WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (March 7, 2008) – Little League International recognizes and appreciates the challenges that come with being a Little League manager or coach, so it has developed a free on-line coaching resource that Little League managers and coaches can turn to for reference, education, or to stay current with the latest drills and coaching techniques.

How it Works Here is how Little League International is making the Little League Coach Resource Center available, free of charge, to all of its chartered leagues: • District Administrators, District Staff, League Presidents and League Administrators will be sent an authorization code that is unique to their district or league. This will be sent via e-mail on or about March 6-7, 2008. • Coaches whose names and e-mail addresses have been submitted to Little League International also will receive an authorization code that is unique to their local Little League. This will be sent via e-mail on or about March 10-15, 2008. • Coaches whose names and e-mail addresses have NOT been submitted to Little League International will need to obtain the authorization code through their League President or another of their local Little League’s Administrators. • A member of the District Staff or a local Little League Administrator (who appears on the list maintained at Little League International and at the Regional Center) may obtain the code by contacting their Regional Center. A list of the Regional Centers and contact information for them is here. • Once the code is obtained, the user simply visits www.LittleLeagueCoach.org to sign up and get started! Anyone who signs up will receive a 20 percent discount on selected apparel at the Little League on-line store at www.LittleLeagueStore.net through April.

The welcome page of the Little League Coach Resource Center may be accessed by anyone at: www.LittleLeagueCoach.org.

The Little League Coach Resource Center (www.LittleLeagueCoach.org) is a free service created by Little League International in cooperation with Cramer Digital Marketing and Event Solutions in Norwood, Mass. The website includes interactive videos and related written content to help support Little League managers and coaches enter the 2008 season current, confident and prepared.

Unlike training programs offered or mandated by some other youth sports organizations, the Little League Coach Resource Center (www.LittleLeagueCoach.org) is completely free of charge.

“Being a Little League coach is no easy task,” Stephen D. Keener, President and Chief Executive Officer of Little League Baseball and Softball, said. “For years, providing educational resources and materials for our organization's volunteers has helped to maintain and grow the program.

“It is our expectation that The Little League Coach Resource Center will enrich the experiences for both the adults and the children,” Mr. Keener said. “Coaches and managers will now have the full educational resources of the Little League program behind them, which will breed confidence in what they're teaching, and give the players the opportunity to excel through better instruction.”

The resource center is Little League Baseball and Softball’s latest, most extensive volunteer training and education tool. Content contributors include, two-time USA Olympic Softball gold medalist Michele Smith and the Positive Coaching Alliance, along with other Little League Baseball and Softball’s licensees, which have committed to provide content in the future.

“From the first Little League season in 1939, until today, Little League managers and coaches have used good intentions and their childhood experiences to teach children the games of baseball and softball,” Nick Caringi, Senior Director of Operations and Education for Little League International, said. “The information and video presentations available at this site are time-tested and relevant for anyone coaching Little League. It’s our intent that the Little League Coach Resource Center serve as a first-class educational tool for managers and coaches at the local league level.”

To use the Little League Coach Resource Center (www.LittleLeagueCoach.org), all that is required is an authentication code that will be provided by Little League International to all of its local Little League administrators. Managers and coaches approved by the local league’s board of directors will be provided with the authentication code on a personal mailing, which will be good for one calendar year. This provision is put in place as local leagues are required to appoint managers and coaches each year.

“The experiences that millions of children have had playing Little League, has become tangible by the number of those children that have returned to become adult volunteers, managers and coaches in the program.” Mr. Keener said. “In past generations, the time that children spent with their teams and coaches was typically positive, and in many cases, had a significant impact on their lives. The Little League Coach Resource Center will allow today’s coaches to enhance their knowledge, and potentially advance the skills and enjoyment of their players.”

All of the content available on the website is maintained by Little League International and supported by a host of content contributors. Another feature of the site is the video presentations which, in many cases, also are available with a printable transcript, making the information portable.

As coaches begin to utilize the Little League Coach Resource Center (www.LittleLeagueCoach.org), they will have the opportunity to build their own profile and insert items into a personal cache specific to their needs, including practice plans, specific articles and news stories.

Little League Baseball and Softball is offering a 20 percent discount on selected apparel at the Little League on-line store at www.LittleLeagueStore.net for anyone who registers for the Little League Coach Resource Center. The two-month promotion will conclude at the end of April.

For more information on Little League Coach Resource Center, log on to: www.LittleLeagueCoach.org