FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q:  What is this thing called the Ken Caryl Little League All Stars?

A:  Each year, Little League programs around the world select 9-14 players within various age brackets to create All Star teams.  Those teams then play in Little League tournaments in an attempt to ultimately get the opportunity to play in the Little League World Series, played in Williamsport, PA and televised on ESPN.  Each year, Ken Caryl Little League selects ball players that have participated in our Spring Season to create several different teams that participate in those tournaments.


Q:  What are the multiple / various teams that get created? 

A:  Little League has baseball All Star tournaments for 8-10 year olds, for 9-11 year olds, for 10-12 year olds, for 11-13 year olds, for 13-14 year olds, and for 14-16 year olds.  KCLL will create one team per division for as many different divisions as we can get appropriately aged players.  For the past five years, KCLL has created a "10s team" (Minors 8-10s Division) an "11s team" (Minors 9-11s Division), a "12s team" (Little League Division) a "13s team" (Intermediate Division), a "14s team" (Junior Division) and a "16s team" (Seniors Division). 


Q:  How do you get to be selected for an All Star team?

A:  Some time during the Spring Season (typically in early May), we will create a registration process for all interested players.  Coaches are selected to run each team.  The coaches and a player selection committee then evaluate the skills of all of the interested players. The tournaments are very competitive. So each team is created by selecting a set of players that the selection committee believe will offer KCLL the best opportunity to win.


Q:  When are the tournaments?

A:  The first tournament is a District Tournament.  That tournament will be played in early July (most commonly from Jul 5 - Jul 12).  If the team wins the District Tournament, then there is a State Tournament.  That tournament will typically be played from about Jul 14 - Jul 19.  If a team wins the State Tournament, then there is a Regional Tournament (10s and 11s stop at the State Tournament, there is no Regional or beyond tournament).  The Regional tournament will be played in the first weeks of Aug.  The winner of the Regional Tournament then goes to the World Series that is played in late Aug.


Q:  Where are the tournaments?

A:  The District Tournaments are played at locations all around Colorado District 5 territory. District 5 includes Leagues in Littleton, Aurora, Highlands Ranch, and Colorado Springs.  Each year, individual Leagues agree to host different tournaments. So, depending which League hosts each tournament, the games will be played in any of the listed areas.


Q:  What is the cost associated with the tournament?

A:  KCLL typically collects about $150 per player in order to offset the cost of tournament fees, uniform fees, equipment, and awards.  The player will get an All Star hat and t-shirt that is theirs to keep.  The All Jersey jersey is "loaned" to the player (and is sometimes available for purchase for an additional fee).  Other costs would be travel costs to the District Tournament location, practices, etc.


Q:  When are the players selected?

A:  Teams cannot be officially selected until after Jun 1.  KCLL will attempt to form the All Star teams shortly after Jun 1 and before our Spring Season Closing Day.


Q:  If I'm interested in being on an All Star team, what should I do?

A:  First, make sure that you can be available for practices that start in June and games that start right after the Jul 4 holiday. Second, download the School Enrollment Form (Ken Cary Little League with League ID: 68081) and get it signed by a principal or assistant principal. Third, consider participating on one of the Ken Caryl Tournament Teams that play in non- Little League tournaments. These team are NOT part of Ken Caryl Little League. There is additional cost associated with participation on those teams. Fourth, make sure you express your interest in May when the team formation process begins.


Q:  How much time is required and what should I expect when we participate?

A:  All Star teams will likely start practicing as soon as the team is formed, in early June. Teams will practice 3-6 times per week in the last couple of weeks of June.  There is typically a game each day between Jul 5 - 10. It is a double elimination tournament. So, once a team loses twice, there are no more games.  The tournaments are VERY competitive.  As such, coaches will make hard decisions about playing time. No player is guaranteed any more then the rules-obliged minimum playing time, which can be as little as one at bat. Practice and playing time are not proportional.  That is, there will be a LOT of practice time, and all that practice time still does not guarantee playing time.


Q:  Why should I consider trying out for the All Stars?

A:  Each year, KCLL enters a VERY competitive team into the District Tournaments.  In 2018, the 10s won the District Tournament and placed 2nd in the State Tournament.  The 11s and 12s placed 2nd in the District Tournament.  The 13s placed 3rd in the District Tournament.  These tournaments offer a different level of baseball game experience. They are challenging games that players will typically remember for the rest of their lives. Entire movies get made about people that "lost the big game" and about others that rose above and won it all. THAT'S why the players participate. Even though the wins are important, KCLL tries hard to really have a lot of fun at the tournaments.  If you talk to most of the players, they found the All Star experience to be very rewarding.


Additional details about the All Star tournaments can be found at the District 5 website.


Do you have questions about the All Stars?  Please feel free to reach out to Ginny below.

Ginny Newman:  [email protected]