(Ages U8-U14)

Buffalo Grove residents and all neighboring communities are eligible to try out for the BGRA Full-time Travel Program.  The BGRA will have final approval of all players.  Players playing on our Full Time Travel Teams will not be eligible to play in our house league program. 

This is a full time travel baseball club and all those who make a team should plan to be at all practices and games unless they have legitimate reasons for why the cannot attend.

Full-time Travel Program:

·  The season will start with 10 indoor training sessions starting on or about January 8th and ending on or about March 15th.

·  10 non-mandatory skills clinics which will take place weekly (twice a week) at our indoor practice facility on or about January 10th and ending on or about March 18th.

·  Practices will continue prior to and during the season weather and time permitting. Once league play has started we commit to at least an average of three touches (weather permitting) per week. A touch = Game, A Practice or A Hitting Session. 

·  The season (including tournaments) will conclude in mid/late July.  We expect any player who makes the team, to be fully committed and make it their priority. 

·  The teams will be entered into the MSBL (msbleague.org) or similar league as its primary league.

·  Each team will be managed by a paid coach. 

·  Full uniforms including two jerseys, two hats, two pairs of pants, pullover, practice jersey & belt

·  The fees will be determined at the time of tryouts with the commitment that we will not raise this year’s fee by any more than $100.  In addition to the above, this fee will include: Three to four tournaments (depending upon price of each tournament) inclusive of our local Buffalo Grove Dalton Hinkle Memorial Slugfest played over Memorial Day Weekend. There are approximately 20 league games plus a league end tournament.  

Tournaments – BGRA has limited funds set aside for each team to use to pay for, or go towards extra tournaments.  We feel that outside of the couple of tournaments we mandate it is important for each team, as a team, to decide on and go to two or three additional tournaments.  It helps with camaraderie, team chemistry, parent bonding and frankly they’re fun.   With that in mind, we do not feel it is necessary nor do we want to dictate to each team where they should go, how much they should spend, how long they should go for, etc.  Rather, we give guidance at each age group and level as to what we think is appropriate as well as what tournaments might be good for each specific scenario, but expect that each team ultimately make those decisions as a team.  Therefore, when your child makes a team it is important that you go into the season with knowledge that the club fees are not the full extent of your commitment, and understanding that these extra tournaments are the norm in the world of travel baseball.

Dalton Hinkle Memorial Day Tournament - All Bearcat teams will play in our home tournament that takes place starting the Friday prior to Memorial Day and ends with Championship games on Memorial Day.  Each team will be asked to supply up to 8 parent volunteers to work for up to 2 1/4 hours each in the concession stand, Emmerich complex parking lot Marshal, or at a field as a Field Marshal.

U12 Cooperstown – In addition to above it is important to note that our U12 teams may have the opportunity to go to Cooperstown.   Cooperstown only has U12 tournaments.  The all-in cost of Cooperstown is typically somewhere between $2,500 and $3,500 per family of four.  Fundraising is certainly an option and can be discussed at that time.  We encourage our U12 teams to consider it a viable option. U12 teams should be prepared for at least a discussion on this subject and the possibility that you will be going to Cooperstown or another 5-day to week long tournament.

Covid-19 - All parents and players must please abide by our Covid-19 rules and regulations. 

• Parents are not allowed at, on the premises of any of our tryout venue's after checking your players in or prior to the ending time of their specific tryout.   
•  All coaches, players, parents or anyone that will be dropping players off must be wearing a mask if out of your cars and not in the field of play.
•  We will not be using the dugouts for tryouts.  All players will be asked to line their bags up along the outfield fences.
•  Players will remain socially distanced throughout the tryout with the exception of running bases and tagging players.
•  Coaches will not come into physical contact with any players.

Coyotes - Players that try out for Bearcats and do not make a team are eligible for our Coyote program and do not have to try out again for that program. As part of your questionnaire during registration you will be asked if you'd like us to consider you for our Coyote program if you don't make Bearcats. 

Players must pre-register for tryouts. We cannot guarantee your child a tryout without being pre-registered.  There is no fee for tryouts.  

There are two days of tryouts.  Players are expected to be at both days of tryouts.  If you cannot make both days of tryouts there is a place in registration where you can, and should please, inform us. If a player is at only one day of tryouts and we are aware beforehand we will do the best we can to evaluate all aspects of the players abilities the day they are at tryouts.

Supplemental Tryouts - If you are unable to make at least one day of tryouts please register for supplemental tryouts and please contact Russ Goldstein at travel@bgrabaseball.org to find a day and time that is suitable ASAP.

We would like all players to try out with their own grade regardless of the age brackets below, with few exceptions approved by BGRA prior to tryouts.  This said, if it is best for the club and the player to move either up of down we can address the situation during or shortly after tryouts.

***A player that will be able to make at least one of the regular tryouts is NOT eligible to come to the Supplemental tryout and a player that comes to the Supplemental tryout is NOT eligible to attend ANY of the regular tryouts***

(Times may be subject to slight modification depending upon how many registrants we have at each age-group.)

Click here to signup for the Bearcats Tryouts

Teams - The number of teams we have at each age group will be based on the size, talent and competitive nature of the different age groups.  Teams will be comprised of anywhere between 11-14 players per team.  Teams will be announced by the evening of Wednesday August 19th.  Each player will have 24 hours to commit to your team from the time you are notified.  At the time you commit, or shortly thereafter, you will be required to pay a $500 non-refundable deposit towards the 2020 club fees. Payment options for the remaining balance will be provided to you by August 31st.

Eligible Age Groups (Per Travel Youth Baseball Rules)

Please note, These are the eligible age-ranges as permitted by the leagues and tournaments we play in.  However, we would like all players to please tryout with the players in the grade they will be going in to in August or September of 2020, in parentheses below.

There are certainly exceptions to this rule such as a player that skipped a grade.  If you would like us to consider an exception please contact Russ Goldstein at travel@bgrabaseball.org.

U8 - Must be 8 years old or younger, may not turn 9 before May 1, 2021 (Entering 2nd grade or younger)

U9 – Must be 9 years old or younger, may not turn 10 before May 1, 2021 (Entering 3rd grade or younger)

U10 – Must be 10 years old or younger, may not turn 11 before May 1, 2021 (Entering 4th grade)

U11 – Must be 11 years old or younger, may not turn 12 before May 1, 2021 (Entering 5th grade)

U12 – Must be 12 years old or younger, may not turn 13 before May 1, 2021 (Entering 6th grade)

U13 – Must be 13 years old or younger, may not turn 14 before May 1, 2021 (Entering 7th grade)

U14 – Must be 14 years old or younger, may not turn 15 before May 1, 2021 (Entering 8th grade)