Baseball Youth - Winter Issue

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FIRST PITCHTHE PITCH...

FIRST PITCHSUPER SELFIE!

6 2015 | Issue 2 baseballyouth.com

FIRST PITCHFUTURE’S BRIGHT

18 BASEBALL YOUTH ALL-AMERICAN GAMESOver 300 of the top travel ball players in the country were honored at the second annual Baseball Youth All-American Summer Games.

40 BASEBALL YOUTH ALL-STAR CHALLENGEEast wins Baseball Youth All-Star Challenge featuring 50 of the nation’s best 12U players at Baseball Heaven in Yaphank, New York.

45 RIPKEN EXPERIENCEIN THE LAND OF MOREThe Ripken Baseball tradition continues with a brand new tournament destination set to open in 2016. A $22.5 million facility nestled in the Smoky Mountains of Pigeon Forge, Tennesse.

ROUNDING THE BASESFIRST PITCH 4FUN FACTS 8AROUND THE NATION 10HOT PRODUCTS 13ELITE 25 RANKINGS 14POSTER 24YOUTH BASEBALL TALK 38UPCOMING EVENTS 42

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BASEBALL YOUTH MAJORSNorth Myrtle Beach, Indianapolis and Vero Beach all had the

distinct honor of hosting Baseball Youth Majors this summer, and each was a week full of extraordinary action and fun. 28

2015 • WINTER

Starting Lineup

Cover photo by Scott Hacker

BASEBALL YOUTHNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

BASEBALL YOUTHFUTURE GAMES

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President / PublisherScott M. Hacker

Dugout Media735 W. Main St.

Morehead, KY 403511-866-500-4225

www.dugoutmedia.com

EDITORIALEditorial Director

Matt Jones Assistant Editor

Emily AndrewsContributing Writers

Powell Cobb Steve HuntJoel Poiley

Haley SmilowContributing Photographers

Haim Ariav & GlossyFinish.com Justin K. AllerMark Skalny

Editorial InternsElaine Carper

Benjamin ParsleyDawn Pittman

Michael VanderkolkMedia Advisor

AJ Hacker

CREATIVEArt DirectorJustin Wollard

ADVERTISINGPhone: 606-784-1877 • Fax: 859-201-1107

E-mail: [email protected] Director

Brandi Rayburn Team Coordinator

Ryan FryeDirector of Development

Sara Hacker

Questions?E-mail [email protected] or call 606-784-1877Baseball Youth is a publication of Dugout Media, Inc. Contents of the magazine may not be reproduced or copied in any other form without obtaining writtenpermission from Baseball Youth, Dugout Media or any other person orcompany who may have copyright ownership.©2015 Dugout Media, Inc.

Subscribe toReceive five issues of The Nation’s Baseball Magazine

for Kids for only $23.95Subscribe online at BaseballYouth.com or call 606-784-1877

www.baseballyouth.com [email protected]

2015 | Winter baseballyouth.com8

The Nation’s Baseball Magazine for Kids

Five FUN Things Teams Want at a Week-Long Tournament

Have a suggestion for High Five? E-mail us at [email protected]!

1 Amusement Park

2 Water Park

3 Beach

4 Restaurants

5 Nice Lodging

HIGH

Five TournamentMemorabilia Items

1 Event T-Shirts

2 Baseball Hats

3 Bucket Hats

4 Hoodies

5 Beach Balls

Five Things That Make a Tournament Successful

1 Quality Teams

2 Organization

3 Opening Ceremonies

4 Skills Competition

5 Awards

Five Things Players Don’t Leave Home Without When Going on a Trip

1 Phone

2 Baseball Equipment

3 Uniform

4 Playstation / Xbox

5 Extra Pillow

Fun Facts

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THE BRAND OF CHOICE FOR LITTLE LEAGUERS ATTHE 2015 LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL® WORLD SER IES

W W W . E A S T O N . C O M

CALEB “SMALLS” AICH

DENALI RIVERA

MAX SOLIZ JR.

Age: 10 Team: Central Arkansas Blue Sox Positions: 2B, SS, C, P Hometown: Greenbrier, Ark.Caleb started playing baseball when he was 4 years old. He loves playing middle infield and after a win he is known for flipping across the field. He was selected to play in the Travelball All-American Classic. He really enjoys playing because he gets to meet and play the game he loves with kids from all over the nation. He has played in the Baseball Youth All-American Summer and Winter Games, on the Baseball Youth Elite teams that went to Disney, and the teams that competed in the Baseball Youth Majors. Off the field Caleb can be found playing soccer, foot-ball, basketball, and competing with his level 2 Cheer Force Arkansas squad, the Thunderbirds.

Age: 10 Team: Phenom Positions: C, P, SS Hometown: Brooklyn, New YorkDenali has been playing the game since he was three years old. His passion for the game has grown tremendously. He has been playing travel baseball since the age of 6 and since then, has been chosen to play on several travel teams and has traveled in and out of the United States as far as Puerto Rico. His favorite slogan is hard work and dedication and he sure shows that on the field!

Age: 13 Team: Team Citius Positions: C, 3B, 1B, P Hometown: Houston, TexasMax’s work ethic is through the roof. He loves to be in the cage working on getting better as a ballplayer and in the classroom as a straight A student. He’s utilizing this fall to focus on getting bigger, faster and stronger. Max’s favorite position is catcher, he spends a lot of time on receiving, blocking and transfer drills. Max recently partici-pated this past summer in the 14U USA Baseball National Championships in Florida and Arizona and the 13U USA Baseball American Elite Championships. One of Max’s favorite national tournaments that he played in was the Baseball Youth All-American Games in Vero Beach.

Think you are Around the Nation material? We want to hear from you! Tell us about your baseball life, and have someone take photos while you are on the field. E-mail your photos and bios to [email protected], and we could feature you in an upcoming issue!

Around the Nation

10 2015 | Winter baseballyouth.com

UNLEASHED PERFORMANCE™

www.ocsports.com/MLBELITE

Contact Baseball Youth® Or Your Local Sporting Goods Store For Details

CUSTOM BUILT FOR THE ELITE BASEBALL PLAYER • MLB BRANDED

The Official Cap of

CALEB “SMALLS” AICH

CJ AUGER

KJ RIVERA

Age: 14 Team: VBBA Navy Positions: OF, 3B Hometown: Vero Beach, FloridaEntering his 11th year playing the game, CJ’s passion continues and his thirst to grow and become a better player is even stronger. He works hard at maintaining a strong bat. He was recently recognized and selected to participate in the Power Showcase/Home Run Derby in Miami this December. His dream is to one day play in the MLB and he wants to go to college to be an athletic trainer. Although his favorite, baseball is not his only sport, CJ also plays football and basketball, and let’s not forget his love for playing the sax in honor and jazz band at school. Lastly, CJ has a newly acquired love for beef jerky after a recent Baseball Youth tournament in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Age: 12 Team: Florida Eagles Positions: C, 1B, P Hometown: Davenport, FloridaKJ began his baseball career at three years old and continues to impress coaches by playing in older more competitive divisions. In addition to playing for the Florida Eagles, KJ has played with Baseball Youth in the Baseball Youth Majors in Vero Beach and the Baseball Youth Future Games in North Myrtle Beach. He was also invited to play in the Baseball

Youth All-American Games later this year. This past summer at Cooper-stown Dreams Park his team finished 16th out of 104 teams. KJ finished fifth in the Home Run Derby contest. KJ looks forward to building on his passion and talent for the game to compete at higher levels in the future.

