Lower Age Baseball Tournament Team Guidelines
- Tournament Tryouts and Roster Selection:
7U, 8U & 9U Levels – Tryouts will be held on the first Sunday of May during the Spring
Baseball Season for 1st Grade, 2nd Grade and 3rd Grade teams.
10U, 11U & 12U Levels – Tryouts will be held either the first Sunday in May during the
Spring Baseball Season, or the first Sunday in October at Head Coach discretion.
Head Coaches will need to inform the HAA Board of their intentions by the September Membership Meeting to conduct a Fall or Spring Tryout. HAA Board will administer the tryout evaluations, including supplying evaluators, scoring and rankings. Rankings will be calculated and turned over to the Head Coach within 1 week of the tryout to allow for review and selection of the team.
- Pinto Level – 7U & 8U – Top 12 players will be invited for the Summer Tournament Team Roster.
- Mustang Level – 9U & 10U – Top 6 players will be invited for the Summer Tournament Team Roster, Head Coach discretion for remaining roster invites.
- Bronco Level – 11U & 12U – Top 5 players will be invited for the Summer Tournament Team Roster, Head Coach discretion for the remaining roster invites.
Tournament Coach Selection and Evaluation:
Initial Tournament Head Coach positions will be determined in the Spring leading into the 7U Season for the Pinto Age Level and will hold the position for a 2-year period.
Coaches will be evaluated after a 2 year period and will be re-assigned at each “move-up year” by the HAA Board. This process of evaluating will occur at the end of each Summer Season leading into a move-up year Fall (after 8U & 10U Summer).
If there is Head Coach turnover after the 8U Season, the coach will carry the current roster throughout the Winter and reset after the Spring Tryout. If there is Head Coach turnover after the 10U Season, the incoming coach will have discretion of holding a Fall Tryout or Spring Tryout to determine their team reset date. This must be communicated by the September General Membership Meeting to the HAA Board.
Head Coach Expectations:
Head Coaches are responsible for scheduling a minimum number of activities throughout the Spring and Summer Seasons. Head Coaches are encouraged to supplement activities throughout the Fall and Winter at their discretion, based off their team’s availability and willingness.
7U & 8U – Enter and play in Minimum 3 Tournaments
9U – 12U – Enter and play in a Minimum of 4 Tournaments
Summer Tournament Schedules must be communicated to the team/parents by June15th. Summer Practice Schedules must be communicated to the team/parents by June 1st. Weekly scheduled practices are to be held beginning the first week of June through the end of the Summer Season. Sunday Field times are reserved, but it is not required to use those specific time slots. Additional practices are encouraged. Head Coach Communication to parents is essential for a successful Tournament Team experience. It is required practices and events are posted to the GameChanger app and GameChanger app messages or emails go out regularly to the parents and staff of the team.
Head Coaches are responsible for coordinating the finances of the team. Any fundraising efforts will be overseen by the Head Coach, but they are encouraged to engage other staff and parents to assist and lead efforts. (It is designated that the 12U team will have the first opportunity to hold a fundraiser during Opening Day of that Spring Season)