BGRA Coyote Travel Program

BGRA Coyote Travel Players will be selected for ages U8-U14, as determined by board policies.  Players chosen to play on these teams must make a substantial commitment of time to the travel team.  

Coyote players are eligible to play House Baseball, but Coyote games will always come first over House games.  Additionally, player cannot play or practice with any team not affiliated with the BGRA organization to be eligible for this travel program. 

About our Program

Full-time Travel Program:

·  The season will start with 10 indoor training sessions starting on or about January 7th and ending on or about March 14th.

·  10 non-mandatory skills clinics which will take place weekly (twice a week) at our indoor practice facility on or about January 9th and ending on or about March 17th.

·  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 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 LSFBL (lsfbl.com) or similar league as its primary league.

·  Each team will be managed by a parent coach with oversight from our Bearcat coaches and Bearcat program.  Parent coaches will be selected after an interview and vetting process.  The process will determine baseball knowledge, temperament,  coaching ability, and how well the values of each individual candidate align with the morals, ethics and attitudes of BGRA. 

·  Full uniforms include two jerseys, two hats, two pairs of pants, a pullover/hoodie, a practice jersey, a pair of socks & belt

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, inclusive of at least one away tournament (Away means the team stays in a hotel for at least a weekend).  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 Coyote 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 12 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. New this year: If you would like to opt out of your tournament duty you may pay an additional $50 with your league fees to do so.

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

• All parents, players and coaches must please bring a mask to tryouts.
• All parents players and coaches 12 years of age and older do not have to wear a mask if fully vaccinated (Fully vaccinated means you received your final dose of vaccination 14 or more days ago), but we ask that you please adhere to the states social distancing guidelines when dropping players off.
• All players under the age of 12 must please wear masks when they cannot social distance.  We feel confident that once a player is dropped off we can social distance them utilizing both the dugout as well as the 1st base and 3rd base fences but please have a mask available.
• In the field of play all coaches and players are not required to wear a mask but we will still do our best to social distance everyone.
• If anyone would like to wear a mask during tryouts regardless of any rule or guideline you should please feel free to do so.
• Anyone who is uncomfortable with any situation should please not hesitate and talk to the League Director, Russ Goldstein, or any coach immediately. 

Bearcat Tryouts & Coyote - 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 for both Bearcats and Coyotes.

Returning Coyote Players (New for this year)- All current Coyote players that are trying out for Coyotes Only are only required to come to one tryout date.  You may certainly come to both tryout dates if you'd like. If you are only coming to one day of tryouts please check which tryout you will be attending during the registration process.

Parents/Players Commitment - This is a full-time travel baseball program. We certainly understand that emergencies happen and family is more important than baseball.  However, anything that can be avoided to insure players are at games and practices should be avoided. We welcome and encourage athletes that play multiple sports. We are very flexible during indoor training but once outdoor training starts around April 1st, we expect all players to make Coyotes their number one priority over other sports.  This said, and in the interest of being somewhat flexible, please contact Russ Goldstein at travel@bgrabaseball.org if you feel there may be conflict(s) that if understood going into the season can be managed by all parties. 

There is no fee for tryouts. If your child is selected to participate on a Coyote team the fee for the travel season will be $850 for all ages ($900 if you are opting out of your Dalton Hinkle Memorial Tournament Duty).

The BGRA will assemble as many teams at each age level as we feel can be competitive. However we will not determine the number of teams at each age until after tryouts are completed. The number of teams will be based on the size, talent, and competitive nature of the different age groups. Teams will be comprised of anywhere between 11-15 players per team.

The following are the birthday parameters for each age group as defined by the leagues we play in, LSFBL & MSBL. However, the BGRA typically does not allow players to play up or down (by grade) regardless of the below birth date parameters. If you feel that we should make an exception please contact Russ Goldstein at travel@bgrabaseball.org prior to tryouts to discuss.

U8 - Must be 8 years old or younger, may not turn 9 before May 1, 2022 (Entering 2nd grade or younger)

U9 – Must be 9 years old or younger, may not turn 10 before May 1, 2022 (Entering 3rd grade)

U10 – Must be 10 years old or younger, may not turn 11 before May 1, 2022 (Entering 4th grade)

U11 – Must be 11 years old or younger, may not turn 12 before May 1, 2022 (Entering 5th grade)

U12 – Must be 12 years old or younger, may not turn 13 before May 1, 2022 (Entering 6th grade)

U13 – Must be 13 years old or younger, may not turn 14 before May 1, 2022 (Entering 7th grade)

U14 – Must be 14 years old or younger, may not turn 15 before May 1, 2022 (Entering 8th grade)

Open Tryouts / Schedule

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, unless you are a returning player (please see above under 'Returning Coyote Player').  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. 