11

UNLEASHED PERFORMANCE™

www.ocsports.com/MLBELITE

Contact Baseball Youth® Or Your Local Sporting Goods Store For Details

CUSTOM BUILT FOR THE ELITE BASEBALL PLAYER • MLB BRANDED

The Official Cap of

The Clubhouse

MAKO YOUTH GLOVE SERIES$64.99 – easton.com

The MAKO is synonymous with speed, and the MAKO Youth line of ball gloves lives up to the name. They’ve taken proven professional patterns and materials and optimized them for younger players. That includes design details that make the MAKO Youth ball gloves lightweight, comfortable and built to perform from the inside out.

Cowhide is a thinner hide, oil-tanned and tumbled soft, providing a lightweight and flexible glove, perfect for young players HYPERLITE™ design uses lightweight PU to optimize balance and reduce overall weight.

MIZUNO MAXCOR BAT$400 – MizunoUSA.com

The new MAXCOR features an innovative viscoelastic polyurethane (VP) sleeve with a multi- thickness wall (MTW) alloy core to generate maximum distance on every hit. The VP sleeve creates optimized backspin, while the MTW aerospace-grade aluminum core extends the sweet spot across the barrel to pro-duce increased loft and power. Utilizing revolutionary technology, MAXCOR is the ideal bat for players looking to elevate their power to the next level.

Innovative. Quickness. Every element of the new Mizuno Heist IQ is designed with the singular focus of providing unreal first-step quickness. A new anatomical shape--revolutionary in baseball cleats--is contoured to perfectly fit your foot. The IQ sole features strategic stud configuration and Flex Groove technology for powerful boost, while a 3-layer, no-sew upper delivers optimum lightness and durability. Fit to perform, the Heist IQ gives you an advantage with every step.

MIZUNO HEISTIQ CLEATS$100 – MizunoUSA.com

EASTON POWER SENSOR$149.99 – Easton.com

EASTON’S new POWER SENSOR utilizes revolutionary technology to analyze your swing so you can learn to hit with more power and overall efficiency. The app stores swing stats to track your progress, incorporates patented Smart Video Capture™ technology, and al-lows you to compare and share data with friends and coaches. Metrics and Adaptive Slow-Mo can be inte-grated into videos.

The Clubhouse

HOT PRODUCTS

2015 | Winter baseballyouth.com12

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VISIT THE NEW PHITEN WEBSITE TO LEARN MORE

.f. � :: u PHITENUSA.COM Don't forget to hashtag #Philen in your lnstagram photos!

Baseball Youth’s Elite 25 Rankings are back for the final time in 2015 where we have some fun and rank the top 25 travel baseball teams in age groups 9U-13U. Teams are judged based on overall record, previous tournaments, championships won, competition faced, record against ranked teams and recent performances. Below the top 25 in each age group are honorable mention teams that just missed the cut. These teams and others will have the chance to jump up into the rankings next season with strong performances in upcoming tour-naments or missteps by any of the ranked teams. The rankings are updated during the year, but you can stay current on BaseballYouth.com. Just click the Rankings tab on the menu to view each age group of our Elite 25. We will provide new rankings every two weeks, starting next spring. Should your team be on the list? Should we be watch-ing out for your team for next season? Let us know about your team on Instagram by tagging @baseballyouth and #Elite25!*Rankings as of October 15, 2015

WILSON MVP (NORWALK, CALIFORNIA)

LIDS INDIANA BULLS (INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA)

CALI GAMERS (LA PALMA, CALIFORNIA)

ASSAULT ORANGE (PEARLAND, TEXAS)

SAN DIEGO STARS (SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA)

GEORGIA YARD DOGS (ATLANTA, GEORGIA)

BRONCOS (RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS)

CHINO HILLS THUNDER (CHINO HILLS, CALIFORNIA)

SIMI PATRIOTS (SIMI VALLEY, CALIFORNIA)

MCBC HIT DOGS (ROCHESTER HILLS, MICHIGAN)

NEW TAMPA PREDATORS ELITE (TAMPA, FLORIDA)

ELITE GAMERS RWB (McDONOUGH, GEORGIA)

TEAM EASTON (MENIFEE, CALIFORNIA)

FIVE STAR TIGERS EASTON (JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA)

SGV HUSTLE (AZUSA, CALIFORNIA)

TAMPA DIAMOND KINGS (TAMPA, FLORIDA)

RICO KNIGHTS BASEBALL (KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI)

MVP H.A.A. ELITE (HIALEAH, FLORIDA)

DALLAS TEXANS (ROCKWALL, TEXAS)

MIDLAND SEMINOLES (CINCINNATI, OHIO)

TEAM MIAMI (MIAMI, FLORIDA)

OTC BEARCATS (LOCUST GROVE, GEORGIA)

BROOKLYN BLUE STORM THUNDER (BROOKLYN, NEW YORK)

OKLAHOMA MUDCATS (CHOCTAW, OKLAHOMA)

MIAMI PROSPECTS (WEST COLUMBIA, FLORIDA)

Honorable Mention: Team Minion (Indian Trail, N.C.); Tigers Elite (Miami, Florida); Gameday Shockwave (West Columbia, S.C.); Cincy Flames (Cincinnati, Ohio); West Tennessee Indians (Ramer, Tennessee). (More teams listed on baseballyouth.com)

BASEBALL YOUTH’S

ELITE 25RANKINGS

9U RANKINGS1

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National Rankings


MLB SANDCRABS (SINTON, TEXAS)

MVP (SANTA FE SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA)

MIAMI PHENOMS (MIAMI, FLORIDA)

PICO PRIDE (PICO RIVERA, CALIFORNIA)

LBC BRONCOS (RICHMOND, TEXAS)

SGV HUSTLE (WEST COVINA, CALIFORNIA)

MVP OUTLAWS ELITE (MIAMI, FLORIDA)

TEXAS PATRIOTS (SPRING, TEXAS)

WEST BOYNTON COBRAS (BOYNTON BEACH, FLORIDA)

MOTOR CITY HIT DOGS (DETROIT, MICHIGAN)

SAN DIEGO SHOW BLACK (SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA)

MIAMI BASEBALL (MIAMI, FLORIDA)

TEAM CITIUS AUSTIN (TAYLOR, TEXAS)

BANDITOS (HOUSTON, TEXAS)

MGBA BULLDOGS (PEACHTREE CITY, GEORGIA)

YALOBUSHA GIANTS (WATER VALLEY, MISSISSIPPI)

LIDS INDIANA BULLS (CINCINNATI, INDIANA)

TEAM XTREME (PACE, FLORIDA)


TEAM TAMPA (TAMPA, FLORIDA)

UNITED POWER OKLAHOMA (EDMOND, OKLAHOMA)

UTAH YARD DAWGS (DRAPER, UTAH)

3D GOLD (CLIVE, IOWA)

CHINO HILLS THUNDER (CHINO HILLS, CALIFORNIA)

COLUMBUS COBRAS (COLUMBUS, OHIO)

Honorable Mention: Midland Blackhawks (Cincinnati, Ohio); Mississippi Expos (North Mississippi, Mississippi); NTX Eagles (Allen, Texas); Valley Commandos (West Hill, California); South Texas Bravos (Rio Grande Valley, Texas).

