2006 marked the highly successful return of Little League baseball and softball to Mercer Island, along with the introduction of the Islander Travel Teams select baseball program and a new winter Player Development Program.   We made significant improvements in 2007, and we expect this season to be even better than last year! 

Mercer Island Little League:

     What changes are planned for the Little League program in 2008?

     Will Last Year’s Majors Teams Stay Together this Season?

     Should I choose to make my son eligible for the Majors division of baseball?

     Have Fees Changed this Year?

     What is the Capital Improvements Fee being used for?

     What and when is Opening Day?

     What training and development resources will be provided for coaches? 

     What are parents expected to do to help with their child’s team?

     What levels of play will there be in the Mercer Island Little League? 

     Are there any exceptions allowed to the age brackets – i.e. can my kid “play up”? 

     Do parents choose which division to sign up for? 

     What about 8 year olds – can they sign up for player pitch? 

     How will you determine which Rookies/Minors players are in the National League and which go into the American League?

     How will kids be assigned to Little League teams?

     What about all-stars? 

     How will players be selected for the all-star teams?

     How many total games will kids play throughout the Little League Season?

     Why Little League?

     In what ways do Little League’s playing rules differ from PONY?

     Which is better? 

     Is this program geared toward recreational players, or just to the most competitive kids?

     Where do the “best kids” in the area play:  Little League or PONY?

     If my son plays in Mercer Island Little League, will he still be ready to play at the Koufax level when he’s 13?

     Who runs Mercer Island Little League?

     Where can I get more information? 

Islander Travel Teams (ITT) program:

     So what is ITT program all about? 

     Does this mean that kids on Islander Travel Teams will be on two teams at once?

     Can the same individuals coach in MI Little League and coach an ITT team? 

     Can the same individuals coach an ITT team and coach a Little League all-star team?

     Will the kids selected for the Islander Travel Teams automatically make the Little League all-star team? 

Player Development Program (PDP):

     What is the Player Development Program?

     What sessions will be offered?

     Is the PDP just aimed at the most talented players? 

General

     How is a player’s “league age” determined?

     Why didn’t they just use the same date that schools use?  

Mercer Island Little League 

What changes are planned for Little League in 2008?
There will be few major changes this year relative to 2007, beyond ongoing incremental improvements across the program.  One structural difference however is that Little League is requiring all 12 year olds to be placed in the Majors division.  Correspondingly, no 11 year old players will be placed in AA this year either.  Other than that, all divisions will be structured similarly to last year.   The highly successful “micro-clinic” format, which was introduced in T-Ball and Sluggers last year, will be extended to Girls Minors Softball this year as well.  Another change is that because spring break is earlier this year, Opening Day will occur on the Saturday following spring break, on April 12^th.  All the programs for younger players – T-ball, Sluggers and Minors – will begin this week as well, which hopefully will mean better weather and more daylight when the younger kids are playing. 

Will Last Year’s Majors Teams Stay Together this Season?
When the Board of Directors adopted the draft method for forming Majors baseball teams last year, it was with the intention that returning players would remain together on the same team from one year to the next.  However, depending on the number of 12 year olds playing this year, and other factors, it may be necessary to expand the Majors baseball division from 8 to 10 teams, in which case a “re-draft” would be likely.  Even if we stay with 8 Majors teams this year, however, the Board of Directors may elect to call for a re-draft if they feel that is necessary to achieve an adequate competitive balance among the teams – however, barring such an action by the Board of Directors, the returning players from last year’s teams will remain intact and new players (including all 12 year olds) will be drafted to fill out each team’s roster.  Individual players who do not wish to return to the same team have the option of being placed back in the draft pool, but must notify the League Player Agent prior to this year’s draft (likely Feb. 19^th).   

