Travel Baseball
What is Travel Baseball?
Bowie Travel baseball teams play in tournaments and leagues, generally in the surrounding counties, but potentially out of the area and out of state as well – depending on the team and the managers and families involved. Travel teams are assembled by age group (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, etc.) and their age group is dictated by their age on April 30th of that year. Travel baseball provides a more competitive brand of baseball than you will generally see in our intramural program but is also still focused on player development.
Who can play?
Bowie Travel Baseball is committed to allowing as many kids the opportunity to play as possible, and will often field 2 travel teams per age group (7yrs – 14yrs), if the interest exists. In order to be eligible for consideration, players MUST attend a scheduled or individual tryout with the coaches of that age group.
At what age does travel baseball start and what levels of play are offered?
Bowie offers travel baseball starting at age 7 and continuing to every age group where interest-level and participation exists. At 8 years old, there is typically enough interest for 1 team. At 8 years old and above, we hope to have 2 teams.
Levels of play are normally at CBA or MABA. Our players are able to develop into quality baseball players with the knowledge, skills, and mindset to improve and continue to play baseball at any high they choose if they follow our process.
Does every player make a team?
No, not necessarily. While we endeavor to select multiple teams at each age group, there are years when we just don’t have enough kids to do that, so there can be cuts.
How much does Travel Baseball cost?
Travel Baseball will vary in cost by team. Each team has fixed and variable costs. The typical cost for Spring and Fall Travel seasons are somewhere between $250-$500 per player (estimated). Each team has a set amount of expenses for tournament fees and uniforms. The tournament expenses are divided equally among the members of the team. A typical team for Travel Baseball will play in 1 to 3 tournaments in the spring season. Each tournament costs about $600. Each family will be responsible for purchasing their player a quality uniform that includes pants, jerseys, socks, belt and, potentially, a bat bag, batting helmet, etc. Jerseys and hat will be recommended through the organization or team.
What is the commitment level for Travel Baseball?
While we expect full participation, we do understand that family commitments can sometimes overlap with baseball. We have left the discretion in the hands of each Head Coach, and expect that communication will occur between families and coaches to ensure that we have no cases where teams are short-handed & have to withdraw from scheduled games and tournaments.
Is there equal playing time in Travel Baseball?
No, not necessarily. In recreation baseball, we have rules that encourage and sometimes dictate how many innings players can and can’t play in the infield/outfield, etc. These rules generally do not exist in travel baseball. While the overall goal should still be focused on player development, coaches have the option to play kids where they will have the best chance to help the team and be successful.
Who can coach?
Anyone who manages a team in our organization, has the previous baseball coaching experience or is committed to providing guidance to our young players is a candidate for coaching travel ball. Head coaches are selected first and have the discretion to pick their team. BBGC Baseball Leadership will select travel managers from the list of interested parties.
Why do I need to volunteer to help my team or program?
Our parents are the reason our program is successful. We plan to host opening day annually, tournaments, and fundraising to reduce the cost for families and continue to provide an excellent baseball experience for our youth. The proceeds of fundraisers or tournaments will go right back into our program to fund the organization and help pay for field projects and other equipment. Parents are required to volunteer on their child team and as an organization. In addition to volunteering your time, you will also be asked to volunteer your talents! Each tournament will need parents to volunteer food to sell at the concession stands, game announcers, field setup and tear-down, official scorekeepers, etc. Please be prepared to jump in and help make your child’s team a great experience for all!
Should you have any further questions about the Bowie travel baseball selection process, or travel baseball in general, please do not hesitate to ask your child’s coach, or send an email to baseball@bbgc.com and we will get back to you as quickly as possible.