10U RANKINGS1

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MVP (WHITTIER, CALIFORNIA)

ARKANSAS STORM (JONESBORO, ARKANSAS)

TEXAS PATRIOTS BLACK (SPRING, TEXAS)

TEAM VICTORY (VALENCIA, CALIFORNIA)

SANDLOT BASEBALL (CHANDLER, TEXAS)

FLORIDA STEALTH (DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA)

BC PHENOM (BERGEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY)

TEAM MVP LEGENDS (MIAMI, FLORIDA)

VIPERS BASEBALL (MIDDLETOWN, DELAWARE)

EAST COBB ASTROS (MARIETTA, GEORGIA)

CENTRAL FLORIDA WOLVERINES (ORLANDO, FLORIDA)

MVP CASILLAS (NORWALK, CALIFORNIA)

SLAM BASEBALL (CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS)

LIDS INDIANA BULLS (INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA)

TEAM RAWLINGS (CYPRESS, TEXAS)

6-4-3 DP COUGARS (BROOKLYN, GEORGIA)

SOUTHERN INDIANA LEGENDS (EVANSVILLE, INDIANA)

HOME PLATE CHILIDOGS (PEACHTREE CITY, GEORGIA)

MIZUNO TGBA ACES (ALPHARETTA, GEORGIA)

FIVE STAR TIGERS EASTON (JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA)

SAN DIEGO SHOW (SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA)

ALABAMA ELITE (McCALLA, ALABAMA)

DALLAS TIGERS (DALLAS, TEXAS)

NJ CHARGERS BASEBALL (KENILWORTH, NEW JERSEY)

LAMORINDA TROJANS (WALNUT CREEK, NEVADA)

Honorable Mention: Orlando Scorpions (Orlando, Florida); Team California (Riverside, California); Ironman Baseball (Sellersburg, Indiana); Brooklyn Blue Storm (Brooklyn, New York); Southern Nevada Baseball (Las Vegas, Nevada).

11U RANKINGS1

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WILSON MVP (NORWALK, CALIFORNIA)

LAMORINDA KNIGHTS (MORAGA, CALIFORNIA)

NORTH TEXAS BANDITOS (RICHARDSON, TEXAS)

ACADEMY SELECT SUN DEVILS (PLANO, TEXAS)

ARKANSAS EXPRESS (CONWAY, ARKANSAS)

TEAM CITIUS (CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS)

CLUB ALL-STAR BLUE (STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA)

CHINO HILLS STORM (CHINO HILLS, CALIFORNIA)

SBA CANES BLACK (MATTHEWS, NORTH CAROLINA)

DALLAS TIGERS (COPPELL, TEXAS)

DUBLIN DODGERS (LAKELAND, TENNESSEE)

TEAM HALO (ATLANTA, GEORGIA)

BRONCOS (HOUSTON, TEXAS)

STRIKE FORCE (TAMPA, FLORIDA)

MOTOR CITY HIT DOGS (ROCHESTER HILLS, MICHIGAN)

SOUTHERN UTAH WOLFPACK (SAINT GEORGE, UTAH)

BANDITOS ELITE (HOUSTON, TEXAS)

TEAM AVALANCHE ELITE (EAGLE LAKE, FLORIDA)

BEAVER VALLEY RED (BEAVER VALLEY, PENNSYLVANIA)

DKSA ELITE (THOMASVILLE, GEORGIA)


INDIANA BASEBALL CLUB (MOORESVILLE, INDIANA)

WISCONSIN VIPERS (VERONA, WISCONSIN)

EAST TENNESSEE CRUSADERS RED (TRI-CITIES, TENNESSEE)

LOUISVILLE STING (LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY)

Honorable Mention: Elite National (Atlanta, Georgia); PL Bulldogs Red (Pembroke Pines, Florida); Spartans Pro (Tampa, Florida); MLP (Jensen Beach, Florida); Sheets Baseball (Lecompte, Louisiana).

12U RANKINGS1

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TEXAS BOMBERS ELITE (WACO, TEXAS)

MVP BANDITOS (MIAMI, FLORIDA)

SGV HUSTLE (AZUSA, CALIFORNIA)

TOTAL BASEBALL VIPERS (SAN FERNANDO VALLEY, CALIFORNIA)

FLORIDA STEALTH RED (DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA)

SADDLEBACK COWBOYS (DANA POINT, CALIFORNIA)

SAN DIEGO SHOW (SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA)

LVR (LAS VEGAS, NEVADA)

OKLAHOMA ELITE (OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA)

SADDLEBACK COWBOYS (DANA POINT, CALIFORNIA)

MOTOR CITY HIT DOGS (ROCHESTER HILLS, MICHIGAN)

TEAM PANAMA (MIAMI, FLORIDA)

OHIO ELITE (DUBLIN, OHIO)


AUSTIN BANDITOS (AUSTIN, TEXAS)


MEMPHIS TIGERS (MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE)

YALOBUSHA GIANTS (OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI)

NEBRASKA NATURALS (OMAHA, NEBRASKA)

DBAT ELITE NORTH (PROSPER, TEXAS)

DALLAS MUSTANGS (DALLAS, TEXAS)

TEXAS STIX BLACK (EULESS, TEXAS)

CLEARWATER REDS (CLEARWATER, FLORIDA)

DYNASTY JACKS (KINGWOOD, TEXAS)

TEAM BEAST BLACK (COMMACK, NEW YORK)

Honorable Mention: RBI Rangers (Knoxville, Tennessee); Midwest Elite (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma); Ohio Bombers (Akron, Ohio); Sandlot (Chandler, Arizona); Clearwater Reds (Clearwater, Florida).

13U RANKINGS1

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National Rankings


All-American Games


Over 300 of the top travel ball players in the country from over 35 states were honored at the second annual Baseball Youth All-American Summer Games on July 20-22 at Grand Park in Westfield, Indiana.

Players were placed on teams within their age divisions and competed against each other in a four-game guarantee format. The event got underway on Monday, July 20 with Opening Ceremonies at Grand Park’s Championship Field as all players were recognized for achieving All-American status. Teams practiced during the day to prepare for the start of pool play on Tuesday, July 21, and everyone participated in the skills competi-tion on Tuesday evening. Team Grey won the 13U/14U division over Team Navy, 14-8. Team Navy won over Team Red, 13-9, in 12U. Both championship teams went undefeated over the two days of play. In 8U/9U, Team Navy won 11-9 over Team Grey in a thrill-ing title game. Both 10U and 11U divisions competed in a round robin format as Team Grey won 10U with a 4-0 record and Team Red won 11U with a 3-1 record. Players were selected as Baseball Youth All-Americans through national try-outs held around the country during the winter, spring and summer. Those who couldn’t attend a tryout were able to submit video nominations to the Baseball Youth scouting staff for evaluation. The next Baseball Youth All-American Games are set for this winter on Dec. 30-Jan. 2 at Historic Dodgertown in Vero Beach, Florida.

