General Information For All Teams

Dates of Try-outs:
Try-outs for the JAA travel baseball teams shall be held at the High School fields during the week beginning on Monday, June 5, 2006 and shall be supervised by JAA board members. Specific information is attached hereto.

Eligibility for Try-outs:
For the 2006/07 school year, it is expected that there will be five (5) travel baseball teams:

1. 10-Year Olds (children born on or after May 1, 1995)
2. 11-Year Olds (children born on or after May 1, 1994)
3. 12-Year Olds (children born on or after May 1, 1993)
4. 13-Year Olds (children born on or after May 1, 1992)
5. 14-Year Olds (children born on or after May 1, 1991)

The children will not be trying out for one specific team; there will be a series of try-outs divided by current school grades, starting with fourth graders (fifth graders in the fall of 2006); those kids who are selected will be placed on one of the teams for which such child is age-appropriate. Thus, for example, if a child on the current 10-year old team (next year's 11-year old team) is born on or after May 1, 1994, he is age-appropriate for next year's 10-year old team and, if selected at the tryouts, he may be placed on that team by the JAA Travel Board - the choice as to what team he will play on is to be made by the Board. Refusal to play for the younger team will result in that child not playing for either team.

Determination of Rosters:
The final rosters of each of the travel teams shall be completed after a meeting among the members of the JAA Travel Board that conducted the try-outs. The JAA Travel Board shall make all final decisions. All children who attended the try-outs will be notified by e-mail as soon as final decisions are reached.

Continuation in Spring:
All players shall continue on the team in the spring of the school year, unless the head coach requests his removal for good reason, which shall include missing an inordinate number of games or failure to attend practices on a regular basis. The coaches shall fill any roster openings during the season or before the spring season, after approval by the JAA board, unless the JAA board requests to hold new try-outs for those roster openings. There shall be new try-outs each June for the travel teams for the subsequent school year - no child is guaranteed a roster spot on future teams.

Payment of Fees:
Payment of the travel team fee for the fall season must be made immediately after notification of selection in June. Because of the requirement of ordering uniforms over the summer, in the event payment is not timely received, such roster will be deemed forfeited and a substitute player may be placed on the roster. Payment for the spring season must be made prior to the first game of the spring season. Any player who has not paid prior to such game shall be prohibited from playing until such payment is made.

 

Rules Specific to "10-Year Old" Travel Baseball Team

The "10-year old" team shall be comprised of children born on or after May 1, 1995 (most of which will be current fourth graders going into fifth grade); provided, however, the JAA Board has consented to an additional one-day tryout prior to the fourth grade tryouts for third graders only. Any third graders selected from this one-day tryout will be invited to tryout for the 10-year old team with the fourth graders; however, the JAA Board has stated that such current third graders will be selected only if they demonstrate ability significantly above those older kids during the initial try-out.

In addition to the tryouts, which will be run by professional baseball scouts, the selection process for this team only shall be as follows:

Voting by Coaches
On or prior to May 31st , two (2) coaches from each current fourth grade intramural team shall vote for a maximum of twelve (12) players from the fourth grade only for a position on the "10-year old" travel team and shall submit such votes to the JAA travel baseball commissioner to be held in confidence. Players shall be selected by such coaches, based on a combination of ability, attitude and dedication to baseball. Although the fact that a player participates in another travel team (e.g., soccer) SHALL NOT be held against such player, such player and his parents must understand the level of commitment required for participation in a travel program. It should be noted that the vast majority of travel soccer games are on Saturdays and the vast majority of travel baseball games, especially for the younger teams, are doubleheaders on Sundays; therefore, game conflicts with soccer should be minimal; however, if a travel sport plays the majority of its games on Sundays, e.g., tackle football, a choice will have to be made. Conflicts may also arise in weekly scheduled practices. In the event a player simultaneously participates in two travel sports, the coaches of both teams shall cooperate to enable such player to participate in both sports to the extent possible.

"Supermajority" Vote
After a compilation of the votes by the JAA travel baseball commissioner, those players who are selected by a "supermajority vote" (i.e., 12 votes in an 8-team league; 10 votes in a 7-team league; 9 votes in a 6-team league; 7 votes in a 5-team league and 6 votes in a 4-team league) shall be automatically invited to be on the team (provided that such player is age-appropriate). Coaches are allowed to vote for their own child. Disclosure as to which players were selected to be on the travel team by a "supermajority vote" shall be kept confidential. Coaches shall not disclose to any other coaches which kids were voted for by such coach; any such disclosure, or other evidence of collusion, as determined by the members of the travel board of the JAA, shall result in all votes by such coach becoming automatically void. Note: Attaining a "supermajority vote" by any of the children is an accomplishment not easily achieved; it is only made more difficult if coaches fail to submit their votes in a timely manner, i.e., in or prior to May 31st. All coaches eligible to vote must take this obligation seriously and submit their votes in a timely manner. If either of the two (2) coaches from any intramural fourth grade team fail to submit such votes when due, that team will not be allowed to participate in the fourth grade intramural playoffs. Remember, a maximum of 12 players may be selected by each coach, but if a coach feels that if, for example, only nine children are of travel team caliber, then nine votes only may be submitted.

Completion of Roster
The remaining spots on a 12-14 player team shall be filled pursuant to the try-outs referenced above. Consideration shall be given to positions to be filled. For example, if 8 players received the "supermajority vote", but none are catchers, catchers may be given preferential treatment in the completion of the roster, even if such players are not in the next highest rated 4-6 players. Alternatively, again, for example, if 3-4 catchers are in the 8 players who receive the "supermajority vote," preferential treatment may be given to non-catchers in completing the roster.

Selection of Coaches
Once the roster is completed, the coaches on the team shall be selected by the JAA travel board members. One coach shall be designated by the JAA board as the field coach, who should, if possible, have experience in coaching or playing at this level of baseball. Another coach should be designated as the administrative coach, who should coordinate with the participating league.