Two More Protests Filed at Little League Softball Southwest Region Tournament
Two more Southwest Region Little League Softball teams have filed protests in Waco, Texas, bringing the total to three in three days.
Greater Helotes (Texas West) and Eastbank (Louisiana) followed Industrial Little League’s (Texas East) lead by filing protests on Sunday night and Monday afternoon.
The protest from Texas West is similar to the one filed by Texas East, according to an email obtained by Softball On SI.
The complaint challenges the eligibility of Tulsa National Little League (Oklahoma) and references “residency requirements, tournament roster compliance, and administrative conduct that, if substantiated, directly impact the integrity of the 2026 Little League Softball Tournament.”
“Little League has built its reputation on fairness, integrity, and providing every child an equal opportunity to compete under the same rules,” Chelsea Owens, president of GHLL, writes. “We believe those principles are best protected through a transparent, impartial, and comprehensive review process.
🚨 BREAKING: A formal eligibility protest has been filed during the Little League Softball Southwest Region Tournament, placing Team Oklahoma under renewed scrutiny one year after Tulsa National Little League's eligibility was questioned.
— Maren Angus (@Maren_Angus) July 19, 2026
Details at Softball On SI ⬇️…
“Because the Southwest Region Tournament is currently ongoing, we respectfully request that this matter be reviewed on an expedited basis to preserve the integrity of the tournament and ensure that any necessary action can be taken while meaningful remedies remain available.”
The protest filed by Eastbank Little League is slightly different from the previous two and claims that Oklahoma falsified official documents.
Eastbank chose to go this route after Little League Vice President of Operations and International Tournament Director Dan Velte reportedly denied the protest filed by Texas East.
Softball on SI obtained the protest submitted by Eastbank Little League, in which the protest claims that the Tournament Eligibility Affidavit itself, filed by Tulsa National Little League, contains falsified information by the Tulsa National Little League coach, Jonathan Arias, League President, Steve Skocik and Oklahoma District 1 District Administrator Mindy Abbott, misrepresenting the eligibility of the players from Tulsa National Little League.
Louisiana filed its protest an hour before taking the field against Oklahoma on Monday afternoon and chose to play the game because the coaches did not want to negatively affect the players’ experience at the region tournament.
Oklahoma won the game 10-1.
AverTHREE COX HITS ANOTHER HOMER!!!!!! ARE YOU KIDDING?! pic.twitter.com/WA0SruChWw
— Little League (@LittleLeague) July 20, 2026
Eastbank is asking the Southwest Region to look into two players who don’t live within the Tulsa boundary and didn’t go to school there either.
“These violations for falsifying a tournament affidavit have raised questions regarding if any of the information in the affidavit is true,” the protest reads. “As a result, we request: Immediate investigation into the above two players’ residency verification to validate the information in the affidavit is falsified. Disqualification of ‘Team Oklahoma’ from all 2026 postseason play. Disciplinary action against District Administrator Mindy Abbott and Steve Skocik for knowingly signing falsified information in a tournament affidavit.”
Softball On SI contacted Little League International for comment and received a comment late Monday night regarding the Texas East protest.
"The Little League International Tournament Committee has carefully reviewed a protest regarding Tulsa National Little League in the Little League Softball Division," a spokesperson told Softball On SI via email. "After reviewing the information provided, along with the eligibility documentation previously reviewed by Little League International, the committee determined that the information provided did not substantiate the protest. As a result, the protest has been denied.
"The International Tournament is guided by Little League’s commitment to put children first. Our responsibility is to ensure that every player, team, and community has the opportunity to compete in an environment that is fair, equitable, and centered on the values of the Little League program. To support that commitment, the Tournament Committee works closely with all local leagues to ensure eligibility documentation is appropriately verified.
"These measures exist for a distinct purpose: to protect the integrity of the International Tournament and, most importantly, the experience of every child who has earned the opportunity to participate.
"If new, and credible, information is later presented indicating that inaccurate or misleading information was provided during the tournament eligibility process, the Little League International Tournament Committee will carefully review those facts and, if appropriate, take further action."
Texas East Files First Protest
Industrial Little League set the tone for the Southwest Region Tournament by filing the first of three separate protests in Waco, Texas, on Saturday.
Texas East accused Tulsa National Little League of violating Little League rules regarding residency and boundary compliance, tournament eligibility, and minimum scheduled games.
“We understand that reviewing this matter may require additional time and effort, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause,” Industrial Little League president Jamie Lankford wrote in an email to Senior Director of Regional Operations Corey Wright and Southwest Region Director Blane Whitmire. “Our intent is not to create unnecessary difficulties or disrupt the tournament. Rather, we believe it is our responsibility to advocate for our players and to ensure that all teams are participating under the same eligibility standards established by Little League.
“We have great respect for the time and dedication of the volunteers and officials who make this tournament possible, and we appreciate your willingness to carefully review our concerns. We simply ask that this protest be considered fairly and in accordance with the applicable Little League rules and regulations.”
The protest was denied shortly after it was submitted.
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Maren Angus was born in Los Angeles and raised in Nashville, Tenn. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and has been a sports writer since 2008. She has been covering college softball since 2016 for various outlets including Softball America, ESPNW and Hurrdat Sports. She is currently the managing editor of Softball On SI and also serves as an analyst for Nebraska softball games on Nebraska Public Media and B1G+.