BASEBALL YOUTH ALL-AMERICAN GAMES HONORS OVER 300 TOP BALLPLAYERS

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8U-9U DIVISIONTEAM NAVYJackson TerryAden WallacePreston AdamsTadre’ SpurlockIan FuchsGriffin ScheidererAlec LanningEthan PribramskyBreven AndersonMatthew Fontana TEAM REDCaynan SizemoreJesiah AndradeDakoda AckermanReed FrazierNarumi MoriBraden ThomasBilly BourkAdam StewartTate MurphyZachary Fleming TEAM GREYHayes WellerCole Medsker Sawyer WickstromCaleb DeLeonAshton BultronJax NollerMatthew GannonFinley BurkeSam PembertonKendall GreggGeorge TrimigliozziTEAM SKY BLUEKruz SchoolcraftCaleb RugerChandler AdamsGavin FloodJaden GarciaTyler GarciaKamden LaudenslagerStephen StrickerLandon BrownMark RutherfordAidan PetroccoTEAM GOLDJavier CuevasJuan Diego AmescuaNash SkeltonPhillip Jeffries

2015 ALL-AMERICAN PARTICIPANTS

Casey BlevinsJames WimsattCade PriesterJoshua Shropshire Daniel ArambulaTate SchmidtTEAM GREENAustin ShreveCaden FoxJordan WilsonNicholas RodriguezRandy BalceiroRyan TaymanGilbert PachecoOwen SarnaJullian JarrettZigen Kodama

10U DIVISION

TEAM SKY BLUEJeremy ComerAndrew StuartMarcus HernandezZachary WagerTrevor Cowan Joshua TruaxNathaniel HortenJake SearlesMaui SchwartzJaden HargeJoshua GarciaMatthew RowlettTEAM REDLogan ChurchillAustin HurrAJ JonesCale ComeauxHunter AzemarEthan GiangiulioMax BondMitchell DeanNathan HelleinTJ TurnerJulio EstradaLandon HemardTEAM GREYAdolph SykesJamaal Cherry

Brody HofenEaston MooreJames BellAshton LarsonDylan SmithMatthew McCurdySilas WardBryce BartonCaleb AichCaleb Brown

11U DIVISIONTEAM NAVYCorbin BasshamZach BrinkDante Sanchez Cameron HunterTanner HudspethLuke PrestonAlex FiorilloZachary ReeseGriffin TunisonBailey WickstromAlex CurryJacob RossTEAM REDZach HollisterEthan SeiptsEli AndersonMax ReyesBraden ClarkMaddox MihalakisJace HerreraNicholas Tarhanick-Luna Peyton NikschJack PerdueMichael WayneTEAM GREYJordan FricksStephen PalermoTony CalvoCaden ContantEric EflandKendall KendrickGeorge ReichartLogan WattsJacob BryantJohn JancoEthan Chuck

TEAM NAVYCarson KellyJoseph RugerNathan CoulterGrady HigginsAndrew ImthurnEvan JohnsonJeremy FederCharlie ElyRyan LothschutzGrant AycockMason EverhartTEAM REDMatt PelcherLucas HopsonBobby BabcockCharlie JonesReese WeaksAustin AbernathyThomas WardRyan GuerraMalakai Roberts Connor DearmanTriston HensleyTEAM ROYALEli SizemoreAsa RungeNick MorganAnthony GonzalezLeo GuidaJames SchutteChristopher LongTJ PoundBrendan DavisParker BrockReed MarcumTEAM SKY BLUEThomas Kirker Colton HurlburtMatthew HunzingerDrew MartinJasper StanfieldTristan PachecoSean Esquivel Jr.Dylan ScottAlexander GriffinRocco Frisco

TEAM GOLDTravis WhiteSalvatore RamirezDalton StricklandZach KempferJustin JimenezHunter RiveraFrankie ColloraTyler SmithAustin CookHeath MannSean ShookTEAM GREENChase HavenerBen CheekDrew FranchokZack WeaverMichael TragesserVon TaylorJoshua DeslauriersNicholas DuranJustin SonzoneNate BingmanColton Wallace

8U-9U DIVISION continued 10U DIVISION continued 12U DIVISION continued

13U-14U DIVISIONTEAM NAVYChristopher AugerAustin JohnsonEthan ImelKolby BryantMason RhoneSeth WrightSteven RizzoEJ ExpositoTyler JacobsAJ HackerBrandon TuckerTEAM REDCade VernettiRylan MetzBryce ParishChase SmithHunter JonesRyan ShanianGage GoddardIan EvansJonathan IrelandMatthew Gluck

Zachary ThibodeauTEAM GREYJordan AndradeAidan LongwellSam ContacosAndrew RussellPeyton HarrisPat CorriganPeyton GillispieDevyn FahnestockDillon SabatheJack GannonCorbin HarrisonTEAM SKY BLUEZach TaylorKyle CortnerQuinton RoachAvery SwigartDevin FrancoisDylan JesterSol RaineyCooper ThackerTodd KellyJacob FerryMichael CaubleTEAM GOLDEvan Landrum Brennan MurphyJordan SmithJason SanchezMatthew MisturiniJake StadlerGiani GilchTanner ParvinLogan JerniganDean Massari Jace WilsonTEAM GREENIsaac WatsonZachary CommonHunter FergsuonCody FinkeKoby BurdettMatthew MacyJordan ParkerDylan BraggSteven PoffJonny CrowelCade Howard

13U-14U DIVISION cont’d12U DIVISION

Baseball Youth wrapped up an-other Baseball Youth Future Games in sunny North Myrtle

Beach this past September. Players from all over the nation joined the Baseball Youth staff as we introduced a new excit-ing addition to the Baseball Youth Future Games. Not only did the players get to play a weekend filled with competitive baseball, they were also introduced to

the new elite Baseball Youth exposure and skills training that will now be in-cluded in upcoming individual showcase events. Over 30 states were represented in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina the September 4th – 6th weekend. The event was broken up in to three different age divisions allowing players to develop and challenge their skill set as they begin play-ing their 2016 age.

