This is what you need to know
For parents
Your son or daughter is participating in the Little League program. Awesome!
What does it involve, and what should you keep in mind? We’ll list some things for you,
such as:
- What are the costs?
- What about the training sessions?
- What if my child's team wins during the NK?
General information
Participation in the Little League program
Little League is for all youth members aged 10 to 16 years old, and anyone who is a member of the KNBSB can participate. Your child will participate in the league (region) where they live or go to school, based on their postal code. You cannot choose a region yourself, and unfortunately, there are no exceptions to this rule. The information you provide during registration is verified to prevent any disappointments. For international tournaments, the verification may even include a birth certificate and the population register. If the information is not correct, unfortunately, your child will not be able to participate.
Little League Training Sessions
After you have registered your child, you will receive a confirmation of the registration by email. The confirmation you receive after registration will also indicate which league he or she will be participating in. Please check your spam folder if you haven’t received anything.
Please double-check the confirmation for any errors and notify us if something went wrong or if you didn’t receive a confirmation. Before the start of the training program, the regional coordinator will contact you regarding the dates and location of the training sessions. Some leagues start indoors during the winter, while others begin when the weather is suitable for outdoor field training. Your regional coordinator can provide you with this information. Click here for the contact details of the regional coordinators.
What are the costs?
Participation in the (minimum of 3) training sessions costs €50,- per participant. Some leagues offer more training sessions, and they may request a higher contribution. You will be informed about this in advance. The personal contribution must be paid no later than the first training session.
Participation in the NK Little League
After the training sessions, the trainers and coaches will select the players who will participate in the All-Star team of the league for the Dutch Little League Championship. It’s exciting if you’re selected! There will be further preparation with that team leading up to the Dutch Championship. Usually, this includes additional team training sessions and practice matches. The coach will provide you with information about this. If you are selected, the regional coordinator will inform you about any additional costs.
Equipment check
On the first day of the NK, the equipment of the players and teams is inspected by the Umpire in Chief. This is done for safety reasons. If a bat or helmet is damaged, it will be disapproved and taken so that it cannot be used. Of course, you will get your own equipment back after the tournament. But it’s even better to repair them if they are damaged beforehand, or simply leave them at home if they cannot be used.
Respect the Game
The organization of the NK is in the hands of many enthusiastic volunteers every year. The games are officiated by over 40 umpires. We are very grateful for the help of all these enthusiasts. We couldn’t do it without them. Playing or officiating exciting games and winning is, of course, awesome! Sports enjoyment is the most important aspect and is highly valued. We are strongly committed to sportsmanship and respect from and for the organization, players, coaches, umpires, volunteers, and parents. This ensures that everyone is part of this wonderful event with a lot of sports enjoyment. We also award a Respect The Game Award every year at each location for the most enjoyable and sportsmanlike team.
From Dutch champion to the European Championship!
The teams that win the NK qualify for the European Championships (Regionals). These are played during the summer holidays in Italy, the Czech Republic, and Poland.
The teams that win the Dutch Championship must participate in the European Championship and potentially the World Series in the same composition. So, the players should be available for these dates. It’s good to keep this in mind when planning your summer vacation.
For the Softball Seniors, participation in the European Championship has been organized differently this year due to an adjustment by Little League International.
You can read more about this here.
Participation in the European Championship is entirely at your own expense. Often, crowdfunding campaigns are organized in which the players are actively involved. The winners of the European Championship get to go to the World Series in the United States at the expense of Little League International. Everything is paid for and arranged for the teams. More information about international tournaments can be found on the website of Little League International. Check here
Click here for an overview of the international tournaments in 2024.