1. BURNSVILLE TRAVELING BASEBALL New to Traveling Baseball Parent Info
(BTB) 2018
New to Traveling Baseball Parent Info
January 2018

2. Agenda Background info Schedule/Tournaments Coaches Commitment
Additional Info
Questions

3. Player Quotes: “I get to make new friends from other schools.”
“ I like going out of town.”
“ I play different positions.”
“Spending time with my teammates.”

4. "I like that my child gets to travel to all of the different cities, more exposure, and better competition."
“The opportunity to play competitive baseball in a fun environment where the team is like a family. The traveling baseball community is a close group that supports the kids and families.”
“It gives my player an opportunity to be a leader on his team.”
“I like getting to know other kids from different communities. My player has made quite a few ‘out of town’ friends. Everyone is starting to recognize each other.”
Parent Quotes:
“A very enjoyable way to spend the spring and summer.”

5. Traveling Baseball Background Info
Players ages 9 through 15 years old. Third-graders who are still 8 years old can also try out for the 10U level along with the 9-year-olds.
Minors are 10, 11, 12 U teams
Majors are 13, 14, 15 U teams
Season
All teams complete play by the last weekend of July
There are free weekends during the season -- usually two per month
No games are played Memorial Day weekend or July 4th

6. Schedule 16 league games and 4 tournaments (minimum).
Average season is games.
Typical pre-season week (April)
Indoor practices
Outdoor practices when fields open
4-6 sessions/week
Typical in-season (May-June) week
one or two practices
two league games
Tournaments on weekends
League games played during the week against other communities like Apple Valley, Lakeville, Bloomington and Eden Prairie…Waconia

7. Tournaments Three local/Twin Cities weekend tournaments
One out-of-town tournament
Ten-year-old tournaments are all local
Tournaments begin Friday evening/Saturday morning and conclude on Sunday afternoon (if your team advances)
Teams may qualify for state tournaments (up to 3), which are held during the month of July
May take up entire weekend depending on schedule/weather

8. Traveling Baseball Background Info
Fees for 2018 Traveling Baseball
Total $400: $ registration fee, $50.00 non-refundable tryout fee, $30 BAC administrative fee
The deposit collected at the time of registration is equal to the total In-house fee plus the non-refundable tryout fee
No admission fees for games
Scholarships available

9. Uniforms 2 Jerseys 1 pair of pants Fitted hat with number
sample of uniforms
Potential additional costs:
Indoor practice costs
Additional pants
Gate fees (state tournaments)
Bat, glove, batting helmet
Additional equipment

10. Traveling Baseball Participation Info
Number of Teams
age 10 11 12 13 14 15
# of Players
year
2013 3 4 2
252
2014
240
2015
204
2016
182
2017
168

11. Coach Selection and Playing Time
Coaches
Coaches selected via application and interview process (complete for 2018)
Head Coaches have demonstrated baseball experience/coaching experience
Assistant Coaches selected by head coach
All must pass background check
All must adhere to coaches’ code of conduct
Expectations of practice frequency and player development
Coaches’ feedback survey
Playing time
BTB promotes and tracks a fair-play policy
5% guideline for all players (not applicable for 15s)
Attendance and attitude may influence this depending on coaches’ policies

12. Family Commitment
Parents are expected to get their child to all games and practices…on time
Families are required to volunteer at the Burnsville Invitational Tournament (June 8-10) and State Tournaments (July 20-22)
This works out to 2 or 3 shifts per family for each of the two weekend tournaments…there is no door to door fundraising
Travel Baseball in Burnsville commitment for not only the player but the family

13. Tryouts and Team Selection
Tryouts on March 17 and 18 at Savage Dome
Fielding, Hitting, pitching/catching, running are all part of tryout process.
Players that have made a BTB team will be posted on the Burnsville Traveling Baseball website by March TBD.
Tryout schedules will be handed out and available on the website at the pre-tryout Parent Meeting on Monday, March 5, 2018.
Potential for reassignment
All players not making a traveling team will be reassigned to an In-house team if they choose that option at the time of registration. No player is denied the opportunity to play baseball. Because of the timing of tryouts, In-House reassignments cannot be guaranteed placement on their neighborhood team.

14. Tryout Equipment and Prep
Tennis shoes or rubber molded cleats
Athletic supporter with a protective cup for indoor fielding
Glove
Bat-USA stamped
Batting helmet
Prep
Playing catch
Hitting cages
Grounders and Fly Balls

15. Bat rules for 2018 in MBL/MBT:
Bat restrictions: 9U-14U: All bats must have the new USA stamp (unless using a -3 BBCOR bat). 15’s can use a BBCOR bat or wood bat.
9-U, 10-U, 11-U, 12-U, 13-U Bats must be:
2 1/4" with unlimited weight differential “DROP”
2 5/8" and have a -11 weight differential “DROP” less (i.e. 31” – 20.0 oz.)
14-U: Either a drop 5 (-5) bat with a USA Bat stamp, or a BBCOR bat with a drop 3 (-3). BBCOR bats do not require a USA Bat stamp.
15-U: All bats will continue to meet the BBCOR -3 standard.
MYAS, which runs the Gopher State league and year-end state tournament, voted to NOT switch to the new USA Bat certification.
Therefore, the USSSA-stamped bats that have been used for many years will remain legal in a tournament hosted by a Gopher State community and will also be legal in the Gopher State Tournament. So if your son has a USSSA bat from this past season, you should hang onto it in case you play in any of those tournaments.
**PLEASE NOTE: A USA Bat (or BBCOR at 14/15u) will be required for BTB tryouts in March.

16. 9/10-year-old policy
BTB will allow 9-year-olds to try out at 10-year-old age level. A 9-year-old is defined as a player who is 9 years old by August 31st, 2018 and a 3rd grader.
9- and 10-year-olds are eligible to make any 10-year-old team, including 10AAA
BTB will determine how many 9-year-olds make a team based on registration numbers
After the first season playing as a 9-year-old on a 10-year-old team, the player must commit to either moving up the next year to play at 11s with his grade level (typically a 9-year-old in 4th grade as of April 30th, 2017), or remain at the 10s the following year (typically a 9-year-old in 3rd grade his first year playing 10s). Once a player commits to playing up with their grade after that first year, he may not elect to move down in later seasons (i.e. play at 11s two years in a row). A player who elects to play at 10s again a year after playing as a 9-year-old may elect to move up an age level in later seasons (i.e. play second year at the 10s but then skip to 12s to play with his grade the following season)
4th-grade player priority over 3rd-grade selection

17. Volunteer BTB Board
Mark Nesvig (president) David Limberg (vice president) Teresa Christenson (secretary) Dave Santleman (treasurer) Mike Neutz (minors director) Tim Emerson (majors director) Brook Dawson (tournament director)

18. Additional info
The Burnsville Traveling Baseball website:
and we will respond in a timely manner
Metro Baseball League’s website can be found at
You can visit our information table at in-person registration Saturday February 3rd Nicollet Middle School
Parent pre-tryout meeting and all parent meeting