TEAM 1 Cade Currin NCAndrew DeRose NYBreven Anderson OHFinley Burke GAAndrew Keller NCBrayden Studebaker SCTy Mainolfi NYGavin Aldredge NCAndre Medina NCChandler Adams SCLiam Schilling IN

9U/10U PLAYERS

TEAM 2 Owen Sarna SCDylan Conder INGabriel Barker NCNicholas Rodriguez FLBraden Mauro NCLuke Johnson SCMichael Benoit FLMichael Bartkowski SCCooper Brackett TNCarter Blankinship SC

TEAM 3 Hunter Carroll GAAndrew Bernard GAEthan George NCKonner Daughriety OHGregory Diaz IV NJTy Moses FLNarumi Mori FLIsaiah Green OHKorbin Dietrich GAJohn Cobb GA

BASEBALL YOUTHFUTURE GAMESNORTH MYRTLE BEACH CHAMPIONS9U/10U TEAM 111U/12U TEAM 113U/14U TEAM 2

FUTURE GAMESON THE COAST

FUTURE GAMESON THE COAST


TEAM 1 Allen Farish ARWade Farish ARDakota Wagner WIIñaki Hutchinson GAShuler Hayden TNHayden Mileski MNCarson Bacheller SCBryson Reid NCJaden Harge KYMatthew McCurdy KYSpencer Simpson TXWalker Dickerson GA

11U/12U PLAYERS

TEAM 2Michael Overton NCZachary Reese OHBrendan Henn NYJoshua Mciver TXMarcus Smith NYEthan Chuck GAMatthew Rowlett KYJeremiah McLemore NCBrooks Brannon NCBryce Barton PAHayden Johnson SCJaylen Williams SC

TEAM 3 Jordan Fricks GANicholas Tarhanick-Luna MIMichael Wayne MIJace Herrera TXJaden Madrid NYDante Sanchez ILLuke Taylor NCJordan Archer MSCadyn Graves NCAaron Miller NYAndrew Brock GA

TEAM 1 Landen Harris NCCasey Shipman NCCody Butler NCBen Wilburn KYDevyn Fahnestock PAMatyk Hilton IAJordan Parker INGrant Murray FLConnor Dearman NCKhal Stephen INTyler Christmas SC

13U/14U PLAYERS

TEAM 2 Grant Aycock NCHunter Robinson VADavid Parker FLChristian Boyles FLTim Heflin NCChase Smith GAZeus Ponder NCZane Ott SCBrayden Goins KYJarrett Martin TN

TEAM 3 Cody Acosta NCRush Lanigan KYColby Roy NCGavyn Byrd NCJoey Yura SCAustin Cook INLucas Hopson NYJustin Jimenez NJLandon Blackwell VAWill Trapp TN

TEAM 4 Manuel Lopez INWalker Parks NCChristopher Auger FLTyler Grice NCTristan Taylor INJoseph Maples TNJonathan Ireland GANicholas Duran FLTravis White TXKJ Rivera FLZach Saxton SC

UPCOMINGBASEBALL YOUTHFUTURE GAMESJan. 29-31 FLORIDAFeb. 19-21 ARIZONAMarch 11-13 LOUISIANAMarch 25-27 SOUTH CAROLINAApril 1-3 OHIO

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BASEBALL YOUTH MAJORS WEEKS RECAP


BY Majors Weeks

North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina had the distinct honor of hosting the first Baseball Youth Majors on June

7-12, and it was a week full of extraordinary action and fun on the diamond. Teams from as far away as Kansas and Texas made the trip to the Atlantic coast for this incredible week-long tournament at the North Myrtle Beach Park & Sports Complex. The excitement started Sunday, June 7 with a huge opening ceremonies to go along with the Baseball Youth FanFest. The crowd was rocking all night long as the Baseball Youth Game Day Experience stage got everyone in a frenzy. Giveaways were thrown out into the crowd, the music was loud, and there were even special guest appearances from the Ripley’s Ruckus drumline and Shar-kee the Shark! Fans got to enjoy a Home Run Derby contest at the Whiffle Ball field, speed pitch and more at the FanFest. On the field, perhaps no team was as impressive as the WPB Chargers from Canton, Georgia. They steamrolled their 14U competition on the way to a perfect 8-0 record on the week. Their clos-est game was an 11-5 win over Outlawz Baseball in both teams’ final pool play game. The Chargers defeated the local Myrtle Beach Pelicans in the championship, 20-5.

The TCAA Wildcats Xtreme put on an impressive showing in winning the 12U divi-sion with a perfect 8-0 record. The Wildcats out of Port St. Lucie, Florida dominated on the mound allowing just eight runs in their five pool play games. In the title game, the Wildcats were too much for the TBSA Patri-ots to handle as TCAA won 10-2. The 10U and 13U divisions featured ex-citing championship games that came down to the final innings. In 10U, the West Boynton Cobras surrendered a 6-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth to the GoWags Crusaders, but they were able to get the run they needed in extras to win, 7-6. GoWags lost only three games all week, and all three came against the Cobras. In 13U, the RBI Rangers and West Boynton Cobras went toe-to-toe in a slugfest. Neither team could put the other one away, and it was the Rangers earning the tight 12-11 victory for the Majors title.

In 11U, the Orlando Scorpions and Jupi-ter Hammerheads didn’t disappoint either. This game was close all the way with the Scorpions picking up the 4-3 win. The Miami Prospects, an 8U team playing up in the 9U division, earned an impressive championship win over the TBSA Patriots, 5-3. Every team attending the Baseball Youth Majors experienced a ring ceremony at the end of the event where all players and coaches were presented a huge ring commemorating their trip to South Carolina. Championship teams earned medals, cham-pionship shirts and a team trophy.

SOUTH

CAROLINASOUTH

CAROLINABASEBALL YOUTH

MAJORS ROCK

BASEBALL YOUTH

MAJORS ROCK

BASEBALL YOUTH MAJORS NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.

CHAMPIONS

8U/9U – MIAMI PROSPECTS (FL)

10U – WEST BOYNTON COBRAS (FL)

11U – ORLANDO SCORPIONS (FL)

12U – TCAA WILDCATS XTREME (FL)

13U – RBI RANGERS (TN)

14U – WPB CHARGERS (GA)

29

Baseball Youth hosted its second Majors weeklong event of the summer on June 28-July 3 in Westfield, Indiana,

a suburb just 30 minutes north of downtown Indianapolis. Grand Park, a 26-field mega complex that opened in 2014, was the site of the tournament as teams from all over the Midwest and as far away as Texas and Canada participated in the Majors. The week got started on Sunday, June 28 with an exciting opening ceremonies under perfect weather conditions. Teams got to enjoy the Baseball Youth FanFest before taking part in the Parade of Teams. A DJ pumped music through the stadium, and players, teams, coaches and parents showed off their dance moves. The evening conclud-ed with everyone singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.”

INDIANAPOLIS

INDIANAPOLIS

INVADED BY

BASEBALL YOUTH

MAJORS

INVADED BY

BASEBALL YOUTH

MAJORSBASEBALL YOUTH MAJORS

INDIANAPOLIS, IND.CHAMPIONS

9U – LIDS INDIANA BULLS (IN)

11U – CINCINNATI REDS RBI (OH)

12U – LOUISVILLE STING – BLACK (KY)

13U – INDY VIPERS BLUE (IN)

14U – ST. LOUIS PHILLIES (MO)

Pool play started on Monday and ran through Wednesday with bracket play on Thursday and Friday. Louisville Sting – Black won the 12U championship over Hurricanes Green, 6-4, and went undefeated on the week. They were one of the most impressive teams in Indianapolis along with the LIDS Indiana Bulls in the 9U division. The Bulls also went undefeated and won every game by 10 runs or more. The Mansfield Mets from Texas played up in the 9U division and competed in kid pitch for the first time. They improved with every game and played a tight game in the 9U semifinals. The 14U division was incredibly competitive through pool play and bracket play. The Louisville Warriors (KY) claimed the No. 1 seed out of pool play with a perfect 5-0 record. The Oswego Panthers Blue (IL) and St. Louis Phillies (MO) were No. 2 and 3, respectively. Those three teams made the semifinals along with Elite Hitmen. The

St. Louis Phillies scored an 8-5 win over the Panthers setting up a title showdown with the Louisville Warriors. In a well-played title game, the Phillies took a 4-1 lead and never looked back. The Warriors tacked on a run in the late innings but couldn’t mount a big enough comeback as the Phillies won the 14U crown, 4-2. In 11U, the Louisville Phenom and the Cincinnati Reds RBI proved to be the top two teams in the division, and fittingly, they squared off in the championship game. In a pitchers’ duel, the Reds earned a 2-0 win and the 11U title. The Indy Vipers Blue won the 13U division with an 8-1 win over the Ohio Orioles. The Vipers were impressive all week long going undefeated during their champi-onship run.


