Baseball
Australia, in conjunction with Little League® International, is proud to
announce that starting in 2017, the winner of the Australia Region Senior
League Championship will be granted direct entry to the Senior League Baseball
World Series.
Australia’s Little League
program is one of the fastest growing in the world, with over 1,000 Little
League teams registered across the country. The increased popularity has
translated to more than 50 percent growth in participants in Little League
programs across Australia over the past three years. For the first time, the
winners of the Australia Region Little League, Junior League and Senior League
Championships will gain direct entry to their respective World Series, held at
various locations throughout the United States.. At the 2016 Senior
League Baseball World Series, Southern Mariners Little League from Melbourne,
competed as the Asia-Pacific Region Champions, where they advanced all the way
to the championship game, which aired on ESPN, finishing as runners up.
Baseball Australia’s Head of
Little League and National Championships, Mathew Sundstrom, is delighted by the
inclusion.
“The opportunities and
experiences Senior League provides has been widely embraced by the Australian
baseball community,” Sundstrom said.
Baseball Australia is pleased
to gain direct entry to the Senior League World Series and is excited about the
continued growth of Little League in Australia”
“We are grateful to see the
dedication and support of Little League in Australia since 2008, when the first
leagues were established, and will continue to provide the greatest experience
for Little Leaguers throughout the country,” said Dan Velte, Little League
Senior Director of League Development and Regional Operations.
“The success and achievements
that these young athletes have accomplished is a testament to our strong
partnership with Baseball Australia and the many dedicated volunteers who help
make Little League in Australia possible.”
The 2017 Australian Senior
League Championship will take place at Albert Park Baseball Complex in Lismore,
NSW, Australia on 14-19 May. The winner will advance to the 2017 Senior League
Baseball World Series, held in Easley, South Carolina, U.S.A at the JB 'Red' Owens Recreation Complex., from July 29 to
August 5.
About Little League®
Founded
in 1939, Little League® Baseball and Softball is the world’s largest organized youth
sports program, with nearly 2.4 million players and one million adult
volunteers in every U.S. state and more than 80 other countries. During its
nearly 80 years of existence, Little League has seen more than 40 million
honoured graduates, including political leaders, professional athletes,
award-winning artists, and a variety of other influential members of society.
Each year, millions of people follow the hard work, dedication, and
sportsmanship that Little Leaguers® display at our seven baseball and softball
World Series events, the premier tournaments in youth sports. For more
information, visit LittleLeague.org, and follow Little League on Facebook
(facebook.com/LittleLeague), Twitter (twitter.com/LittleLeague), and Instagram
(Instagram.com/LittleLeague).