***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***

Private Tryouts - If you absolutely cannot make any tryout we offer we may be able to give you a private tryout.  If this is the case, please contact Russ Goldstein at travel@bgrabaseball.org ASAP.

We would like all players to try out with their own grade regardless of the age brackets above, 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.

 

Tryout Schedule

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

Age/Grade		1st Date	2nd Date		Supplemental
U8 (Entering 2nd Grade)	Day:	Saturday, July 17, 2021	Friday, July 23, 2021		Monday, July 12, 2021
	Time:	9:00AM-10:20AM	5:00PM-6:15PM		4:30PM-5:45PM
	Field:	Jay Jones	Jay Jones		Kilmer
U9 (Entering 3rd Grade)	Day:	Sunday, July 18, 2021	Sunday, July 25, 2021		Monday, July 12, 2021
	Time:	8:40AM-10:40AM	4:00PM-5:30PM		4:30PM-5:45PM
	Field:	Jay Jones	Jay Jones		Kilmer
U10 (Entering 4th Grade)	Day:	Sunday, July 18, 2021	Saturday, July 24, 2021		Monday, July 12, 2021
	Time:	10:50AM-12:10PM	12:50PM-1:50PM		6:00PM-7:15PM
	Field:	Jay Jones	Jay Jones		Kilmer
U11 (Entering 5th Grade)	Day:	Sunday, July 18, 2021	Saturday, July 24, 2021		Monday, July 12, 2021
	Time:	12:20PM-1:40PM	2:00PM-3:10PM		6:00PM-7:15PM
	Field:	Jay Jones	Jay Jones		Kilmer
U12 (Entering 6th Grade)	Day:	Saturday, July 17, 2021	Saturday, July 24, 2021		Tuesday, July 13, 2021
	Time:	2:10PM-4:20PM	10:00AM-11:30AM		5:00PM-6:15PM
	Field:	Jay Jones	Kilmer		Kilmer
U13 (Entering 7th Grade)	Day:	Monday, July 19, 2021	Sunday, July 25, 2021		Tuesday, July 13, 2021
	Time:	5:00PM-6:15PM	1:10PM-2:30PM		5:00PM-6:15PM
	Field:	Emmerich North	Emmerich North		Kilmer
U14 (Entering 8th Grade)	Day:	Monday, July 19, 2021	Sunday, July 25, 2021		Tuesday, July 13, 2021
	Time:	6:30PM-7:45PM	2:40PM-3:50PM		6:30PM-7:30PM
	Field:	Emmerich North	Emmerich North		Kilmer

 

Click Here to Signup for the Coyote Tryouts

Tryout Policies: 

1. It is mandatory that you pre-register. We cannot guarantee your child a tryout without being pre-registered.
2. Players must arrive 15 minutes early to check in and warm up.
3. Parents are not allowed to stay and watch the tryouts.  Please do not come back to the field until your child's time is over.  A parent caught trying to "spy" on tryouts will be asked to leave and may be asked to take their child with them.
4. Players should please wear cleats, baseball pants, a jersey with a name on it preferably, and a hat. Please bring at least a Baseball Glove, Bat and Helmet (if you have one). All players must be wearing a cup.  If you'd have other gear such as Cather's Gear, a 1st base glove, etc. please feel free to bring it.  Please do not wear items that are associated with any travel baseball teams. (We of course understand that Helmets, Bags, Backpacks, and even batting gloves may have travel team logos on them and are completely fine to bring/use.)
5. Check the website for any changes/cancellations due to weather.
6. It is mandatory that any vacation, overnight camp, etc. that will happen during the season are listed when asked for during registration.  Not doing so could result in that child not being eligible for tryouts next year. 
7. Please be sure to try out with your SCHOOL year/grade even if you would like your child to be considered for another grade level. 
8. Selected players will be called by coaches and informed by no later than Wednesday July 28th at 9:00 PM.  Please do not contact coaches or BGRA administration asking for an update.