BY Majors Weeks

The Baseball Youth Majors enjoyed its biggest week of the year on July 12-17 as teams from all over the south com-

peted at Historic Dodgertown in Vero Beach, Florida. This week was also unique in that the travel baseball teams on hand were joined by travel softball teams competing in the first Softball Youth Majors. The festivities kicked off on Sunday, July 12 with the opening ceremonies inside Hol-man Stadium as players and families also got to enjoy the Baseball Youth Fanfest. Historic Dodgertown, the Dodgers Spring Training home for over 50 years, features nine fields and even has rooms on site for teams to stay. Teams dodged pop-up storms and rain all week, but the competition was exciting all

SUMMER IN

VERO BEACHSUMMER IN

VERO BEACHBASEBALL YOUTH

MAJORS END

BASEBALL YOUTH

MAJORS END

week long. Besides teams from the continen-tal U.S., there were also several teams from Puerto Rico. The six Majors champions were the NTX Bulls (9U), Outlaws Elite (10U), PR Islanders (11U), Elite Stars (12U), Score International (13U) and VBBA (14U). For participating in the Baseball Youth Majors, every player and coach received a huge Majors ring as a keepsake. The Majors will return to Vero Beach and Historic Dodg-ertown next summer on July 10-15, 2016.

BASEBALL YOUTH MAJORS VERO BEACH CHAMPIONS

9U – NTX BULLS

10U – OUTLAWS ELITE

11U – PR ISLANDERS

12U – ELITE STARS

13U – SCORE INTERNATIONAL

14U – VBBA

31

SAVE THESE DATES!Here are our 2016 Baseball Youth Majors week-long experience dates and locations!

June 5-10, 2016 – North Myrtle Beach, S.C.June 12-17, 2016 – North Myrtle Beach, S.C.June 19-24, 2016 – Virginia Beach, VirginiaJune 26-July 1, 2016 – Kissimmee, FloridaJune 29-July 3, 2016 – Baton Rouge, LouisianaJuly 10-15, 2016 – Vero Beach, FloridaJuly 13-17, 2016 – Cincinnati, Ohio

Visit baseballyouthmajors.com to learn more!

Attention coaches / team moms: Send us an email to [email protected] for a coaches packet!


BY Majors Weeks

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National Championships

35

The second annual Baseball Youth Na-tional Championships were held July 23-26 at Grand Park in Westfield, Indiana as

100 teams from 20 states competed in travel ball’s ultimate summer championship. The event kicked off Thursday evening with a huge Opening Ceremonies on Grand Park’s Championship Field. A stage was built on home plate for the teams to walk up on, and a DJ was brought in to party the night in style. Players and families also got to enjoy the Baseball Youth Fanfest in the outfield before the ceremony got underway. Once pool play started on Friday morning, the competition on the diamond was fierce. Teams from all over the Midwest, South and East Coast made the trip to Indiana with the hopes of claiming a Baseball Youth National Championship. In 10U, the Sandcrabs from Texas dominat-ed the competition on their way to the nation-

al title. The Sandcrabs came into the event as the No. 1 team in the nation, and they showed why. They didn’t allow a run until bracket play, and they won the championship game over 3D Gold from Iowa, 14-4. Sandcrabs Baseball also took home the 7U coach pitch title with a 13-3 win over Riley from Indiana. Matching the Sandcrabs with two division titles of their own were the hometown Lids Indiana Bulls in the 8U coach pitch and 9U di-visions. The 9U Bulls defended their Baseball Youth National Championships crown from 2014 with a 12-1 win over New York’s Brooklyn Blue Storm Thunder. Both Bulls teams

didn’t drop a single game the entire tourna-ment. The Southern Indiana Legends and Ala-bama Elite played perhaps the most exciting championship game as the Legends toughed out a 7-6 win in extra innings. The Louisville Sting Yellow took down Evoshield Canes in the 12U division, and the Ohio Bombers Red and Kentucky Prospects earned championships in the 13U and 14U divisions, respectively. Next year’s Baseball Youth National Cham-pionships is set for July 28-31 once again at Grand Park in Westfield, Indiana.

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS RECAP

Baseball Youth National Championships

Features 100 Teams From 20 StatesBaseball Youth National Championships

Features 100 Teams From 20 States

7U (CP) Champion Sandcrabs Baseball (TX)7U (CP) Runner-Up Riley (IN)8U (CP) Champion Lids Indiana Bulls (IN)8U (CP) Runner-Up Southern Madison Sluggers (KY)9U Champion Lids Indiana Bulls (IN)9U Runner-Up Brooklyn Blue Storm Thunder (NY)10U Champion Sandcrabs Baseball (TX)10U Runner-Up 3D Gold (IA)11U Champion Southern Indiana Legends (IN)11U Runner-Up Alabama Elite (AL)12U Champion Louisville Sting Yellow (KY)12U Runner-Up Evoshield Canes (NC)13U Champion Ohio Bombers Red (OH)13U Runner-Up Indiana Warriors (IN)14U Champion Kentucky Prospects (KY)14U Runner-Up At the Yard Baseball Club (KY)

Baseball Youth National Championships

CHAMPIONS & FINALISTSATTENTION COACHESContact us at [email protected] for more info about our 2016 Baseball Youth National Championships at Grand Park on July 28-31, 2016. Teams are already signing up!


