The Richmond Braves are excited to announce the expansion of its Model Youth Baseball Development Program for 8U-13U. After a two year pilot test of our Braves Affiliated Team program, we are ready to share our expertise, sterling reputation, and proven player development system with more travel baseball teams who aspire to prepare players for college baseball.
Travel baseball has certainly changed since the Braves started 16 years ago. Back then it was called AAU Baseball and there were far fewer teams and even fewer events. There was only one level of competition and most teams were built to win. The original concept was as simple as it was novel: “Get your best nine and let’s go.” USSSA came along and allowed teams to play teams of a similar strength. Today’s travel ball features hundreds of teams formed each season and playing a variety of competitive levels such as AA, AAA and Majors. Some segments of today’s travel ball have supplemented and even replaced the traditional recreational leagues. Some teams play single day events, others prefer weekend events and weeklong events. Teams will only travel across town to play; others go to another city or even play in other states. All of these teams identify themselves as “travel” baseball teams.
Today’s travel ball players are as diverse as the teams that they play for. Most players start play in their local recreational league. The ones that excel or fall in love with the game of baseball soon graduate to some form of travel baseball team. Players of all sizes, motivations and skills seek travel teams from an early age to extend the season beyond the traditional rec ball season.
The Richmond Braves know from years of experience that the beliefs, habits, skills, and training players acquire between their 8U and 13U years are the foundation that future success is built on.
Young travel ball players have plenty of options to play, but are they really preparing themselves to be recruited at 14, 15 or 16 years old. The competition for college scholarships is more competitive than ever. There is so much more than just playing. The following is a list of questions that coaches, dads and players should ask themselves:
1. How important is strength and conditioning?
2. Are the players being challenged?
3. Are they developing the proper positional skills?
4. Are they playing a competitive schedule?
5. Do they understand what it takes to play in college?
6. Do they have a nationally recognized and proven support program?
7. Are the players being evaluated and development being tracked?
8. Do the players have access to professional instruction?
9. Do the players get discount on gear?
10. Do they get discounts or even access to special events?
The Richmond Braves Affiliated Team Youth Development Program is designed to help with all the questions listed above.
The original Braves Team started when the players were nine, 16 years ago. They worked on skill development and competing. Today the Braves Affiliated Team Program makes it easy for young teams to take advantage of the experience, professionalism and rich history of a proven developmental system. Teams that qualify as “affiliated” Braves Teams get to take advantage of the following:
1. Player Tracker System – Each player has a profile set up within the Braves system. This will help monitor and track players development.
2. Access to Braves open skills clinics – We have catching, OF, MIF, CIF, Bunting and Base running clinics periodically throughout the year in the offseason.
3. Access to Braves regional winter workouts – We currently have 6 training centers around the state we use in the winter 1 day a week for Braves players.
4. Access to Braves organizational workouts – A couple times over the winter we have special organizational testing and workshops.
5. Access to all athletic testing and tryouts.
6. Braves website presence and recognition.
7. Discounts with Braves vendor partners – All players receive a 25 to 30% discount on Marucci gear.
8. Access to organizational discounts for tournaments, apparel, gear, camps and showcases.
9. Braves scouting and recruiting information.
10. Access to Braves Newsletter – highlighting teams, player news, commitment, etc.
Find out how you can be a part of the Braves family by contacting Tommy Mayers, Braves National Director at Tommy@bravesmail.com or (804)241-0833.