WELCOME! ABA TRAVELING INFORMATION MEETING 9U Travel Team

ANDOVER BASEBALL Our goals: fun, competitiveness, development, commitment, improvement. MYAS is our governing body Andover Baseball is Top-Tier volunteer organization. Selected to host14AAA and 15AA GSTOC, 14/15U Rec State and All Star tournament for 13–15 year olds. 10 of the 13 teams were awarded state tournament berths this year as well as 1 national berth. All-star baseball all summer long! 10AAA

A Typical ABA Traveling Season 16 league games plus end of year league playoff (12 league games for 9U) 8 home and 8 away (6 home and 6 away 9U) 3 tournaments paid for by ABA Held between May and July Additional tournaments may be added by teams; these are not paid for by ABA Some teams elect to have out of town tournaments. Additional fees would apply. If teams qualify for a State Championship, ABA will pay registration fee, not gate fee. Approximately 4 nights of baseball per week between practices and games 12AAA

WHY FALL TRYOUTS? Authentic skill evaluation Off-season training opportunities Tournament planning Potential fund raising 13AA

TRYOUT DETAILS  9U – 8, 9 year olds.  All other levels play and tryout at their age/grade levels.  One evaluated tryout and one scrimmage night.  There are two nights of evaluations. Travel director needs to know if one date does not work.  August 16 th we will send stating which evaluation date to attend.  Scores based on 1 – 10 range in multiple categories.  Players will be given a designated number for both tryout nights that they will wear. Remember this number.  No traveling baseball attire allowed at tryouts.  Closed tryouts. 13A

TIMES  August 18th th at ASN  9U: 5:30- 7:00 p.m.  10U: 5:50 - 7:15 p.m.  11s: 6:10 – 7:30 p.m.  12s: 6:30 – 8:00p.m.  13s: 6:50 – 8:15 p.m.  14s: 7:10 – 9:00 p.m.  August 23 st at ASN  9U: 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.  10U: 4:20- 5:50 p.m.  11s: 4:40 – 6:10 p.m.  12s: 5:00 – 6:50 p.m.  13s: 5:25 – 7:15 p.m.  14s: 5:50 – 7:45 p.m. Show up early to warm up  August 25 th Scrimmage Times TBD  9U: Sunshine #5  10U: Sunshine #6  11s: Shadowbrook South  12s: Shadowbrook North  13s: ASN East  14s: ASN West In case of rain out, evaluation would be scheduled for Monday August 24 th.

SCORING CRITERIA FOR EVALUATORS  Hitting  Criteria: stance, mechanics, bat speed, power, contact.  Machine pitch and Front flips/toss.  8-10 swings in each cage.  Pop-up nets and tees for warm up.  Infielding  Criteria: footwork, glove work, accuracy of throw, strength of throw, quickness, ball transfer.  6 ground balls at short stop.  Throw to first base.  Area to warm up.  Outfielding  Criteria: footwork, glove work, accuracy of throw, strength of throw, quickness, ball transfer.  5 fly balls at various locations in outfield.  Throw to second base.

SCRIMMAGE FORMAT  Coach candidates and ABA Personnel run the scrimmage.  Opportunities given to those who would like to pitch and catch.  – kids rotate through multiple positions.  12 and up – some specialization according to middle infield, corners; most kids play outfield.  All kids hit and will be rotated in and out in the scrimmage.  Opportunity for coaches to see kids in a game situation.  Closed try-out. 14AA

COACH SELECTION  Coaches must submit an /application to be head coach to me no later than August 15th.  Name, phone, age level you wish to coach, coaching resume, reason you want to coach.  Qualified candidates will be ed on August 16th and invited to attend the tryout evenings – August 18th, August 23rd, and August 25th.  Coach interviews will take place in September; a committee of non-traveling baseball minds as well as ABA representation.  Bring specific practice plan, goals for season, rotation, and other relevant credentials. 9U

COACH SELECTION  Coaches will be ranked by the interview committee and selected based on player ranking.  Coaches will be notified in early September.

PLAYER SELECTION  Teams will be selected around mid September.  Sometime during the week of September 14th, coaches will meet with an ABA sub- committee and select their teams.  Shortly after, players will be notified of selections at andoverbaseball.org on the tryouts page. Look for your player number.  Coaches will contact players within the week after numbers are posted.  Those players who do not make traveling can register for in-house in January.  AAA coach must select 4 of the top 6 and then can select his team through the top 16. pending approval of ABA sub- committee a coach could select from  AA coach – players are re-ranked and coach must follow same criteria.

THEN WHAT?  Register your child from October 1st – October 31 st.  Coaches roundtables throughout the off season.  Tournaments are listed in January; input to Vicki Kruth, Tournament Director.  Organized team training can begin during off season; some additional costs associated. This will be left up to the coaches to rent facilities and determine amounts.  Outdoor practices will occur once the city releases the fields to ABA after the winter.  League games typically begin in late April; dates are not set by MYAS as of now.  First tournament usually in May.

WHAT IFS…  What if a player moves out or has a significant health issue so that (s)he can’t play? If a player moves or has a significant health issue that arises PRIOR to April 1st, coaches may take a player from a lower tier pending a meeting with traveling director, affected coaches, and parents/player being moved up.  What if a player can’t tryout? 80% of previous year’s score + coach’s input. No tryout score, no traveling.

REGISTRATION  In-House season fee must be paid by the tryout date  9U$  10/11U $  12U$  13/14$  $25 non refundable try out fee.  Registration will remain open through the day of tryouts  Volunteer Hours have been changed from 5 hours, to 5 hours PER CHILD, with a maximum of 10 hours.  This is due to ABA taking over the concession stand at Andover Station North  The Volunteer Check MUST be mailed in or brought to tryouts. Your child will not be able to try out until the check is received.  The Volunteer Check will remain at $150  The Volunteer Buyout will remain at $100 for those interested  All Travel teams 9U-14U will have a flat rate of $440 (plus any processing fees for online payment).  This fee includes a custom jersey with your child's name that he will keep  Players selected for Travel Teams will pay the remaining balance after teams are announced.  Players not selected can have their In-House funds credited towards their In-House season or have them refunded  The ABA Refund Policy can be reviewed on our website

EXPECTATIONS  Our expectations for the season is the baseball is the sporting priority. Kids are not allowed to be on another roster during the season. We expect that any off season sports do not conflict with baseball.  We expect parents to provide advance notice on any non-sport conflict (e.g. family, faith, school, etc.) that could interfere with team activities. The MYAS scheduling meeting is typically held in April and calendars should be open to accommodate schedule flexibility that's beneficial to the team. Our travel coaches have to make difficult decisions as it relates to making roster cuts and we expect all players on roster to be fully committed during the season.  We expect every player and parent to follow the code of conduct guidelines set by ABA and MYAS. Represent our community with integrity.

THANK YOU FOR COMING!