National Championships

7U (CP) TEAMSAvon GoldHSE / Fishers Blue CatsIndy BulldogsRileySandcrabs

2015 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Central Kentucky MudcatsIndy NitroKentucky EliteLids Indiana BullsLouisville Speed BaseballLouisville Sting YellowLouisville VipersSouthern Madison Sluggers

8U (CP) TEAMS

Brooklyn Blue Storm ThunderCincy FlamesIndy NitroLexington FutureLids Indiana BullsLouisville Sting BlackMichigan NationalsMidland SeminolesOhio EliteWestfield IndiansWoodford Bat Jackets

9U TEAMS

3D GoldCave Run MuskiesColumbus CobrasIndiana BlazersLC BombersLids Indiana BullsMichiana ScrappersMidway AviatorsMidwest SELECTSandcrabsUnited Power Oklahoma

10U TEAMS

Alabama EliteBrooklyn Blue Storm NationalsCKY DriveDuneland FlyersECI M-80’SGreat Lake GladiatorsIndiana PlaymakersJ Cards BaseballLids Indiana Bulls WhiteMizuno Northern Indiana EliteSouthern Indiana LegendsWarren Park WarriorsZionsville Baseball Club

11U TEAMS

3D GoldBatbustersBatters Box DeMarini Britton’s BullpenEvoshield CanesHits Indoor BaseballIndiana ArrowsIndiana PlaymakersIowa HawksLouisville Sting YellowMichiana ScrappersMichiana Scrappers OrangeOwensboro BullsPlainfield HavocSandcrabsStiks AcademyTeam Indiana

12U TEAMS

AWP SPORTS Cubs BlueBritton’s BullpenCapital City Kings RedIndiana Baseball ClubIndiana WarriorsKentucky RockersKentucky EliteLids Indiana Bulls WhiteLou Collier SelectMichiana Scrappers Midwest TitansOhio Bombers RedRegion RenegadesSouth Shore BearsTeam Kansas CityValpo Heat

13U TEAMS

At The Yard Baseball ClubAWP SPORTS Cubs BlueFox Valley ShamroxIndiana HavocIndiana OutlawsIndiana ThunderJABC MustangsKBC BlueKentucky ProspectsKeystone State BombersLids Indiana Bulls BlackMichigan NationalsMidwest MayhemMorris Baseball AmericanOmaha Cardinals RedPleasant Prairie PredatorsQuad City Hitmen EliteWarren Park WarriorsWisconsin Panthers Black

14U TEAMS

37

THE PREMIERYOUTH BASEBALL

PODCAST

YouthBaseballTalk.com

BaseballYouth.com

@podcastbaseball

YouthBaseballTalk

WHERE TO FIND YOUTH BASEBALL TALK

STAY INSIDE THE BALL! GET EXTENSION!

Youth Baseball Talk has partnered with Baseball Youth to bring you a weekly podcast developed to inform parents, coaches and players about everything happening in the great game of youth baseball. Hosted by Jim Cromer (pictured here with his son Logan and self-described as a baseball dad first - coach second), the show highlights important topics like coaching techniques, health and safety, equipment, and playing philosophy, and features incredible guests from the baseball world, including: St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Matheny, former big leaguer and number-one overall draft pick Andy Benes, top national instructors like Matt Lisle, Troy Silva, Steve Springer, Bob Tewksbary, and Rick Strickland, along with coaches and professionals from every facet of the game. Each week we feature a “Training Tip of the Week” from one of the top baseball gurus in the country, Justin Stone of EliteBaseball.tv. As a weekly contributor to the show, Justin offers some of the most cutting-edge instruction that ranges from technical aspects of the game to development and psychology. Some of our guests have experienced great MLB careers, and some have accumulated a lifetime of coaching knowledge, but they all have one thing in common: a deep-seeded love for youth baseball and a passion to help others navigate the ‘rough waters’ that select baseball has become. Youth Baseball Talk, powered by Baseball Youth, is brought to you by the Lineup Media Group podcast network and is available weekly on our website, iTunes, Stitcher, and all major podcast outlets.

So much of hitting instruction focuses on the contact portion of the swing. Unfortunately, what determines the

output and outcome of the swing happens well before a player strikes the baseball. Through 3D kinematic research we do at Elitebaseball.tv, contact is shown to be a byproduct of how the body gathers and releases energy. We’ve unveiled “Sequential Training” in an easy to follow 12-week course emphasizing a strong foundation, efficient

mechanics, maximum bat speed, and correct bat path. Think of the swing like a long row of dominoes; each one falling sequentially, adding energy for the next. In terms of a high-level swing pattern, energy first has to be gathered correctly, to be released efficiently. This process “loads” from the instep of the back foot, continuing to coil up the body. The earlier an error is made in the loading/unloading sequence, the more the pieces in the chain are affected negatively.

This becomes the root cause for ‘You’re pull-ing your front shoulder!’ and ‘That swing is too long.’ There are many causes for poor se-quencing, but a few that occur often are:

• The tempo or “speed” the body is gathering energy is too fast.

• The timing of body parts loading and unloading is out of order.

The outcome of these flaws is a swing lacking in desired bat speed and quality of contact. Hitting coaches often focus on the contact portion of the swing because it’s the last thing to happen, the easiest to see, and affects the outcome of the at-bat. Instead of trying to fix poor contact outcome at the ball/bat collision, spend more time working these phases of your swing:

• Create good rhythm and tempo • Work your load and stride timing• Get anchored to the ground in a strong

foundation • Ensure your swing is starting with

strong lower body mechanics These are the things that will determine the outcome of your swing and you’ll im-mediately stop hearing those “contact cues” the bare minimal improvement to hitters. To learn the entire “Sequence” and see our 12 week pitching training, positional videos and hours more of content, visit us at www.elitebaseball.tv. Until next issue, I’m Justin Stone – we’ll see you on the field!


Youth Baseball Talk

39

B allparks of America started as a vision of a group of travel baseball dads from the Chicago area. They loved the idea of the all-inclusive, week-long baseball tournament as the

pinnacle event of the summer baseball season, but believed they could create a better overall venue. As they brainstormed with coaches, parents, and players they asked the question, “How would you create the ultimate baseball tournament facility?” Ballparks of America is their answer to that question come to life. They have teamed with some of the top minds in youth sports to design a facility that addresses what they heard. The plan is to create the best fields by replicating iconic baseball stadiums on a two-thirds scale. Each field will have elements that will create the feel of playing on the real thing. The fields will include the latest in synthetic turf technology to create a consistently excellent playing experience throughout the summer. With the parents in mind, the fields are designed with shaded seating areas and unobstructed views for all of the fans. A new “best in class” concept in on-site team lodging will be included so that kids can have a great bonding experience for their week on campus. The Team Suites will feature a clubhouse and locker room that will make every kid feel like a big leaguer. Each Team Suite is air- conditioned with access to private bathrooms. The close proximity to the fields and practice areas means less down time. The Ballparks of America team chose Branson, Missouri as the best possible venue to provide families a great vacation. Their plans include on site food, shopping, and entertainment options. No other city in America has the amount and quality of family-friendly attractions as Branson, in a safe, easily accessible location. Ranked the #15 Top U.S. Vacation Destination by TripAdvisor, Branson, MO, is truly a one-of-a-kind family vacation destination with dozens of live performance theaters, three pristine lakes, championship golf courses, an international award-winning theme park, dozens of attractions and museums, a Historic Downtown district, shopping galore, a full range of dining options, and a host of hotels, motels, resorts, RV parks, campgrounds and meeting and conference facilities. Ballparks of America will be open for weeklong tournaments in the summer months from Memorial Day through Labor Day starting in the summer of 2016. The five fields in Phase I will accommodate up to 40 teams per week, with teams already registered from across the country. Coaches can get more information and register now at www.ballparksofamerica.com.

A ONCE IN A LIFETIME

EXPERIENCE

Ballparks of America

BALLPARKS OF AMERICA WILL ALLOW TEAMS TO LIVE THE BIG LEAGUE EXPERIENCE FOR A WEEK,

WHILE FAMILIES HAVE THE VACATION OF A LIFETIME.

