WHAT SHOULD COME 1ST.AAU. OR L.L

My Mom has an expression. "God doesn't GIVE you children, he LOANS them to you."

These kids don't "belong" to your league or AAU.

We don't fret about losing "star players" to a competing travel team, because we are no more "losing" players to this team than a HS principal is "losing" his honor students to college!

Bottom line, the goal of Little League (or ANY league for that matter) is to prepare kids for the 90' diamond - when it counts.
If a travelling team can do that (depending on the quality of their coaching staff), then step aside and wish the players well. And while you're doing that - pat yourself on the back, because your league assisted in that players' development. You should be proud of that!

There are so many things to worry about in a LL program - bickering over who "owns" players isn't one of them.

Before I became a LL President, I was a coach in LL minors - it is the same philosophy. Take a group of kids, develop their talent, enjoy watching their progress and wish them well as they advance.

(You know, this isn't bad for a "seat of my pants" post - I think I'll put this 1 in the archive...)