Little League Politics

We recently heard a story, all too common in youth sports, that spurred us to write this post. A parent was complaining about the way teams were formed and that all of the board members got preferential treatment, better players, stacked teams. The person who raised these issues said she would like to have time to volunteer as a member of the board of directors, but with three other children who all play sports, and working full-time, she just can't do it.

Is it fair if the people who volunteer get a little advantage in exchange for the time they devote?

What we would like to see is that all rules and regulations pertaining to the formulation of teams are laid out plainly to see for all, before the season begins. This way there is less chance of any accusation of impropriety, favoritism, nepotism, or "backroom deals." Leagues that put everything out there, on the league website, up front appear more transparent and less shady to parents...even if nothing improper really is being done.