BURNSVILLE TRAVELING BASEBALL
(BTB) 2017
New to Traveling Baseball Parent Info
January 2017
"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.”
“A very enjoyable way to spend the spring and summer.”
Agenda
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Background info
Schedule/Tournaments
Coaches
Commitment
Additional Info
Questions
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
Schedule
 16 league games and 4 tournaments (minimum).
 Average season is 30-40 games.
 Typical pre-season week (April)
 Indoor practices
 Outdoor practices when fields open
 4-6 sessions/week
 Typical in-season (May-June) week
 one practice time
 two league games
 Tournaments on weekends
 League games played during the week against other communities like Apple
Valley, Lakeville, Bloomington and Eden Prairie…Waconia
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
Traveling Baseball Background Info
 Fees for 2017 Traveling Baseball
 Total $390; includes $40 non-refundable tryout fee and a $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
 Scholarships available
Fee Comparison
700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
Edina
Chaska
Eden Prairie
Prior Lake
Base
tryout
Lakeville
additional
Apple Valley
Burnsville
Farmington
Traveling Baseball Participation Info
Number of
Teams
age
10
11
12
13
14
15# of Players
2013
3
4
4
4
4
2
252
2014
3
2
4
4
3
3
240
2015
3
2
2
4
4
2
204
2016
3
2
2
2
4
2
182
year
Coach Selection and Playing Time
Coaches
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Coaches selected via application and interview process
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 14/15)
 Attendance and attitude may influence this depending on coaches’ policies
Uniforms
 2 Jerseys
 1 pair of pants
 Fitted hat
 sample of uniforms
Potential additional costs:
 Names on jerseys/numbers on hats
 Indoor practice costs
 Additional pants
 Gate fees
 Additional equipment
Tryouts and Team Selection
• Tryouts on March 16, 18 and 19.
• 2 sessions of tryouts
• Minors hitting tryouts at the Savage Dome on Thursday, March 16.
• Majors hitting tryouts at the Savage Dome on March 18 or 19.
• Fielding, pitching/catching for all players March 18-19 at the Savage Dome.
• Players that have made a BTB team will be posted on the Burnsville Traveling Baseball
website by March 21st.
• Tryout schedules will be handed out and available on the website at the pre-tryout
Parent Meeting on Monday, March 6, 2016.
• 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.
Tryout Equipment and Prep
Equipment
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Tennis shoes or rubber molded cleats
Athletic supporter with a protective cup for indoor fielding
Tennis shoes only for hitting
Glove
Bat
Batting helmet
Prep
• Playing catch
• Hitting cages
• Grounders and Fly Balls
“Spending time with my teammates.”
“ I play different positions.”
“ I like going out of town.”
“I get to make new friends from other schools.”
Family Commitment
• Parents are expected to get their child to all games and practices…on
time
• Families are expected to volunteer at the Burnsville Invitational
Tournament (June 9-11) and the MBT and Gopher State Tournaments
(July 21-23)
• This works out to 2 or 3 shifts per family for each of the two weekend
tournaments
• Travel Baseball in Burnsville commitment for not only the player but
the family
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, 2017 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
Bat rules:
• For the 2017 MBL/MBT season, the bat rules will remain the same as
2016. The 10U bat rules for MBL/MBT are:
• Bats with a 2 1/4" barrel can have an unlimited weight differential,
but bats with a barrel between 2 1/2" and 2 3/4" must have a -10
differential or less (i.e. 30” – 20.0 oz.)
• Sample bat
Volunteer BTB Board
Mark Nesvig (president)
David Limberg (vice president)
Teresa Christenson (secretary)
Tim Hull (treasurer)
Mike Neutz (minors director)
Tim Burns (majors director)
Brook Dawson (tournament director)
Additional info
• The Burnsville Traveling Baseball website:
www.burnsvilletravelingbaseball.com
• e-mail: [email protected] and we will respond in a timely
manner.
• Metro Baseball League’s website can be found at www.mbl.bz.
• You can visit our information table at in-person registrations (Feb. 4)
to obtain additional information.
• Parent pre-tryout meeting and all parent meeting