Should I choose to make my child eligible for the Majors division of baseball?
Majors is the highest and most competitive level of Little League baseball.  Majors teams will be formed via a draft, and teams will stay together from year to year, so once a player is drafted onto a Majors team, he/she will most likely stay on that team through age 12 in order to provide more continuity and to allow a deeper, more committed relationship between coaches and their players.    Majors is intended for all 12 year old players and the upper 30-40% of 11 year olds, however some highly skilled 10 year old players and outstanding 9 year olds may also be drafted, if they choose to make themselves available for Majors when registering.  We recommend that all 12 and 11 year old players make themselves eligible for Majors, unless you feel that your child needs or would prefer a somewhat lower level of play (all 12 year olds will be placed in Majors unless parents make a formal appeal to the LL District Administrator to allow your child to play AAA/Coast – which would be recommended for kids who have never played before or who have a disability or some limitation that would prohibit them from playing safely at the Majors level).  Parents of 10 and 9 year old players can also make them eligible for the Majors draft during registration if they feel their child would benefit from the most challenging level of play available, but should recognize that younger players may not pitch or be as likely to play the “marquee” position in Majors as they would in AAA or AA, and that they will likely be playing with other kids who are significantly older (many of whom are already in middle school).  Some kids may prefer to play in AAA or AA as well because that’s where most of their friends and classmates are likely to be, or because they would prefer to be one of the best players on a AAA team than one of the weaker players on a Majors team.   Feel free to contact the League Player Agent if you have questions.  

Have Fees Increased this Year?
No.  Base program fees for all Little League programs are the same as they were in 2006 and 2007.  The Capital Improvement Fee introduced in 2007 also remains the same this year, ranging from $25 per player in T-Ball to $50 per player in kid pitch baseball or softball. 

What is the Capital Improvements Fee being used for?
In 2007, the MI Little League board of directors authorized an additional fee of $25-50 in each division to be collected and placed in a capital reserve fund to be used for significant, long-term improvements to the baseball/softball infrastructure on MI, such as new field turf surfaces, scoreboards, batting cages, home run fences, concession stands, etc.  In 2007, approximately $31,000 was collected and is being held in reserve by the MI Boys & Girls Club.  Of this, $2500 is earmarked to help fund a $60k renovation to the field at Lakeridge Elementary School, which will include new backstops and a new “skinned” infield (the balance of the funds are being provided by the MI Soccer Association, MI School District and city of MI, along with a $28k matching grant from King County).   No other expenditures have been approved yet by the MI Little League Board, however, several other expenditures are under consideration.  Short term, we are collecting estimates for putting permanent roofs on the dugouts of some or all of the fields used by MI Little League, and are contemplating purchase of two or more portable pitching mounds.  Longer term, we are working with both the City of MI and the Mercer Island School District on a joint plan to co- fund major improvements to the fields at South Mercer Playfields, including artificial turf infields, batting cages, scoreboards and possibly lights on several of the fields.  Such improvements will likely require a long term funding commitment by the Little League.  The Board of Directors will be soliciting feedback from the membership of the league to ascertain support for these expenditures, which will also need to be approved by the Boys and Girls Club Board of Directors.  

What and when is Opening Day?
On April 12, 2008, 10am-noon, at the South Mercer play fields, we will be holding our 3^rd annual Mercer Island Little League Opening Day celebration, which will include a parade and introduction of teams, celebrity guests and local dignitaries and a raffle featuring thousands of dollars of great prizes.  It will also be photo day for all teams, so all players and their families should block this morning off, pray for sun and plan to attend!  

What training and development resources will be provided for coaches?
This will be a major area of focus this year, and we will be taking the following steps to ensure the highest quality of coaching possible:

• We will be offering two separate clinics for coaches:  the first, on February 10, lead by “Al & Al”, the official international coaching instructors for Little League; the second, on February 23^rd/March 22^nd lead by the MI Little League coaching director and league officials. 
• All volunteer coaches will also be invited to and encouraged to attend the Player Development Program sessions in order to assist and learn from the professional instructors running those clinics.
• We will be providing all coaches with a comprehensive coaching manual, detailing practice plans, game strategies and recommended drills for each division of play. 
• We’re also creating an extensive library of professional coach training materials, including books and DVDs, which will be available for checkout by coaches before and during the season. 
• Each division of play will have a league VP assigned to monitor the quality of coaching within that division and conduct ongoing training and share “best practices”.
• In most divisions, teams will be sharing practice space and encouraged to pool their coaching resources so that less experienced coaches can learn from our most capable coaches.
• At the end of the season, we will survey parents for feedback on their child’s experience in Mercer Island Little League, including the effectiveness of his/her coach.

