Safety Plan 2026

Coming soon!

Pitch smart program

Little League® has always placed safety as a top priority and is continually striving to provide children with healthy and safe baseball and softball opportunities. For more than a decade, the Little League program has been at the forefront of promoting arm safety for youth pitchers. As we continue to work to make baseball a safe, fun sport for all children, Little League is proudly supporting the efforts of Major League Baseball and USA Baseball through the Pitch Smart campaign.

After several years of research, Little League launched its pitch count program in 2006. With limits set for different amounts of pitches for different age groups, Little League has been diligent in protecting young arms since establishing strict pitching rules. With many baseball players participating in Little League and other youth baseball programs, it is important for parents and coaches to use the Pitch Smart campaign and the Little League pitch count program to ensure young pitching arms stay safe.

Little League strongly encourages all Little League volunteers, parents, and officials to review PitchSmart.org and share it with others.

Little League International has been identified as one of the only youth baseball organizations in full compliance of Major League Baseball and USA Baseball’s Pitch Smart compliance program.

Pitch Smart

Changes to ASAP Program Set for 2026 Season

For nearly 30 years, Little League’s A Safety Awareness Program (ASAP) has set the standard for safety across local leagues, reducing injuries and strengthen volunteer readiness. With the traditional opening of ASAP submissions quickly approaching on December 1, we wanted to share that the traditional ASAP program will be evolving to provide a new, modernized safety framework starting in 2026 with two new initiatives – “Little League SAFE” and “SAFE to Play”. Together, these programs will replace the longtime ASAP structure with a more comprehensive approach that combines education, compliance, and recognition. 

Launching on January 5, 2026, Little League SAFE will establish the framework for safety across all local leagues, offering the education and resources volunteers need to prevent injuries and protect players. Under Little League SAFE, leagues can access a central library of safety resources through LittleLeague.org, including the Child Protection Policy, JDP background-check information, and state-specific guidance.