July 25, 2006
Tuesday

I first want to congratulate all the players who did make the 2006 All Stars Team this past year. You did very well during the tournament in Craig, AK.

I do want to question "what is the process for selecting "OUR" All Stars?".

As I understand it (and please tell me if I am incorrect), all the players get to choose 12 kids who they think are All Star material. All the "surveys" are collated and the one player most chosen by his peers becomes the "players choice" and he/she is one of the All Stars.

Now for the rest of the players (whatever age bracket they are in) the coaches place the age appropriate players name onto a white board, the coaches then talk about each player and start crossing off names until they narrow the list down to 12 players.

I know that this past year the Major Leagues McDonald's coach did not make it to this meeting and all of the McDonald's players (who were of age were written on the board). Since the coach was not able to be reached the meeting continued and the McDonald's players were slowly crossed off as possible All Stars. I realize that there was a time constraint in selecting the All Star players it had to be done. But there is OBVIOUSLY no back up measure if a coach is unavailable (no one to step in for him/her) to meet and give input on their players. I feel this is discriminatory as the selection is slighted to only those coaches who are there.

In the 2006 All Stars Team the majority of the players who were selected were the coaches children or otherwise politically connected.

This saddens me that Ketchikan Little League is so "Political"

On a personal note my son did play for the McDonalds team and was not chosen. He had played for the Major League for the past 3 years, this was his last year in the Majors Little League program. I felt and witnessed that he excelled this past year as a catcher and felt that he really had a chance to be an All Star Player. I had other parents approach me and express the very same thought. I was and will continue to be a VERY involved parent and knew the McDonalds team statistics very well as I had kept the books for the Mcdonald's team and was present at all but 2 games. If I had been allowed to attend the meeting I would not have let the Mcdonald's players names be crossed off so quickly. If the McDonald's coach had been at the meeting I believe the All Star Team would have had a few different players, ones that deserved to be there.

I suggest that the Board and Coaches review and potentially change the All Star selection process. I received inside information from someone who did attend the meeting that it really is not a fair process. Let us get rid of the "political selection" process and get back to the abilities of the players because they are the ones who actually play the game.

Thank you,

Vanessa Ohlson
Ketchikan, Alaska - USA

About: A parent of 2 sons who have been part of the Ketchikan Little League since they were age 5. I also volunteered as a coach for my sons T-Ball team for one season.

 

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