What are parents expected to do to help with their child’s team?
In order to reduce the burden on volunteer coaches and “spread the load”, we will be asking each family to volunteer a minimum of 4 hours toward assisting their child’s team in some way, such as:  assisting at several practices, supervising the dugout during games, operating the pitching machine, umpiring at games, coordinating a snack schedule and end (and/or beginning) of season party, serving as team video/ photographer, or assisting at Opening Day.  It’s important for parents to realize that it’s simply not possible for 1-2 coaches to run an effective, efficient practice without additional parents there assisting with tasks such as throwing fly balls and grounders during fielding practice, throwing soft toss, etc (many of which require little or no baseball/softball expertise).  Having 1-2 additional parents assisting at each practice, as well as performing the tasks listed above at games, will not only greatly assist your son or daughter’s coaches to do the best job possible, but is also a great way to share the Little League experience with your child and show him or her that you care and support their efforts. 

What levels of play will there be in the Mercer Island Little League in 2008?
Little League provides a great deal of flexibility in the divisions you are allowed to operate, which affords us the chance to offer parents options that best suit their child’s particular situation.  Except as noted, all practices and games will be played on Mercer Island.   For 2008, we will be offering the following baseball divisions (click here for more detail) for boys and girls ages 5-12 ( “league age” as of April 30, 2008):

• T-ball:  Players hit a ball off a batting Tee, for 5-6 year olds.
• Sluggers:   This will be similar to the former “coach pitch” division, but will use pitching machines instead.  There will be one practice per week in a shared, “micro clinic” format and a game on Saturdays; all players will bat each inning, no strikeouts, no end of season tournament.  This is for 6 year olds who have already played a year of T-ball and 7 year olds who prefer a lower level of commitment or need more development before advancing to Rookies.  Important note for parents of 6 year olds:   before registering for Sluggers, please make sure your child can consistently hit a ball pitched from a short distance, as well as throw and catch from a distance of 30 feet; if not, then T-ball would be a better choice.
• Rookies:  Machine pitch for 7-9 year olds.  6 inning games, 3 outs retires the side; 6 pitches per batter; strikeouts allowed.  One practice and two games per week.  9 year olds, and more highly skilled 8 year olds will play in the “National League”, which will introduce limited kid pitching in the second half of the season and will include an end-of-season league tournament.  The remaining 8 year olds and virtually all 7 year olds (who aren’t in Sluggers) will play in the American division, which will be machine pitch all year, with no end-of-season playoffs. Important note for parents of 7 year olds:   before registering for Rookies, please ensure that your child can hit a ball pitched from 40 feet fairly consistently, as well as throw and catch from a distance of at least 50 feet; if not, then Sluggers would be a better choice this year.
• AA:  Entry level kid pitch, for 9 and 10 year olds.  The focus in this division is having fun, learning the game and skill development.  In the first part of the season, coaches may assist with pitching (i.e. finish pitching to a batter after ball 4) in order to keep the games moving by reducing walks.  One practice and two games per week, with an end of season league tournament in late May and Bellevue/MI city tournament in early June.
• AAA:  Intermediate level kid pitch, primarily for 10 and 11 year olds, as well as some highly skilled 9 year olds.   This division will focus on more advanced skill development than AA in order to prepare kids for the Majors level.  One or two practices and two games per week, with an end of season league tournament in late May and Bellevue/MI city tournament in early June.
• Majors:  This is the most advanced and competitive division of Little League, intended primarily for 12 year olds, strong 11 year-olds and outstanding 10 and possibly a few exceptional 9 year olds. Majors focuses on advanced skill development and preparation for all-stars and higher level play beyond age 12. Players will be drafted onto Majors teams based on ability and will generally remain with that team through age 12.  Majors teams will practice and play slightly more than in AAA and AA – i.e. 3 practices per week pre-season, one or two practices during season, and two or three games per week, with an end of season league tournament in late May and Bellevue/MI city tournament in early June.

