East Chatham Baseball All Star Team Guidelines

(Click on above link for printable copy.)

     At the end of the Spring Season, East Chatham Baseball will form up to two (2) All-Star teams in each of the age divisions (Coach Pitch, Midget, Little, and Junior) to compete in the Tar Heel League’s District Tournament and State Tournament (if a team progresses that far).

     In order to develop all-star players and all-star teams, ECB will strive to create two teams in each of the divisions based on their age groups so all similarly aged players can play together.  However, players will be selected based on their skills and ability to compete at this level of play with the most competitive teams being created.  Younger players in the age group who are more advanced than that of their older counterparts can be considered and selected for the first team.  If two competitive teams cannot be created, then one combined age group team can be created.

•       Coach Pitch League - No player can turn 9 before May 1^st of the current season.
•        Minor/Midget League - No player can turn 11 before May 1^st of the current season.
•        Major/Little League - No player can turn 13 before May 1^st of the current season.
•        Junior League - No player can turn 15 before May 1^st of the current season.

     All-Star selections will be made in accordance with Tar Heel League’s procedures and those procedures outlined below. 

• All-Star players must be registered for ECB’s current spring season and must have played in at least 50% of the regular season games.
• All-Star players can only play in the division they are currently registered in.  No playing up or down in another age division.
• All-Star players must be nominated by their current Head Coach who has consulted with their assistant coaches. Coaches should only nominate those players that they feel have the ability to play at a more competitive level.
• No player is guaranteed selection to an All-Star team even though nominated.
• All-Star players must be inform the coach of their ability to play All-Stars through both the District and State Tournaments before accepting the invitation.  All-Star Coaches may at their discretion choose to accept or not accept a player based on the player's availability for both tournaments.  ECB will provide dates and locations of the tournaments as soon as Tar Heel League sets the dates.
• All-Star players will be selected to teams based on input from league coaches, All-Star Coaches and the ECB Board.  All-Star Coaches can request an evaluation/tryout to assist in player selection due to large number of nominations or creation of multiple teams.
• No All-Star team can start practice until the date designated by the Tar Heel League, usually June 1^st of the current season. 
• Parents of each All-Star player are responsible for purchasing the uniforms (shirt and hat).  Players may use the pants from their regular season uniform.

All-Star Player and Coach Selection

     ECB will request that all Division Head Coaches nominate for All-Stars only those players on their team that they feel have the ability to play at a competitive level.  Each coach can nominate players from his team—again, only nominating those players that the coach feels can succeed at a more competitive level of play. 

     Nominations should be emailed to ECB at [email protected] in rank order starting with the best player first for each age group.  Coaches should provide the player’s league age, positions played and any other information/stats that will characterize the player’s ability.

i.e.         1. Johnny Baseball (10), SS, batted clean-up with highest batting average, pitcher

              2. Billy Outfield (9), 1^st, batted top of order, highest on-base average, fastest on team

              3. Cal Grounder (10), 2^nd, batted 5^th, high batting average, great glove, pitcher

      Coaches should not discuss their All-Star player nominations with anyone other than their assistant coaches and the ECB Board.  This will help avoid the disappointment of a nominated player that was not selected.

     Additionally, all head or assistant coaches interested in coaching an All-Star Team should submit their name to ECB via email to [email protected].  The ECB Board will meet to discuss and vote on head coaches for All-Star teams for each division prior to team creation.  Assistant coaches can be chosen after the creation of the teams.

     ECB will then consolidate the list of nominated players per each division. ECB and the selected All-Star Head Coaches will conduct a meeting and invite any other interested league coaches to assist in ranking the nominated players.  If desired, All-Star Coaches can conduct further evaluations/tryouts on players to assist in team selections.  The head coaches are encouraged to contact his fellow division coaches to gather additional player information if necessary.

     At the completion of the player rankings and/or any evaluations/tryouts conducted, All-Star Head Coaches can start organizing their All-Star teams.  Coaches must use the ranked order to choose their top 9 picks.  The remaining picks can be coach’s choice in order to take into account for positions, etc but still must come from the nominated players.  Tar Heel League allows up to 13 players on a team, but coaches, with board approval, can choose to carry fewer players.

     Exceptions to the above stated rules can be made with ECB Board approval.  The ECB Board understands that situations do arise where it is necessary to make some allowances on a case by case basis but all parties involved must agree on the exceptions.

All-Star Practices

     All-Star coaches must arrange practice times with ECB. 

     All-Star practice may not begin prior to the Tar Heel League designated date, usually June 1^st of the current season.

     All-Star teams can practice up to three times a week for no more than two (2) hours at a time.

Post Tournament Play

     All-Star teams may continue to play as a travel team per ECB travel team guidelines in other tournaments at their own expense through the end of the calendar year.