PWYBA is proud of our strong community based baseball program.  In addition to our in-house program, PWYBA offers a full travel schedule option to 9-15 year old kids.  Travel baseball is an extensive commitment and families need to consider all aspects of this commitment carefully before making the decision between in-house vs. travel.  Travel baseball requires 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.  This should only be considered for kids who are most serious about baseball and can commit to the schedule. 

The tentative dates and times for the 2023 PWYBA Travel program tryouts are below. These dates are subject to change. Your player will be assigned a time within this block about 7-10  days before the tryout date.  Tryouts typically last 1.25-1.5 hours.

The 2023 PWYBA travel tournament schedule is below.  This schedule is tentative and subject to change based on final registration numbers and teams formed.

PWYBA travel baseball will field travel teams at the 9-15 year old age levels.  In general, there will be one AAA team at each age level, one or two parity AA teams and one or two parity A level teams. 9U is the exception to this, where two or three teams will be formed: one AAA team and one or two AA teams. 

PWYBA strives to have as many kids playing travel baseball as possible while ensuring they are competitive at the level they are assigned.  Being competitive is important for player and team development, success on the field, and continued interest in the sport.  The number of AA and A teams may change each year (increase or decrease) depending on the factors listed below.

1. Players registered – The depth of players at each grade level can have an effect on the number of players ready/available to play travel baseball.

2. Competitiveness – PWYBA wants players appropriately placed against competition that is best suited for their skills as a baseball player.  This does not mean that the team must win every game but rather that the players can consistently challenge the competition before them in any given game.  With competitiveness a somewhat subjective term, PWYBA considers winning percentage (winning percentages of .350 -.500 can still be competitive), run differential, number of times losing by more than 10 runs, number of times the team played on Sundays in tournaments, number of times a team placed (1st-3rd) in a tournament, and if they qualified for state.

3. Coach Feedback – Coach feedback is a tool used to get an understanding from those most familiar with the players’ abilities on their team and at their grade level.  At the end of each season, and in subsequent follow up interviews if necessary, coaches are asked to discuss their season and the players.  This feedback will be an important part of the grade level team formations.

4. History – Records are maintained at each grade level and will be utilized to gain a historical perspective of the grade levels overall success.

The travel oversight committee, made up of five board members, will make the final determination on the number of teams and level of play.

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.

Players who do not make one of the travel teams will be placed on a summer team in the house league.

Again, the commitment for travel baseball is extensive.  We strongly encourage families to carefully consider these options and sign up for the program best suited for their player.   

If you have questions please feel free to reach out to Paul Koziol or Chris Post, PWYBA Travel Directors.

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

• In accordance with MBL and MYAS 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
• Players must have paid all applicable fees and any arrearages from previous PWYBA programs
• Players 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 cannot be rostered and play for any other team or association from May 1 through the last game of the travel season (except for any player participating on a high school team). Any player found to be rostered on another team will be removed from the PWYBA team. There may be exceptions with High School and Spring Baseball leagues. These will be handled on a case by case basis.

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. The age level for which a player is eligible is the player’s age on April 30.  A player can play up only to play with his school 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 rules of 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. It should be noted that players who have not completed the third grade by the end of the school year will not be eligible for the 9U program.

• 9U - 5/1/2013 through 4/30/2014 or completing 3rd grade
• 10U - 5/1/2012 through 4/30/2013 or completing 4th grade
• 11U - 5/1/2011 through 4/30/2012 or completing 5th grade
• 12U - 5/1/2010 through 4/30/2011 or completing 6th grade
• 13U - 5/1/2009 through 4/30/2010 or completing 7th grade
• 14U - 5/1/2008 through 4/30/2009 or completing 8th grade
• 15U - 5/1/2007 through 4/30/2008 or completing 9th 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 (e.g., cannot tryout for the 10u team if opted to evaluate with 11u 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 any player participating on a high school team.  Any player found to be rostered on another team will be removed from the PWYBA team.  Those rostered on a spring team prior to the start to the travel season will need to complete that spring season prior to playing in any games for their PWYBA travel team.

The initial registration and travel fee covers the team’s expenses for participation in league games, umpires, equipment, uniforms, and association administration and support. 

The initial registration and evaluation fee are collected at time of registration. The evaluation fee is non-refundable. 

If a player makes a travel team, the travel fee will be collected at uniform handout.   

A player who makes a travel team and decides not to participate on that team will not be given a refund and will be ineligible to participate in the travel program in the next year.  This includes the senior travel programs. 

If a team qualifies for and receives bids to a state tournament, the association will pay the entry fee for one state tournament.  All other entry fees for state tournaments will be at the teams expense. 

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

The most current bat standards are posted on the MYAS and MBL/MBT websites.   

It should be noted that some of the standards set by each organization may be different. Your player will likely be playing tournaments and/or league play in each of the organizations. We 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.