The coach of a Washington team that was accused of throwing its last pool play game of the Little League Softball World Series- and was subsequently eliminated by the team it was attempting to avoid by throwing the game- is speaking out as a victim in the situation.

In a statement to his wife’s Facebook page, Coach Fred Miller declared that the tie-breaking system used by Little League International that determines how teams advance is flawed.

“It’s just unfortunate Little League has a tie-breaking system like they do,” Miller said. “When coaches have to study run-rule ratios and understand them, it takes away from coaching a game. The way the rule is set, it’s crazy. We literally could’ve lost 30-0 in that game against (North Carolina) and got in (the semifinals), but if we lose 3-2, we’re out. How does that work?”

Miller then offered unsolicited advice for tournament director Bob Hudlow and the rest of the national committee that ordered a one-game playoff against Miller’s Snohomish team and the Central Iowa team Miller was scheming to pinch out of the tournament.

“Little League needs to change their rules for softball and make it a double-elimination tournament because then there’s no run-rule ratios,” Miller suggested. “Little league promotes playing all your kids and because I played my reserves my team got screwed. I played my 4 reserves the whole game and little league tells me that because I did that my team would not get the 2 seed. What is that telling the kids and the community? That I must play my starters every game and if I don’t, I will be penalized!.”

The media storm Miller’s actions have caused have seemingly taken a toll on him. “It has been a rough 24 hours,” he lamented in his lengthy Facebook post. “We have a game this morning at 11:30 am @ I am already panicking. I had a coaches meeting last night to discuss the lineup for todays game and the 2 coaches and myself want to play the reserves more today but how will that be perceived? Although my heart says to play my reserves today, if i do what will be posted about my team? That I am throwing the game? My reserves should have more opportunities to play in this game but what will people think?”

Miller and his team even reportedly skipped the closing ceremonies of the tournament after their consolation win against the Uganda team, and Miller seemingly wants to forget the experience. “I’m tired. I’m exhausted. All those events, I didn’t sleep for two days. It’s been a learning experience and, you know, you just move on.”

Moving on may not be an immediate option for Miller, given his recent public statement and a statement made by South Snohomish Little League president Jeff Taylor that seems to place blame squarely on the shoulders of Miller.

“Our coach was faced with a decision that, in the bubble of intense competition, appeared to him to be in the best interest of our team. In hindsight, it is very likely he would have made a different choice. Though the decision that coach (Fred) Miller made did not violate the letter of the rules, I can see abundant evidence that it was not in line with the spirit of the game. … Finally, we hope that everyone remembers that the decisions that have placed our team under scrutiny were decisions made by the coach. Our young ladies had no role in that.”

Rightfully so, many softball fans on FloSoftball’s Facebook page are coming to the defense of girls on Miller’s team- and youth in sports in general- claiming actions like Miller’s have for years in youth sports and are ruining youth sports.


Hudlow and the Little League national committee stand by the decision to order the play-in game and, opposed to Miller, haven’t lost any sleep about the decision.

“I, as part of the process, worked with the national committee back in Williamsport and we made the right decision,” Hudlow declared. “We made the decision to have them play a play-in game so everyone participated, it was won on the field and we moved on from that. I still wholeheartedly believe that’s the right choice.”