Change in League Age Determination Date


"Little League International Board of Directors Adopts Change in League Age Determination Date
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WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (May 9, 2005) – The Little League International Board of Directors, governing body for the world’s largest organized youth sports program, has accepted a recommendation from USA Baseball to change the league age determination date for its players starting in the 2006 season.
The league age determination date is the age a player has attained as of a specific date, for the purpose of placing the player in a particular division. For more than 55 years in Little League, that date was July 31.

Starting in 2006, the date in all division of Little League Baseball will be April 30 of the current year. The date in all divisions of Little League Softball will be Dec. 31 of the previous year.

For example: Under the old regulation, a baseball player who turns 13 in May, June or July of 2006 would have been considered league-age 13 for the entire season. That would be the case, despite the fact that such a player likely would have played most or all of the regular season (which generally ends in June) without having actually reached his or her 13th birthday. Under the new regulation, such a player will have a league age of 12 throughout the 2006 season.

Under the old softball regulation, a player who turns 13 from January through July of 2006 would have been considered league-age 13 for the entire season. Under the new regulation, such a player will have a league age of 12 throughout the 2006 season."