for the relevant team. Also, if the son/daughter is 11, they must also be in the top 5 vote getters of all 11-year-olds to receive an appointment to the 11-12 team.
9/10/11 All Star Team
On Mercer Island, league age 9 and 10 year-olds are not eligible for the 9/10/11 all-star team, so this team is entirely comprised of league age 11 year-olds. This team is often referred to as the "11s Team". 11 year-olds are eligible to play on either the Majors or the 9/10/11 teams. 11's trying out for the Majors team can be considered for appointment to the lower team if they are not selected to the Majors final roster.
Players are selected for the 9/10/11 tryout based on voting by Majors coaches and nominations from Coast managers. There are four paths to a nomination:
1) Any league age 11 year-old who is nominated for Majors all-star tryouts (according to the process above) is automatically nominated for the 9/10/11 tryout as well.
2) In addition to 11 year-olds nominated to the Majors tryouts, 12 additional players are nominated based on voting by Majors coaches. Each Majors team has two coach's ballots, one for the manager and one for one coach. If only one ballot is returned, the votes on that ballot will count as two votes for each kid. Coaches cannot vote for players on their own team. Coaches must vote for exactly 12 players on each ballot. The top 12 vote getters not already nominated for the Majors team are nominated for the 9/10/11 tryouts. MIBGC will collect, maintain control, and tally ballots before sending results to the BASC.
3) Coast managers are allowed to nominate the top two players on their team. If one or both of those players are league age 11, those players are automatically invited to tryouts.
4) The 9/10/11 Manager may make discretionary nominations to tryouts after discussion with other managers in Majors. A Manager may appoint his son/daughter only if he/she was in the top 20 vote getters in the coaches voting for the relevant team. Also, if the son/daughter is 11, they must also be in the top 5 vote getters of all 11-year-olds to receive an appointment to the 11-12 team.
8/9/10 All Star Team
Any league age 9 or 10 year old playing in Majors (rare) is automatically nominated for tryouts. League age 8, 9, and 10 year-olds playing in the Coast division are nominated to the all-star tryout by Coast managers. This team is often referred to informally as our "10s Team". Each Coast manager nominates two players from his/her team. Additional players, including those in Triple-A, can be considered by the 8/9/10 All Star Manager and the BASC. The 8/9/10 Manager can nominate additional players subject to approval from the BASC.
​
How are Coaches Selected?
Coaches can only manage or coach one All Star team in a given year.
Majors (10/11/12)
The manager of the Majors All Star team must have been a Majors division manager during the regular season. The selection of the Majors All Star manager happens before the voting for the 9/10/11 All Star Manager.
The Majors VP sends a note to all managers asking people who cannot meet the time commitment to opt out of the process. Those that respond are removed from ballots. Majors Managers and the BASC vote for the Majors All Star manager. If no candidate receives a conclusive majority, the top two vote-getters (or more in case of a tie) runoff for the selection. This repeats until someone receives a conclusive majority. If it is deemed impossible to arrive at this conclusion, the BASC will nominate based on the results of the last vote.
If the top vote-getter's child is 11 and not in the top 5 vote-getters of 11 year-olds, the Manager will be offered the 10-11 position.
Managers may appoint one or two coaches from the regular season rosters of managers and coaches. Coaches cannot be selected until the team has been finalized.
9/10/11 - Our 11s Team
The manager of the 9/10/11 All Star team must have been a Majors division manager or coach during the regular season.
The Majors VP sends a note to all managers and coaches asking people who cannot meet the time commitment to opt out of the process. Those that respond are removed from ballots. Majors Managers and the BASC vote for the 9/10/11 All Star manager. If no candidate receives a conclusive majority, the top two vote-getters (or more in case of a tie) runoff for the selection. This repeats until someone receives a conclusive majority. If it is deemed impossible to arrive at this conclusion, the BASC will nominate based on the results of the last vote.
Managers may appoint one or two coaches from the regular season rosters of managers and coaches. Coaches cannot be selected until the team has been finalized.
8/9/10
The manager of the 8/9/10 All Star team must have been a Coast or Majors division manager or coach during the regular season.
The Coast VP solicits interest amongst managers and coaches to manage the team. The Majors VP solicits interest with all relevant managers and coaches to manage the 8/9/10 team. The BASC votes for the 8/9/10 manager based on recommendations submitted by the Majors & Coast VPs.
Managers may appoint one or two coaches from the regular season rosters of managers and coaches. Coaches cannot be selected until the team has been finalized.
​