• T-ball:  Players hit a ball off a batting Tee, for 5-6 year old girls, and 7 year-olds who’ve never played before.
• Minors:  For 6 year-olds who’ve played at least one year of T-ball, most 7 and all 8 year olds, and 9 year olds who aren’t quite ready for Coast (fastpitch) division.  Depending on the number of girls/teams, 9 year olds, and more highly skilled 8 year olds will play in the “National League”, which will introduce limited kid pitching in the second half of the season and will include an end-of-season league tournament.  The remaining 8 year olds and virtually all 7 year olds and any 6 year-olds will play in the “American League”, which will be entry-level machine pitch all year, probably with no end-of-season playoffs.  Minors will practice one weeknight per week and play a game on Saturdays (National League may have some additional mid-week games, and some games may be in Bellevue), plus an end of season league tournament for the National League.  Important note for parents of 7 and especially 6 year olds:   before registering for Minors, please make sure your daughter can consistently hit a ball pitched from a short distance, as well as throw and catch from a distance of 30 feet; if not, then T-ball would be a better choice.
• Coast:  Entry level fastpitch softball, for stronger 9 year olds, 10 year olds, and 11 year old girls who aren’t selected for a Majors team.  Coast teams will have one weeknight practice, one weeknight game and one Saturday game each week, plus an end of season league tournament.  Note:  Our MI Coast teams will play against other eastside teams from throughout our LL district, so expect that at least half of these games will be played off MI.
• Majors:  Advanced fastpitch softball, for all 12 year olds, stronger 11 year olds and outstanding 10 year olds.  One or two practices and two games each week, plus an end of season league tournament.  Note:  Our MI Majors teams will play against other eastside teams from throughout our LL district, so at least half of these games will be played off MI.
• Juniors:  Fastpitch softball for 13-14 year-old girls (strong 12 year-olds can also tryout for Juniors).   One or two practices, and generally two games each week, plus an end of season league tournament.  Note:  At the Juniors level, Mercer Island girls may be combined onto a team with girls from other east side communities that will play other teams in our LL district.  Depending on the number of MI girls on the team, some practices and games may not be held on MI.

 Are there any exceptions allowed to the age brackets – i.e. can my kid “play up”?
Yes, with some restrictions.  In player pitch, kids will be grouped primarily on ability, so highly talented players will automatically be placed up in the division that’s most appropriate for their skills (parents of younger players who don’t want them placed in the Majors division will be able to indicate that during registration).  Specific requests for kids to play up or down will be considered by the MI Little League board, provided there is space available and your child demonstrates the requisite level of skill to play safely and successfully at that level.  At the younger ages, parents can choose what level for which to register their child.  Please see the description of the various divisions, for more information and guidelines as to which division would be most appropriate for your child.     

Why did Mercer Island decide to affiliate with Little League?
Little League Baseball, Inc. is the oldest and largest youth sports organization in the world, serving more than 3 million youth baseball and softball players from around the world – all hoping to compete in the prestigious and exciting Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA, broadcast annually on ESPN and ABC. Affiliating with Little League offers a number of advantages:

• Playing rules better suited to young players
• Greater flexibility in structuring divisions and age brackets:  in particular, LL allows overlapping age brackets, so kids can be grouped more by ability than strictly by age – this allows stronger players to be challenged without overwhelming those developing more slowly
• Outstanding coach development training and resources
• The premier all-star tournament in youth sports
• Very strong programs in neighboring communities
• Opportunity to interlock with nearby leagues for softball

In what ways do Little League’s playing rules differ from PONY?
In Little League, the base paths for baseball are 60 feet and the pitching mound is 46 feet from home, through age 12.  PONY uses the same dimensions for its 9-10 year old “Mustang” division, but for the 11-12 year old “Bronco” division, the base paths are 70 feet and the mound is 48 feet from home.  In Little League, base runners can steal, but they can’t lead off and can’t leave the base until the ball crosses the plate.  In PONY, runners can lead-off and steal at will, batters can run to first on dropped third strikes, and pitchers can be called for balks. 

Which is better?
That, of course, is a matter of opinion, and each has its merits.  Under PONY rules, it’s extremely difficult for even the best catchers to throw out would-be base stealers, so runners can and frequently do steal almost at will.  In Little League, a good catcher has a pretty good chance of throwing out all but the fastest base runners, so stealing does not tend to dominate the game as it often does in PONY.  Also, allowing runners to lead off makes it much more difficult to make force-outs or double plays in PONY than in Little League.  Finally, trying to hold runners on base, pick them off and avoid balks puts a lot more stress on pitchers in PONY, whereas Little League rules allow pitchers to focus primarily on throwing strikes – which is really where it belongs at these ages.  PONY rules also tend to slow the game down considerably relative to LL, which can be a big factor for us parent “spectators”.  Nevertheless, playing “real” baseball rules as allowed in PONY is an exciting option for many kids, so the Islander Travel Teams, which will primarily play under PONY rules, provide an outlet for kids to experience PONY rules in addition to Little League. 

