Little League World Series (Great Lakes Region)

The Great Lakes Region is one of ten United States regions that currently sends teams to the Little League World Series, it is the largest youth baseball competition that is in the world. The region's participation in the LLWS dates back to 1957, when it was known as the Central Region. However, when the LLWS was expanded in 2001 from eight teams (four U.S. teams and four "International" teams from the rest of the world) to 16 teams (eight U.S. and eight International), the Central Region was split into the Great Lakes and Midwest Regions.

FormerlyCentral Region (1957–2000)

SportBaseball

Founded2000; 26 years ago (2000)

No. of teams5

Quick facts Formerly, Sport ...

Great Lakes Region

Most recent season or competition: 2026 Little League World Series qualification
Formerly	Central Region (1957–2000)
Sport	Baseball
Founded	2000; 26 years ago (2000)
No. of teams	5
Country	United States
Most recent champions	West Side Little League, Hamilton, Ohio
Most titles	Kentucky (8) Grosse Pointe Woods-Shores Little League, Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan (3) Bowling Green Eastern Little League, Bowling Green, Kentucky (3) West Side Little League, Hamilton, Ohio (3)
Website	Little League Baseball & Softball Central Region Headquarters

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The Great Lakes Region has a unique definition that it does not correspond with the normally understood definition of the "Great Lakes" area, even when the context is restricted to the U.S. Although eight U.S. states (and the Canadian province of Ontario) border on the Great Lakes, only four of them are in Little League's Great Lakes Region:

• Illinois
• Indiana
• Michigan
• Ohio

One state that does not border any of the Great Lakes, and in fact has no territory within the Great Lakes watershed, is included in this region:

• Kentucky

Two other states that border on the Great Lakes, New York and Pennsylvania are in other regions; Pennsylvania plays in the Mid-Atlantic region, while New York plays in the Metro region. The remaining U.S. state that borders on the Great Lakes, Minnesota, is in the Midwest region. (The Canadian provinces that border the Great Lakes have their Little League champions participate in a nationwide tournament, with the winner representing Canada in the International bracket at the LLWS.)

Following the 2021 LLWS, Wisconsin has been moved over to the Midwest Region. This move coincides with a planned expansion of the LLWS from 16 to 20 teams. This expansion was originally scheduled to occur for 2021, but was delayed to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[1]