Travel Baseball FAQ
WBYB currently runs two travel programs for youth baseball. Each program includes different commitment levels and requirements for players.
As an overview, the travel program creates opportunities for boys to participate on a team against surrounding area community teams. The competition is generally higher than organizations find within their own in-house programs, so competition to achieve positions on travel teams can be significant.
If you are interested in coaching with Briarcliffe, please contact WBYBTravel@gmail.com
Teams
- Bulldogs - Part Time Travel
Bulldogs teams start at age 8 for players and can continue at any age level above that.
To be eligible to be placed on a Bulldog team, a player must also be a rostered player on a WBYB in-house team.
Bulldogs are intended to be supplemental to in-house baseball and not a primary team for participants. As such, Bulldog programs adapt their schedules around the in-house functions.
We currently have Bulldog programs for 8U, 9U, and 10U within WBYB. Players sign up for the age they are as of 4/30, which is the cut-off date for eligibility. An example: if you are age 8 as of 4/30, you sign up for 8U.
- Must a registered with a WBYB in-house league
- Tryouts are in late April or early May, weather pending, but after in-house seasons begin
- Approximate roster is 12 players. An independent group of evaluators selects the players who represent the best skills for the formation of the team
- If there are enough players available who have the talent and commitment to play, there is a possibility of a secondary team for each age division
- Season runs from early or late May- end of July (approximately)
- Practices begin with one weekly practice (at date tbd by manager) until in-house season concludes. All practices in Wheaton at Briarcliffe fields.
- Tournaments/Games begin after in-house season concludes (early June). Games are primarily in surrounding local communities in DuPage County
- Estimated quantity of games is 15-20
- Blazers - Full Time Travel
Blazers teams can start at age 8 for players, and currently continue on until age 14.
As a full-time travel team, there is no requirement for players to also participate in an in-house program.
The Blazer program is a competitive and developmental program. As such, players who are offered roster positions will be skilled players with the appropriate commitment level for full-time travel participation.
- Teams are formed by age given travel baseball Date of Birth cutoff rules, but generally players end up playing with their peers in their school grade.
- Tryouts are held in mid-July for following year’s teams
- Roster sizes are 11-12 players per team
- If there are enough players available who have the talent and commitment to play, there is a possibility of a second or third team.
- Indoor practices begin in Jan/Feb, approximately 2 days per week.
- Teams play in the West Suburban Baseball League (wsbl.org).
- Teams will also compete in local tournaments in Chicago-area communities. For 12U-14U, it is common to travel to an out of town destination tournament (separate charges apply for this)
- Season runs from January/February until early July
- Estimated quantity of games is 35-45
