The Championship Tournament was awarded to the successful Edmonton bid over competing bids from Calgary and Medicine Hat. In the end, the Edmonton contingent, with the expertise and assistance of Edmonton Tourism, put in the stronger proposal, and was declared the recipient of the 2012 Canadian Championships.

The Championship Tournament will begin on Saturday August 4^th and will conclude with the Championship Final on Saturday August 11^th. The tournament will consist of six (6) teams from the five Little League regions in Canada plus a host team. The five regions are from British Columbia, the Prairies, Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic Region. Players from the five Little League regions will arrive in Edmonton on Thursday August 2^nd, and in keeping with Little League tradition, the plan is to have the players billeted with families throughout the four leagues (Community Park, Confederation Park, East Park and Mill Woods) that currently make up the Edmonton District. Edmonton last hosted its only other Canadian Championship Tournament successfully in 1989. 

The Canadian Little League Championships will be held at a refurbished John Fry Park. Current estimates by the committee are approximating attendance figures for the Championship Final to be between 3,000 to 5,000 people. There are typically three (3) games per day as part of the round robin schedule, with one day being held open in case of games that may have to be re-scheduled due to inclement weather. Preparations are already underway to secure volunteers to assist in putting on the tournament, and the job of funding the event through initiatives that will include approaching the business community in Edmonton as well as other partners interested in being a part of this memorable experience. Up to date information is also available on the tournament web page at www.2012champions.ca.

In conjunction with the Canadian Little League Championships, Edmonton District 2 will also be holding a game for its Challenger Division, which is designed for special needs youth to be able to play and enjoy the game of baseball. By having the game on the same stage as the national tournament, it is hoped that more special needs player will be exposed to the game, and to give these athletes an opportunity to enjoy the excitement of participating in an event at the Canadian Championships.

With over 55 years of Little League Baseball in Edmonton, the four current leagues continue to provide baseball programs for players from the age of 5 to 18 years, with recent enrolment in the Edmonton District at approximately 1,000 players. With exposure to these Canadian Little League Championships, Edmonton District 2 along with the Edmonton Capitals hopes that more young athletes will consider playing a game with deep roots in the community and lasting memories of fun on the diamond playing the game of baseball.

This is an excellent opportunity for the public to watch the highest calibre of baseball at this level played by excellent young athletes. Millions have played Little League baseball worldwide for over 50 years, and many of today's major leaguers began their careers in Little League. Please take this opportunity to lend your support for the teams that will go on to represent Canada at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA in 2012.

To obtain further information, please get in touch with the following contacts, or access the Championship web page;

Gerry Dawidowski – Media & Publicity Director                        780-461-1230 h.                  780-938-5231 c.  gsbd@telusplanet.net