SACO LITTLE LEAGUE TEAM SELECTION PROCESS POLICY

Majors and Minors Divisions 

This policy was reviewed and approved by the board in January 2023.

The draft is moderated and presided over by the Player Agent (or a Board officer in their place, as directed by the President). The decisions of the Player Agent are final. Draft rules are in accordance with the Little League Operating Manual.

DRAFT ATTENDANCE - Division Managers, Player Agent, Division VP, President and other necessary board members may attend the draft. Players may not attend the draft process at any time.

PLAYER NOTIFICATION - When the draft is complete, trading period ends and the Player Agent has finalized the rosters, all managers will be notified that they may contact the players on their respective rosters. Do not contact any drafted player until you are authorized in writing by the Player Agent. Violation of this rule is cause for Suspension of the Manager. Player notification will typically be on the Friday following the draft.

CONFIDENTIALITY - The Draft is kept completely confidential, including Skills Evaluation results, player draft order and trades. Each individual attending the draft is responsible for maintaining confidentiality of the draft and draft materials. All draft materials must be returned to the Player Agent at the conclusion of the draft. Violation of this rule by a Manager is cause for Suspension of the Manager.

DRAFT ORDER - On the day of the draft a drawing will occur to determine the draft order. This establishes a serpentine order throughout the draft (1-n, n-1). Teams at each end of the order effectively have two consecutive picks straddling the end and beginning of consecutive rounds.

DRAFT POOL - The Draft Pools are established by the Player Agent in consultation with the Division Vice President/President. All guidelines below are adjusted for approved Petition to Play Up/Down, removing those players from the candidate pool. The following guidelines establish candidate pools:

• MAJORS CANDIDATES:
  • 12 year olds
  • 11 year olds
  • 10 year olds with approved Petition to Play Up to Majors
• MINORS CANDIDATES:
  • 10 year olds 
  • 9 year olds
  • 8 year olds with approved Petition to Play Up
• DEVELOPMENT CANDIDATES:
  • 8 year olds
  • 7 year olds
  • 6 year olds with one year of T-Ball

DRAFT POOL CANDIDATES - A list containing all candidates for the Division draft and Little League age, will be provided to all Managers prior to the commencement of the Draft.

COACHES - Managers will provide the Player Agent/VP/President with the name of ONE Assistant Coach prior to the draft and will indicate which round they would slot their child and the child of their Assistant in. The Player Agent, and Manager Consensus, will determine whether the recommendation is appropriate or should be adjusted. (Assistant Coaches will also be required to inform the league in writing of their interest in being an Assistant Coach and working with a specific Manager)  Managers must draft those players during normal draft process in the agreed upon rounds.

PLAYER OPTIONS - Little League rules allow for Player Option arrangements to be made with the Player Agent for specific circumstances including:

• Drafting siblings - once one sibling is drafted an option can be placed on another sibling and the Player Agent will determine which round the Manager must draft the sibling in.

DRAFT LIMITATIONS - Rules will establish the minimum and maximum number of players a Manager can select, by Little League Age, for each Division's draft. The Player Agent and Vice President will establish and communicate these rules prior to, or at the start of, the draft selection meeting.

Any Manager in jeopardy of not filling the minimum number of players for an Age will be alerted during the Draft by the Player Agent - and required to make selections to come into compliance with the rule. Should an issue be caught after a selection, the Player Agent may rule that a prior pick be released. The minimum number rule is waived if all players of that age have already been selected.

DRAFT PROCESS - The draft process will be used for the Majors and Minors Divisions:

• The Player Agent will call the Draft to order.
• If the draft order has not been determined, a drawing will determine the order.
• All available candidates will be made available for viewing, either on paper or projected on a screen, or both.
  • The first team with a draft pick will have 1 minute to make that selection. The period to make the selection will start when the Player Agent states, "(team name), you are now on the clock."
  • If no selection has been made with 15 seconds remaining, the Player Agent will announce the time remaining in the selection, announcing again at the five-second mark.
  • If no selection is forthcoming at the end of the one minute window, the Player Agent has the right to assign the next player on his/her list.
  • Teams with two consecutive selections may not combine the 1-minute time limits.
• Teams make their selections by announcing the player number and the name of the player. After a selection has been made, the Player Agent will repeat back the name to ensure accuracy.
• Each following selection will have the same one minute time limit
• All teams must select a player in every round and maintain a full roster at all times during the season.

The ongoing draft selections and remaining available players will be available for all Managers to view.

TRADES - Trades are allowable in the period immediately following the draft before the draft has been adjourned. All teams in the trade must have 12 players on their respective rosters and no trade is final until the Player Agent approves the trade. Trades must be like for like skill levels, along with an explanation of reasons for the trade.