Plymouth Wayzata Baseball Association

Travel baseball teams with the PWYBA play games under the governing rules of MYAS and MBL/MBT.

The below links will bring you to the bat standards posted with MYAS and MBL/MBT.   This information is current as of 01/14/2013.  I have contacted both organizations, questioning each of them to ensure that the standards posted will be valid for the 2013 season.  I have only heard back from MYAS officials who have told me the bat standards on their website are good for the upcoming year.  Take notice that some of the standards set by each group are different.   Your son will likely be playing tournaments and/or league play in each of the organizations.  I would recommend you review both sets of  standards and purchase a bat that would be eligible for use in both MYAS and MBL/MBT.   The standards are set by MYAS and MBL/MBT and are subject to change.  The links below are meant to be a starting point for you to gather information before you purchase baseball equipment.  You should refer to their websites for the most current guidelines.

Shawn Gullickson

PWYBA Travel Director

Please click the following link to view tryout dates and information for the 2013 travel tryouts.

PWYBA travel baseball will field travel teams at the 11-15 year old age levels.  There will be one AAA team at each age level, two parity AA teams and one or two A level teams if there is enough interest. The travel oversight committee will make the final determination on the number of teams and what level they will play at.  The goal of the association to ensure that teams are competitive at the level they will be playing at.  Travel baseball teams will play in the Metro Baseball League or Gopher State League (roughly 16 game league schedule) along with entering four weekend tournaments.  The teams could also play in up to three state tournaments in July if they qualify.

Tournament teams allow players to have some travel experience by playing in weekend tournaments.  Players are required to play in the house program to be eligible for the tournament teams. PWYBA baseball will field tournament teams at the 10U level (there are no travel teams at the 10U level).  Each team will play three weekend tournaments from the end of May through the end of June. The teams could also play in various state tournaments in July if they qualify.  Additional practices, aside from the in house practices will be required – typically Friday and Sunday evenings.  House league practices and games have priority over tournament team when there are conflicts. 

The PWYBA does not have field space to support travel teams at the 10U level.

A player is eligible to participate in PWYBA Travel Baseball team tryouts subject to the following criteria:

• In accordance with PWYBA Board policy, players must reside within the boundaries of Independent School District 284 OR if outside the boundaries the player must be open-enrolled in a public school of ISD 284.  A listing of those schools may be found at www.wayzata.k12.mn.us
• Must have paid all applicable fees and any arrearages from previous PWYBA programs
• Must meet age guidelines specified by the national governing organizations.
• Proposed exceptions to this policy, describing extenuating circumstances for the exception, must be addressed to the PWYBA and reviewed by the PWYBA Board of Directors at a regular monthly meeting.

Players must have a legal residence within the Wayzata School District 284 boundaries as of April 1 OR if the player does not live within the boundaries the player must be open enrolled (registered) to a Wayzata School District 284 public school as of April 1.  Players who have made a travel or tournament team but move out of the district 284 boundaries before April 1 OR players who qualify to play via open enrollment but are no longer attending a Wayzata public school on April 1 will be removed from the team.

The birthdate cutoff is April 30, 2013. The team (age level) for which a player is eligible is the same as the player’s age on that date.  A player can play up to play with his grade and not because he or his parents believe he needs to be “at a more competitive level.”  The Travel Director should be notified of a player wishing to “play up” with his grade.  A player cannot “play down” (i.e., play on a team younger than his/her age level) for any reason, per the governing organizations. A copy of the child’s birth certificate should be supplied to the head coach at the first parent/coach pre-season meeting. 

10 and under through 4/30/03 or completing 2^nd-4^th grade.

11 year olds 5/1/01 through 4/30/02 or completing 5^th grade.

12 year olds 5/1/00 through 4/30/01 or completing 6^th grade.

13 year olds 5/1/99 through 4/30/00 or completing 7^th grade.

14 year olds 5/1/98 through 4/30/99 or completing 8^th grade.

15 year olds 5/1/97 through 4/30/98 or completing 9^th grade.

A player who has the option of playing up with his grade can only be evaluated for the age level he has signed up for (cannot tryout for the 10 year old team if opt to evaluate with the 11 year olds at his grade level). 

Players in the PWYBA travel program are not allowed to be rostered and play for any other team or association from May 1 through the last game of the travel season (except for 15 year olds participating on high school teams).  Any player found to be rostered on another team will be removed from the PWYBA team.

The initial registration and travel fee covers the team’s expenses for participation in league games, umpires, equipment, and association administration and support.  The initial registration and evaluation fee are collected at time of registration—if a player makes a travel or tournament team the travel/tournament fee will be collected at uniform handout.  The evaluation fee is non-refundable and will be collected at the time of registration.   A player who makes a travel or tournament team and decides not to participate on that team will not be rewarded a refund and will be ineligible to participate in the travel program in 2014.

If a team qualifies for and receives bids to a state tournament the association will pay the entry fee for one tournament (team may qualify for three state tournaments, the association will pay the entry fee to one of them), all other entry fees for state tournaments will be at the teams expense.  Teams (parents) will also be responsible for any gate fees due to the host association for any tournaments that have this charge. There will be a parents’ meeting conducted by the head coach to review all appropriate fees.

Once a player has been placed on a team, there will be no refunds except for players who suffer a long-term injury or illness. All refund requests will be prorated by the number of games played and must be approved by the Travel Director. 

Travel baseball requires dedicated time commitment from players, coaches and parents, from April through July, and possibly into early August. Every player’s presence is important and the player is expected to make every effort to attend all practices, league games, and tournament games. Unexcused and/or excessive absences will result in a reduction of playing time and may result in dismissal from the team.

The PWYBA may field the following travel/tournament teams as noted below.  It is the goal of the association to ensure our teams are competitive at the level they will be playing at.  Changes to the number of teams (and competitive levels) may occur due to the number of interested players and past results for the specific age group.  This will be determined by the travel oversight committee.  We are limited in the number of travel teams that we can field due to the number of playing fields we have available to us.  Please note that travel baseball is highly competitive and requires a full commitment.