Is this program geared toward recreational players, or just to the more competitive kids?
Both!  Little League’s playing rules (no lead-offs, restricted stealing) make it a much better choice for an inclusive, broad-based program than PONY.  Moreover, because Little League allows for overlapping age brackets, kids are grouped more by ability rather than strictly by age.  This allows stronger players to be challenged, because they will typically “play up” with older kids, without overwhelming those kids who are developing more slowly.  Plus, the combination of Little League’s fantastic all-star program and the Islander Travel Teams will also provide our most committed and talented players with as much challenge as they can handle, while still playing with their friends in a community based program. 

Where do the “best kids” in the area play:  Little League or PONY?
That varies a lot by community.  Nationally and internationally, Little League is by far the dominant program, with more than twice as many kids playing as in all other youth baseball programs combined.  In most communities on the eastside, Little League is extremely strong, and virtually all the top kids play Little League.  This is true in, among others, Redmond (which went to the Little League World Series two years ago), Kirkland (which won the LLWS back in the 80s), Snoqualmie Valley, Sammamish, Mill Creek and the Newport area, where the Thunderbird Little League has been an effective feeder program for Newport High School, one of the most successful high school baseball program in the state.  In other communities, notably West Seattle and the North Seattle area, PONY is strong.  Bellevue is somewhat of an aberration, because the Bellevue PONY league accepts pre-formed (i.e. “Select”) teams from throughout the area to play there, so it tends to draw some very strong teams comprised of some outstanding players.  Therefore, it’s an attractive option for many “select” teams who seek top competition; however, there are many weaker teams in the league as well, so there are often huge mismatches among teams in each division.  Ultimately, we decided that the best option for Mercer Island is to form a strong Little League for all MI players to participate in, which will allow our top kids at each age to represent us in the LL all-star tournament, and to supplement this with the Islander Travel Team program, which will allow our most competitive kids to also experience playing together in PONY-based tournaments as well as a limited schedule in the Bellevue PONY league. 

If my son plays in Mercer Island Little League, will he still be ready to play at the Koufax level when he’s 13?
Absolutely.  Many MI kids, including the current MI High School players, and strong teams at the 8^th and 7^th grade levels, have successfully made the jump straight from Little League to Koufax.  Whether a player is able to compete at the Koufax level at age 13 is much more dependent on his innate abilities and skill, passion for the game and level of commitment, than on which program he played in prior to that.  The top players from either Little League or PONY will be able to make the jump to Koufax with equal proficiency.  Although PONY will expose players to some aspects of the game that they will encounter in Koufax – specifically lead-offs, pick-offs, balks, and running on dropped 3^rd strikes – these are easily learned once a player turns 13 and mostly only affect pitchers anyway.  And because Little League focuses more on fundamental baseball skills, Little Leaguers may actually be better prepared for Koufax, relative to those who played PONY.  Finally, since we expect most of our top “prospects” to try out for Islander Travel Teams (which will typically play under PONY rules) in addition to playing Little League, they’ll get a head-start on developing these additional skills anyway, so this really becomes a moot point. 

Who runs Mercer Island Little League?
Each Little League is operated by a volunteer board of directors, under a charter granted by Little League International.  The league’s board of directors is elected annually (in the fall) by the general membership of the league, i.e. the parents of players in the league.  The local board elects officers, sets policies and oversees all operations of the league, in accordance with Little League International policies and rules.  In our case, the MI Little League operates in close cooperation with the Mercer Island Boys and Girls Club, whose outstanding staff handles player and coach registration, finances, field and umpire scheduling, uniform orders and more.  The MI Little League Board of Directors and its officers are in turn responsible for all league policy and playing rules, player evaluations, team formation, coach recruitment, training, development and evaluation, and all-star selections.  In general, parents should always contact the applicable volunteer Player Agent with any questions or concerns they may have about the division or team their son or daughter is assigned to, all star-selections, league policies, etc.  All coach-related concerns should be addressed to the volunteer VP of the applicable division. 

Where can I get more information?
Visit the Mercer Island Little League website:   www.MercerIslandLittleLeague.org. 