Above, Central team members pose for a dugout snapshot. Above middle, former MLB player and manager Dusty Baker with a member of the runner-up West squad. Left, parents of East players show their support for their team. Right, an East batter awaits a pitch from a Central pitcher.


East took advantage of a six-run first inning and never looked back as they captured the Baseball Youth All-Star Challenge championship over the West, 13-6, on

July 30 at Baseball Heaven in Yaphank, New York. The game was televised live nationally on CBS Sports Network and MLB.com, and the event featured 50 of the best 12U players in the nation. The West had earned a title game spot on the first day of round robin action with two wins, including a victory over the East, but it was the East who jumped out to a big lead. Long Island native TJ Wachter and Florida’s Brady Browning both went deep for home runs in the six-run first inning. West chipped away at the lead and had it down to 8-6, but the East piled on runs late to earn the championship. Former MLB player and manager Dusty Baker joined the West region in the dugout, and former players Frank Catala-notto and Keith Osik guest coached for the East. Four of the All-Star Challenge games were broadcasted on CBS Sports Network and MLB.com during the two days of play. South won the consolation game over Central.

EAST WINS BASEBALL

YOUTH ALL-STAR

CHALLENGE

EAST WINS BASEBALL

YOUTH ALL-STAR

CHALLENGE

41

EAST

Dalton Strickland

Asa Runge

Jasper Stanfield

Matt Pelcher

Nick Papageorge

Jordan Delucia

TJ Wachter

D’ante Starks

Logan Myers

Kipp Kochera

Brady Browning

Nick Morgan

Grant Aycock

SOUTH

Jose Valadez

Luke Smith

Chris Bernal

Austin Boggs

Izaac Pacheco

Cameron Moore

Gavin Kash

Drake Varnado

Aidan Scott

Jon Huff

Zach Rike

Zachary Almerndarez

Matthew Perez

CENTRAL

Ethan Wood

Joshua Pyne

Bobby Babcock

Bryce Saylor

Gavin Bruni

Ethan Shaw

Ben Goff

Andrew Imthurn

Ben DeMell

Tanner Smith

Tyler Minneci

WEST

Caeden Chambers

Vincent Tinajero

Elie Kligman

Chasyn Love

Daevion King

Emilio Corona

Petey Halpin

Ian Graf

Von Taylor

TJ Pound

Henry Mounier

CJ Picone

EAST

WEST

SOUTH

CENTRAL


Upcoming Events

January 29-31, 2016Baseball Youth Future Gamesat Southside Sports ComplexLake City, Florida

February 19-21, 2016Baseball Youth Future GamesRio Vista Community ParkRio Vista, Arizona

March 11-13, 2016Baseball Youth Future Gamesat Cypress MoundsBaton Rouge, Louisiana

May 13-15, 2016Baseball Youth - Road to the BYNC - LOUISIANAat Cypress MoundsBaton Rouge, Louisiana

June 29 - July 3, 2016Baseball Youth Majors*at Cypress MoundsBaton Rouge, Louisiana

May 6-8, 2016Baseball Youth - Road to the BYNC - TEXASat Franklin Ranch Community ParkFranklin, Texas

July 25-27, 2016 Championship WeekBaseball Youth All-American Gamesat Grand ParkIndianapolis, Indiana

July 28-31, 2016Championship Week: Baseball Youth National Championships (BYNC)at Grand ParkIndianapolis, Indiana

2016EVENTROADMAP

2016EVENTROADMAP

More events will be added in 2016! To see the complete list, go to baseballyouth.com.

43

*All Baseball Youth Majors events are week-long experiences.

January 29-31, 2016Baseball Youth Future Gamesat Southside Sports ComplexLake City, Florida

March 11-13, 2016Baseball Youth Future Gamesat Cypress MoundsBaton Rouge, Louisiana

March 24-27, 2016Baseball Youth Future Gamesat Grand Park Athletic ComplexMyrtle Beach, South Carolina

April 1-3, 2016Baseball Youth Future Gamesat CTC FieldsCincinnati, Ohio

April 22-24, 2016Baseball Youth Future Gamesat Southside Sports ComplexLake City, Florida

May 20-22, 2016BY - Road to the BYNC - FLORIDAat Osceola County ComplexKissimmee, Florida

June 19-24, 2016Baseball Youth Majors* at Virginia Beach Baseball ComplexVirginia Beach, Virginia

June 26 - July 1, 2016Baseball Youth Majors*at Osceola County ComplexKissimmee, Florida

July 10-15, 2016Baseball Youth Majors*at Historic DodgertownVero Beach, Florida

July 13-17, 2016Baseball Youth Majors*at CTC Fields / MasonCincinnati, Ohio

June 5-10, 2016June 12-17, 2016Baseball Youth Majors* Week 1 and Week 2at North Myrtle Beach ComplexNorth Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Map of United States of America with States - Multicolor by FreeVectorMaps.com

44 2015 | Issue 3 baseballyouth.com

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Pigeon Forge

R ipken Baseball is is continuing its mission to inspire through remarkable experiences, the Ripken Way. That tradition continues with a brand new tournament destination set to open in 2016. A

$22.5 million facility with six lighted synthetic turf fields nestled in the Smoky Mountains of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Local citizens welcome the new visitors this beautiful new facility will attract. “This location is stunning. It offers spectacular views of the Great Smoky Mountains that will appeal to baseball coaches and teams on many levels,” said Eric Brackins, assistant city manager of Pigeon Forge. Some of the best viewpoints will come from the new clubhouse. A two-level clubhouse with more than 14,000 square feet offers incredible views of the Great Smoky Mountains while overlooking each of the six fields on the complex. Ripken Experience facilities consistently set the standard of excellence for playing surfaces. Some of the finest fields in the world are those under the Ripken Experience banner, and Pigeon Forge will only add to that legacy. Cal Ripken, Sr. always said that if something is worth doing, it’s worth doing right. Ripken Baseball honors that philosophy with each

THE RIPKENEXPERIENCEIN THE LAND

OF MORE


Pigeon Forge

new construction. Each diamond features a full synthetic turf, as well as lights on every field. There are also lighted training areas and batting cages around the facility. The Ripken Experience in Pigeon Forge will feature six fields that borrow their designs from well-known professional ballparks. These include Oriole Park at Camden Yards (Baltimore, MD); Isotopes Stadium (Albuquerque, NM); Fluor Field (Greenville, SC); BB&T Ballpark (Winston-Salem, NC); Calfee Park (Pulaski, VA); and Engel Stadium (Chattanooga, TN). Ripken Baseball’s newest facility in Pigeon Forge features all of the big league amenities that teams have come to expect from The Ripken Experience.

To learn more about The Ripken Experience in Pigeon Forge, visit www.RipkenBaseball.com.

This location is stunning. It offers spectacular views of the Great Smoky Mountains that will appeal to baseball coaches and teams on many levels.

Eric Brackins, Assistant City Manager - Pigeon Forge, TN

8 6 6 . R I P K E N . 9 R I P K E N S O F T B A L L . C O M

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Documents

Baseball Youth - Winter Issue