Tryout Days and Times for 2023 are now posted below

(Ages U8-U14)

Buffalo Grove residents and all neighboring communities are eligible to try out for the BGRA Bearcats Travel Program.  The BGRA will have final approval of all players.  Players playing on our Bearcats 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.

Bearcat Travel Program:

·  The season will start with 10 indoor training sessions starting on or about January 6th and ending on or about March 12th. NEW for 2023 – All U11 to U14 teams will have an additional 5 practices as opposed to skills training. All U8 to U10 teams will have the option of 5 additional practices as opposed to skills training. U8 to U10 teams will discuss this option with your coach prior to the start of the season.

·  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. NEW for 2023 – U11 to U14 will not participate in skills and U8 to U10 will have the option to choose 5 additional practices instead of skills, as described above.

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

·  Each team will be managed by a paid coach. 

·  Full uniforms include two jerseys, two hats, two pairs of pants, a pullover/hoodie, a practice jersey, one pair of socks & 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, 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 1/2 hours each in the concession stand, Emmerich complex parking lot Marshal, or at a field as a Field Marshal. If you would like to opt out of your tournament duty you may pay an additional $75 with your league fees to do so.

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, players and coaches that have tested positive within the last 5 days may not come to tryouts. Additionally, if you do not feel well regardless of a positive Covid test, please do not come to tryouts. If you cannot make it for these reasons, please reach out to Russ Goldstein at travel@bgrabaseball.org to come up with a solution.

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. 

Returning Bearcat Players All current Bearcat players that are trying out for either Bearcats or Coyotes, or both, may only come to one tryout date.

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 Bearcats 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. 

Players that have left our Program - We welcome back all players that have left our program in the past once.  However, if you have left us more than once, or previously accepted and then declined an offer after accepting, you will please need to contact Russ Goldstein at travel@bgrabaseball.org to request a tryout.

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 three days of tryouts.  Players, other than returning Bearcat players (please see above, 'Returning Bearcat Players'), are expected to be at two of the three tryout dates (PLEASE DO NOT COME TO ALL THREE DAYS OF TRYOUTS).  If you cannot make two 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.

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 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 or down we can address the situation during or shortly after tryouts.

Teams and Payments - 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 are typically comprised of between 11-12 players per team. 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 ‘accept’ you spot on-line and pay a $500 non-refundable deposit (or pay in full) towards the 2023 club fees. Payment options for the remaining balance will be provided to you at that time as well, if needed.

Tryout Schedule

(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

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 2021, 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, 2023 (Entering 2nd grade or younger)

U9 – Must be 9 years old or younger, may not turn 10 before May 1, 2023 (Entering 3rd grade)

U10 – Must be 10 years old or younger, may not turn 11 before May 1, 2023 (Entering 4th grade)

U11 – Must be 11 years old or younger, may not turn 12 before May 1, 2023 (Entering 5th grade)

U12 – Must be 12 years old or younger, may not turn 13 before May 1, 2023 (Entering 6th grade)

U13 – Must be 13 years old or younger, may not turn 14 before May 1, 2023 (Entering 7th grade)

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 Thursday July 28th at 9:00 PM.  Please do not contact coaches or BGRA administration asking for an update.