Pirate Travel Baseball – Q & A

 

PHBSA – Our Mission To provide opportunity and a fun, cooperative learning environment for our children. To teach them the game of baseball, sportsmanship, team building, self-discipline and to give them a sense of community.

Pirate Travel Baseball – Q & A June 2014

Q. Is travel baseball for everyone? A. Travel baseball by design is very competitive and is not comparable to other organized baseball league options. It requires more time, money and a greater commitment. Kids develop at different ages, so we want to be as inclusive as possible, but sometimes young athletes are not quite ready for the competitive level, therefore, PHBSA has other options available. The PHBSA sponsors the Pirate Travel Baseball program for kids in our community. Our task is to identify the most skilled players at their age to play against the best competition in the area. Our goal is to develop quality players for our high school programs.

Q. What is the time commitment associated with travel baseball? A. Most teams start with indoor workouts in early January. Mandatory practice sessions will begin in early March. Weather permitting, practices will move outdoors at that time. Initially practices are usually scheduled 2-3 nights/week. Games and Tournaments begin in April. Games are typically scheduled 2-3 nights/week. Practices are scheduled as needed (varies by Coach). Our seasons typically contain 30-40 games, and last into early-mid July.

Q. How much travel is involved in Pirate Travel Baseball? A. Our teams compete in the KVBSA League, which is comprised of teams in or around our area. It is unusual to travel more than an hour or overnight, although your team may choose to play in an out of town tournament – which can be a wonderful team-building experience! Each Pirate Travel Baseball team participates in 3-5 weekend tournaments each season, 1 of which may require an overnight stay due to distance. The PTB 12U team participates in a week-long tournament in Cooperstown, NY.* *total team participation in fund-raising events is required (regardless of personal need) for the 12U team.

 

 

Q. What does travel baseball cost? A. Fees for the 2015 season have not been set, but $500-$600/player is a reasonable estimate. Base fee is $300.00* This covers standard league fees, insurance, uniforms, Pirate Baseball Classic tournament fees, and various misc. fees. *Initial fee may be paid in 3 increments: 1st Payment – DUE Sept. 15, 2013 - $100 2nd Payment – DUE Oct. 15, 2013 - $100 3rd Payment – DUE Nov. 15, 2013 - $100 Additional fees vary by Team/Coach. Such fees may include additional tournament fees, Officials’ fees, Additional equipment, player S.W.A.G. (e.g. bat bags, helmets, warm-ups). This does not include travel/hotel expense for overnight tournaments. Example: In 2014, additional fees ranged from $2,000 - $3,000 per team. Base Fee ($300/player) $3,600/team Additional Fees $3,000/team $6,600 per Team or $550/player*

 

*(assume 12person team roster)

Q. What if I can’t afford the fees? A. Pirate Travel Baseball provides several fundraising opportunities for our players and their families to minimize out-ofpocket expenses. (Cookie dough sales, etc.) In addition, PTB players and their families are strongly encouraged to secure individual donations, player and/or team sponsorships. These could include local business, or even a small donation from grandma and grandpa. If cost is of concern, please don’t hesitate to discuss it in confidence with your child’s Head Coach. We recognize these are not the easiest of financial times and are happy to work out payment arrangements with PTB families to minimize the burden.

 

 

Q. Who are the Pirate Travel Coaches? A. Anyone interested in being a Head Coach is asked to submit a coaching resume to be reviewed by the PHBSA Board of Directors. Once chosen, his son (only) is on the team. The vast majority of our Head Coaches have played baseball at a very competitive level and/or coached for a number of years. Assistant Coaches are chosen by the Head Coach after the team has been chosen. For the upcoming 2015 Pirate Travel Baseball Season, our Head Coaches have not been chosen. Last years coaches are as follows: 9U 10U 11U 12U 13U

Vince Olenik Coach Chuck Adams Coach Bill Cortez Coach Todd Koone Coach Scott McGlade

Additional details regarding the Pirate Travel Baseball Program and specific to each team will be provided at player/parent meetings conducted by the Coaching Staff. Should you have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact any Pirate Travel Baseball or PHBSA representative. Travel baseball is a wonderful way to learn the game at an accelerated pace playing with and against the most skilled players in our area. Great coaching emphasizing fundamentals through practices and games, superior sportsmanship, and lots of fun are what make Pirate Travel Baseball among the best!