Islander Travel Teams (ITT) program

ITT is a program offered by the MI Boys & Girls Club, which is separate from, but supplemental and complementary to, Little League baseball.  The ITT program is overseen by an independent, volunteer Board of Directors and also operates in close cooperation with the MI Boys and Girls Club.  See the ITT web site for more information. 

So what is ITT all about?
Although the core Little League program will provide plenty of baseball for the vast majority of kids, many players want even more baseball, as well as opportunities to play at a higher level of competition.  The MI Boys and Girls Club has therefore created a series of Islander Travel Teams to supplement the core Little League program for kids who want to play in additional weekend tournaments during the spring and summer, who want to experience playing under PONY rules, and/or who want to play at the most competitive level they can with the other top players from the Island.  The program consists of 1-2 teams each at ages 9, 10, 11 and 12, which will typically practice and/or play one game per week during the LL season, either in the Bellevue PONY league or against other suitable local competition, as well as at least two tournaments, including a Memorial Day tournament, plus probably 1-4 tournaments during the summer.   

Does this mean that kids on Islander Travel Teams will be on two teams at once?  How will that work?
Yes, to a limited extent though.  Islander Travel Teams are designed to be supplemental to Little League baseball, by providing extensive pre-season training, as well as opportunities to play in tournaments during the spring and summer.  ITT teams do not play a full league schedule in the spring, as all players on ITT teams are also on MI Little League Teams during the regular season (and possibly all-stars).  During the LL season, ITT teams will practice and/or play one game together each week, typically on Friday evenings and/or Sunday afternoons, so as to not conflict with MI Little League games.  In other words, ITT primarily “bookends” the regular LL season, but also supplements it with additional training and playing opportunities during the regular LL season.  This is similar to high school baseball, where most serious players also play on club teams that train together during the winter, go on hiatus during the high school season, and then resume in late spring and play a full summer schedule. 

Can the same individuals coach in MI Little League and coach an ITT team?
Yes, you can coach a regular season MI Little League team, as well as coach an ITT team. 

Can the same individuals coach an ITT team and coach a Little League all-star team?
Yes, however there are some minor restrictions.  In particular, LL All-Star coaches much coach regular season LL teams as well, however – they can’t just coach ITT and still be eligible for LL all-stars. 

Will the kids selected for the Islander Travel Teams automatically make the Little League all-star team?
No, the selection processes for ITT and LL All-stars are completely separate.  Little League players will vote on who should be selected as all-stars, and then there will be a separate, very intensive tryout for the Little League all-star teams that will take place following the regular Little League season.  The players who make this team will likely include many of the same players who were selected for the ITT team(s) following the ITT tryouts in March, but there is no guarantee for any player, and it’s highly likely that some players who make the ITT roster will not make the all-star team, and vice versa.  Players must come to Show Your Stuff day on January 27 or Feb. 2, and participate in at least 50% of their regular season MI Little League games to be eligible for LL all-stars.  

Player Development Program 

What is the Player Development Program?
The PDP is designed for players of all skill levels 7-12 years old who want to get a head start on honing their skills for the season.  The PDP is only open to players who register for MI Little League. Sessions will start January 5-6^th, 2008 and run weekly on Saturday mornings for Softball, and Sunday afternoons for baseball until early March when league play begins. Sessions will be held primarily indoors at the MIBGC gym and batting cages. Outdoor sessions may begin after March 1^st when fields become available.  Sessions focus on hitting, pitching fundamentals, infield / outfield play, and strength and conditioning. PDP instructors will be Mercer Island High School coaches and players, professional instructors, and MI Little League coaches. The cost for this program is $125. You may register for the PDP through the MIBGC website, www.mipositiveplace.org, when you sign your player(s) up for Little League baseball. 

What sessions will be offered?
The following sessions will be offered – all will be held at the MI Boys and Girls Club:

• Baseball - Ages 7-8: There will be one session on Sunday afternoons from 11:00 – 12:30 for baseball players age 7-8. Maximum of 50 players due to space constraints.
• Baseball - Ages 9-10: There will two sessions - each with a maximum of 50 players – with players grouped by skill level so that instruction can be more targeted to each player’s ability and needs:    
  • General session:  Sunday afternoons from 12:45 – 2:15, January 6 through March 9 (excluding Jan. 27).
  • Advanced/ITT session: