LLWS

[bulldog04]

Pine Bluff is down 10-8 going into the 5th inning of the Southwest region semi final.  Winner plays Texas

[bulldog04]

Well they lost 11-9.  Arkansas has a hard time reaching the LLWS

[Prestn]

That's because most of Arkansas does Cal Ripken and then Babe Ruth, not the Little League / Pony League.

2011 and 2013 Mtn Home was in the Cal Ripken World Series and 2014 (last year) Junior Deputy out of Little Rock went. 

This year the 13U Babe Ruth team from Mtn Home is in the World Series at Jamestown, NY.  We are actually leaving at 3am to head to Jamestown.
 

[Prestn]

Honestly most of the youth baseball players in Arkansas just do USSSA and not city league stuff.

[ricepig]

That's because most of Arkansas does Cal Ripken and then Babe Ruth, not the Little League / Pony League.

2011 and 2013 Mtn Home was in the Cal Ripken World Series and 2014 (last year) Junior Deputy out of Little Rock went. 

This year the 13U Babe Ruth team from Mtn Home is in the World Series at Jamestown, NY.  We are actually leaving at 3am to head to Jamestown.
 

Looks like the MH 10yr old went 0-4 at the WS in Jonesboro. MH has replaced Jonesboro as the North representative, nobody plays CR/BR here anymore.

[Prestn]

Looks like the MH 10yr old went 0-4 at the WS in Jonesboro. MH has replaced Jonesboro as the North representative, nobody plays CR/BR here anymore.

Nobody over in the North West does either.  Its mostly USSSA stuff.  At 13 kids start doing Under Armor and Baseball America stuff, maybe even younger?  This was the first year we had some kids doing showcases in NV and FL.

[yraciv]

Honestly most of the youth baseball players in Arkansas just do USSSA and not city league stuff.

Someone from Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley feel free to correct me, been out of youth baseball for awhile, but I don't think that is the case in the part of the state or in Little Rock. The best players  tend do play U Trip, but they also participate in little league until at least 12/13.  I saw who was in the State Tournament for Little League, and it was Malvern, El Dorado, Bryant, Pine Bluff, Piggott, and Corning.  Couple good baseball cities in there, but couple head scratchers as well.  I don't think Little League is quite on the level of Cal Ripken, but I'm biased because that is what I played.

[ricepig]

Someone from Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley feel free to correct me, been out of youth baseball for awhile, but I don't think that is the case in the part of the state or in Little Rock. The best players  tend do play U Trip, but they also participate in little league until at least 12/13.  I saw who was in the State Tournament for Little League, and it was Malvern, El Dorado, Bryant, Pine Bluff, Piggott, and Corning.  Couple good baseball cities in there, but couple head scratchers as well.  I don't think Little League is quite on the level of Cal Ripken, but I'm biased because that is what I played.

Years ago, like 15, NWA had teams from Rogers, 2 from Springdale, Bentonville,   Prairie Grove, Siloam Springs and such in the North state tournaments. The South was usually Jr Deputy or Maumelle.

[Prestn]

Someone from Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley feel free to correct me, been out of youth baseball for awhile, but I don't think that is the case in the part of the state or in Little Rock. The best players  tend do play U Trip, but they also participate in little league until at least 12/13.  I saw who was in the State Tournament for Little League, and it was Malvern, El Dorado, Bryant, Pine Bluff, Piggott, and Corning.  Couple good baseball cities in there, but couple head scratchers as well.  I don't think Little League is quite on the level of Cal Ripken, but I'm biased because that is what I played.

I am sure some kids play all they can and with whatever team they can.  I was giving my opinion on why Arkansas has a hard time getting into the LLWS. 

Maybe those six cities/teams you have listed are all that play Little League in the state?

[ricepig]

I am sure some kids play all they can and with whatever team they can.  I was giving my opinion on why Arkansas has a hard time getting into the LLWS. 

Maybe those six cities/teams you have listed are all that play Little League in the state?

You should know, MH dropped CR one season and played LL. I think they held the state tournament for 12's.

[Prestn]

Years ago, like 15, NWA had teams from Rogers, 2 from Springdale, Bentonville,   Prairie Grove, Siloam Springs and such in the North state tournaments. The South was usually Jr Deputy or Maumelle.

Three years ago when my kid was 10, Bentonville and Springdale were tough for CR, they mostly only do USSSA after that year.  Jonesboro players stop playing CR after they turn 10.  This year might be different because they are hosting but don't expect those kids in CR next year.  Junior Deputy was really the only competition for CR after 10.  They beat us in the finals of the regional at 11 and 12.  This year they didn't have a team but Benton did and we beat them in the finals of regional. 

[Prestn]

You should know, MH dropped CR one season and played LL. I think they held the state tournament for 12's.

If we did its the first I have heard that, that's not been done in the last years.  If its true, its a side league and not the best from MH.

[Prestn]

You should know, MH dropped CR one season and played LL. I think they held the state tournament for 12's.

I am asking somebody that should know, the president of the summer baseball league..stand by

[ricepig]

Three years ago when my kid was 10, Bentonville and Springdale were tough for CR, they mostly only do USSSA after that year.  Jonesboro players stop playing CR after they turn 10.  This year might be different because they are hosting but don't expect those kids in CR next year.  Junior Deputy was really the only competition for CR after 10.  They beat us in the finals of the regional at 11 and 12.  This year they didn't have a team but Benton did and we beat them in the finals of regional. 

Yeah, I think they tried to keep a good/decent team for this WS, but in my youngest(13), they left at 9 for the most part. Truthfully, I enjoyed the CR days with my older boy. Now, they did win state every year from 8-13 and a couple of regionals. Unfortunately, they won in the odd year ages, except for 13, finished second that year.

[Prestn]

You should know, MH dropped CR one season and played LL. I think they held the state tournament for 12's.

Your right, MH did LL one year and won state and got beat in Waco, TX in the semis.  Trey Killian was 12 but didn't qualify to play because he was still playing summer ball at Norfork.  So that was like 2004ish?  Or maybe TK did play, I can't remember when he moved over.

[yraciv]

So Little League has had the Southwest region for 14 seasons, and only Louisiana or 1 of the 2 Texas representatives have ever advanced to Williamsport.  Highlights are from 2003 to 2005 Bryant's team made the regional finals, the 2005 team was led by Ben Wells, but they lost each time. Mountain Home was 2006 and lost a tight one in the semis.  After that White Hall started taking over with marginal success until 2009 when Daniel Sprinkle led them to the semis.  There have been other runs to the semis since but since 2009 Arkansas has fallen off some.

[pigture perfect]

Most of Louisianna plays Dixie League I think.

[PorkRyan]

Someone from Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley feel free to correct me, been out of youth baseball for awhile, but I don't think that is the case in the part of the state or in Little Rock. The best players  tend do play U Trip, but they also participate in little league until at least 12/13.  I saw who was in the State Tournament for Little League, and it was Malvern, El Dorado, Bryant, Pine Bluff, Piggott, and Corning.  Couple good baseball cities in there, but couple head scratchers as well.  I don't think Little League is quite on the level of Cal Ripken, but I'm biased because that is what I played.

USSSA has taken over in NWA and RV.  Almost all of the good players are in travel ball only by 10u and a lot of them are jumping into travel ball only at 7u and 8u.  There will be an entire generation of kids who never play local league ball.

[Grizzlyfan]

USSSA has taken over in NWA and RV.  Almost all of the good players are in travel ball only by 10u and a lot of them are jumping into travel ball only at 7u and 8u.  There will be an entire generation of kids who never play local league ball.

this is correct.

[Grizzlyfan]

this is correct.

In fort smith our Church League and Boys Club leagues are Cal Ripken affiliated.  Not Little League.

I remember a few years when Van Buren first hosted the 12 year old Cal Ripken World Series.  A guy in Fort Smith put together a team of travel ball players as a "church" league team so he could make a run at the World Series.  It was a really strong team made of players from what was mainly the Arkansas Cobras travel team.  Eventually did make it to the WS.  That was a fun tournament in Van Buren.

[jacobp]

nm

[bulldog04]

So Little League has had the Southwest region for 14 seasons, and only Louisiana or 1 of the 2 Texas representatives have ever advanced to Williamsport.  Highlights are from 2003 to 2005 Bryant's team made the regional finals, the 2005 team was led by Ben Wells, but they lost each time. Mountain Home was 2006 and lost a tight one in the semis.  After that White Hall started taking over with marginal success until 2009 when Daniel Sprinkle led them to the semis.  There have been other runs to the semis since but since 2009 Arkansas has fallen off some.

On the broadcast last night, they said 1 Arkansas team has made the LLWS. Idk if that's true because I don't remember it

[yraciv]

On the broadcast last night, they said 1 Arkansas team has made the LLWS. Idk if that's true because I don't remember it

Yeah I'm sure it has happened before, but it hasn't since the current SW region was established.

[yraciv]

In fort smith our Church League and Boys Club leagues are Cal Ripken affiliated.  Not Little League.

I remember a few years when Van Buren first hosted the 12 year old Cal Ripken World Series.  A guy in Fort Smith put together a team of travel ball players as a "church" league team so he could make a run at the World Series.  It was a really strong team made of players from what was mainly the Arkansas Cobras travel team.  Eventually did make it to the WS.  That was a fun tournament in Van Buren.

Church league was this way for a while in Fort Smith.  I saw it at multiple levels from like 98-05, through playing and umpiring.

[ricepig]

Church league was this way for a while in Fort Smith.  I saw it at multiple levels from like 98-05, through playing and umpiring.

My oldest played against them through those years. They usually had some talent, maybe not the coaching. I remember we were in the state tournament and their coach came out to the mound during warm-ups between innings, later on we get a few bits and he comes out again. He then turns around and starts walking to the dugout, HP tells him he has to change pitchers, he doesn't understand why?

[bulldog04]

Church league was this way for a while in Fort Smith.  I saw it at multiple levels from like 98-05, through playing and umpiring.

It was always fun beating Church League when you did.  But it was a rigged deal

[GatorHog]

It was always fun beating Church League when you did.  But it was a rigged deal

I used to play for the Ft. Smith Captains back in the day.  We beat Church League on their fancy field that was NOT Hunt's Park.    

[Hawgvillain]

My oldest played against them through those years. They usually had some talent, maybe not the coaching. I remember we were in the state tournament and their coach came out to the mound during warm-ups between innings, later on we get a few bits and he comes out again. He then turns around and starts walking to the dugout, HP tells him he has to change pitchers, he doesn't understand why?

Out of curiosity, do you remember where the tourney was?  It's a long shot but I may have been that ump lol...

[ricepig]

Out of curiosity, do you remember where the tourney was?  It's a long shot but I may have been that ump lol...

Prairie Grove