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Fall Blizzard 2008
…Minnesota’s Elite Baseball Teams
The Pre-Fall program will be up later in July. Right now, we are handling Blizzard tryouts!The Fall Blizzard (ages 10u – 18u), our developmental baseball program, will essentially mirror MBA’s Blizzard Elite curriculum minus the traveling tournaments. Players will be placed either on a Fall Blizzard AAA, AA or A team based on their results in the Blizzard tryouts July 21st – 24th.
All of our Fall Blizzard players play in the MYAS Gopher State Fall Baseball League which runs every Sunday (double headers) starting September 7th – October 5th including a Saturday one-day tournament
Players are not guaranteed a spot on any Blizzard teams.
Fall Blizzard AAA
The AAA team is for players who tried out for the Blizzard Elite and did not make the team. Players from the AAA team will be the first in line if players from the Blizzard Elite cannot make it to a tournament. Last year, there were several players called up to play with the Blizzard Elite including: Cody McNary (13u), TJ Galenti (14u), Alex Wynne (16u), Blake Fangel (17u).
Fall Blizzard AA
The AA teams are for those players who try out for Fall Blizzard and/or players who do not make the AAA team. Normally, these players are players who only want to play fall baseball or can only make one of the Blizzard Elite tournaments and prefer not to travel in the winter time due to activities in other sports, previous obligations, etc.
Fall Blizzard A
The A team is designated to focus more on the fundamentals of baseball and development of players who are working hard to become better. Although winning is a goal for all of our teams, more stress is put towards winning the smaller challenges within the game including better at-bats, base running, good defense and situational baseball.
Each player receives a uniform top and hat, a full-time head coach, access to our facility at Competitive Edge in Rogers, MN, plus a Player Membership at Minnesota Baseball Academy (see below)
- Our goals are to:
- Develop players on the fundamentals of baseball. We challenge our players that participate in our fall program to be aggressive and not be afraid to make mistakes. We encourage hitters to be aggressive, base runners to steal and take extra bases, and pitchers to use more off-speed pitches.
- Expose players to surrounding communities that have the same objectives - to play better baseball!
- Prepare them for their high school and youth baseball seasons through instruction from our professional instructors.
Age cut-off is May 1st, 2009 (example: If you are 12 years old now and turn 13 before May 1st, you are considered a 13u player.)
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Results for both the Blizzard Elite and Fall Blizzard teams will be on our website the following Friday. (August 1st)
Amateur Baseball Report
ALL 12u - 15u players that tryout for the Blizzard will also have a player profile and will be featured in the ABR Magazine, a publication distributed statewide in paper and online. Check out www.amateurbaseballreport.com for more info. In addition, the top 13u and 14u players out of these tryouts will have a chance to be selected for a second tryout (National Team Identification Series) to play for Team USA, a team that travels internationally. There are two NTIS events held over Labor Day weekend (8/29-8/31), where players compete for one of 24 roster spots. Twelve teams from across the country are represented. Ten are chosen from participating organizations and two by USA Baseball. (Note: This would not affect Blizzard schedules.)
Blizzard and ABR tryouts will be held at the White Bear Lake Township Fields in White Bear Lake, MN.
All potential Blizzard players will go through a 5-tool tryout where we will be grading out
Amateur Baseball Report
ALL 12u - 15u players that tryout for the Blizzard will also have a player profile and will be featured in the ABR Magazine, a publication distributed statewide in paper and online. Check out www.amateurbaseballreport.com for more info. In addition, the top 13u and 14u players out of these tryouts will have a chance to be selected for a second tryout (National Team Identification Series) to play for Team USA, a team that travels internationally. There are two NTIS events held over Labor Day weekend (8/29-8/31), where players compete for one of 24 roster spots. Twelve teams from across the country are represented. Ten are chosen from participating organizations and two by USA Baseball. (Note: This would not affect Blizzard schedules.)
Blizzard and ABR tryouts will be held at the White Bear Lake Township Fields in White Bear Lake, MN.
- All potential Blizzard players will go through a 5-tool tryout where we will be grading out
- Hitting - batting practice and live work
- Defensive ability infield and outfield
- Arm strength
- Speed - 60 yd. dash
- Pitching - bullpens and live work
- Overall athletic ability
- Attitude and effort - commitment to team
Cost, Payments and Scholarships
| Fall Blizzard Camp/Tryout: | $85 |
| Fall Blizzard: | $350 |
Installments and Payments
Once you have made the Fall Blizzard team, your remaining payment of $265 is due by September 1st.
Scholarships
Everyone deserves to play the game of baseball. One of the goals at Minnesota Baseball Academy is never to turn down anyone because they can’t afford to play. Scholarships are provided on a per case basis and everyone who has applied has played. Some have assisted with camps, helped clean the facility, help with Blizzard logistics and arrangements, etc.
What does the Fall Blizzard Fee cover?
- MYAS Gopher State Fall Baseball League
- Our fall baseball includes five Sunday DHs starting September 7th – October 5th including a Saturday one-day tournament is covered by your Blizzard fee.
- Each player will be graded out and/or put in the Amateur Baseball Report publication distributed statewide and online. (see above).
- Facility Membership
- Each player receives a Player Membership enabling them to come into our facility virtually any time they want to hit, throw, workout or even do their homework. Lessons, usually at $80/lesson, will be $65/lesson (through Dec. 31st, 2008) with all other events including camps, mini-camps, hitting leagues, etc. are 15% off.
- Coaches
- All of the coaches for the Minnesota Blizzard are our best instructors. Specific coaches for each team have not been determined, but it is our goal to provide the best coach possible for each team. Please visit our “Instructor” page to read some of the bios.
- Uniforms and equipment
- All players will a Blizzard jersey shirt and hat, but will be responsible for their own grey pants, belts and socks which will be made available online at www.minnesotabaseballacademy.com. Also included will be apparel discounts for all the players and parents. We’ll provide team equipment, if needed, to the entire team. We will also be using wood bats during the fall for most of the age groups. (wood bats will be provided by MBA.)
- Practice Fields and practice times
- All practice fields are covered by your Blizzard fee. Practice times are usually on Saturdays at the Rosetown Legion and the Victoria/Cty Road C fields in Roseville. Once late fall and the snow flies, teams will practice indoors at Competitive Edge. An additional fee may be added if we can reserve Metrodome for practices or additional winter games.