LLI Approved Bat - Mobile Resource

 

One of the most frequently asked questions each year surrounds buying bats.  Little League International has finally come out with a mobile friendly resource for bat shoppers so that you can check the bat from your smart phone right in the store before you buy!

Little League Mobile Bat List 

We will keep this article up on the Westwood Little League site for ease of reference through the entire season.

 

 

Westwood Little League -- Mission and Volunteer Opportunities 
 

Westwood Little League is committed to providing a safe, competitive environment promoting the enjoyment, appreciation and understanding of the  game of baseball.  Our primary focus is on instructing the fundamentals of the game - rules, mechanics, and basic strategy.  We are 100% reliant on parent volunteers to ensure the accomplishment of these goals each season.

Baseball helps instill values of teamwork, sportsmanship, hard work and respect.  WLL seeks to develop coaches who are knowledgeable, positive and  encouraging teachers  of the game.  Through our partnership with the Positive Coaching Alliance and other means, WLL provides coaches with  resources and strategies for keeping the game fun and competitive, with an emphasis on youth development prioritized over winning/losing.

We encourage community participation and are always seeking new energetic people to join us by giving of their time, talents, and energy to help us continuously improve the Little League experience.  If you would like to get involved,  please contact any of our board members.  Contact information is available  under the CONTACTS tab to the left.  Thank you to all our current volunteers and all of our generous sponsors.   WLL is able to accomplish is mission only through the dedication and generosity of its volunteers and  sponsors.  Thank you as well to all families participating in the program!

Little League World Series 2013

Little League International hosts a tournament of 12 & 11 year olds each summer to crown a true World Champion.  The tournament culminates in Williamsport, PA with the arrival of 8 International Region champions and 8 U.S. Regional Champions.   

The tournament begins in late June/early July with teams from some 8,000 Little League programs from across the globe  competing  starting with District Level play.    There are 16 Districts in the state of Massachusetts.  Westwood competes in District 11.  Little League International maintains detailed information about the Tournament at this link and WLL maintains a Williamsport link on the left about Westwood's participation.    The tournament provides a terrific opportunity for all involved with Little League including players, coaches and volunteers to demonstrate the core values of the Little League program.

 

Little League International does not dictate how local leagues should form a "Williamsport team" -- but Little League International does strongly discourage having a process that relies only on a small group of people.   Instead, Little League International encourages local leagues to select a tournament team democratically, with the players themselves involved in the process.   Aware of this strong recommendation from  Little League International, Westwood Little League has acted this year to democratize the process of team selection.   The details of the new process approved by the WLL Board this year are set forth under the Williamsport tab on the left.   The process includes a major role for player input as well as the input of head and assistant coaches.   Please direct any questions or comments about the process to WLL President Rob Gotti.   WLL looks forward to implementing the new, improved  process this year.

 

  

 

 

Positive Coaching Alliance is a national non-profit developing “Better Athletes, Better People” by working to provide all youth and high school athletes a positive, character-building youth sports experience.

Since its 1998 launch at Stanford University by Founder and CEO Jim Thompson, PCA has impacted more than 5 million youth athletes. PCA reaches youth and high school sport leaders, coaches, athletes, parents, and officials through partnerships with schools and youth sports organizations  nationwide that comprise live workshops, online courses , books , and e-communications, providing free Tips and Tools.

At the center of  PCA’s  work are three models:
 

• The Double-Goal Coach®, who strives to win while also pursuing the more-important goal of life lessons through sports;
• The Second-Goal Parent®, who concentrates on life lessons, while letting coaches and athletes focus on competing; and
• The Triple-Impact Competitor®, who strives to impact sport on three levels by improving oneself, teammates and the game as a whole.

PCA’s  allies include a National Advisory Board  of top athletes, coaches, academicians and business leaders; prominent national youth sports organizations; and corporations and foundations  that support its  work. 

Westwood Little League provided two PCA led opportunities for parents and coaches in 2013.   In 2014, PCA provided WLL’s board of directors a Leadership Seminar.   All parents and coaches are encouraged to become familiar with PCA principles -- check out the PCA website!

Looking for an instructional book for baseball players ages 11 and up looking to add to their knowledge of the game?  Changes in the Game explains the rule changes, field changes, and equipment changes, a player experiences while transitioning from Little League on to play on a regulation size baseball field past age 12.  Written by Pete Henyan, a professional baseball player and coach, the book is specifically targeted for 11-14 year old ballplayers, parents and coaches.  More information including ordering details can be found here.