About BCC Baseball

Unlike the recreational programs where individuals can form and enter teams into a league, the Minor and Major Select coaches are chosen from a pool of candidates. Anyone interested in becoming a Select coach are required to complete and submit a Select Coach Application by May 1, 2006. The application will be available on the BCC website by April 1 and should be submitted according to the instructions on the form. Coaches chosen for a Select team are expected to have meaningful baseball coaching experience and will be informed of coaching selections by May 15.

Individuals interested in coaching will also need to understand the level of commitment required to be a Select coach. Additional practices and games per week, tryouts and drafts in the early summer, and winter clinics require a level of commitment beyond what is expected for recreational coaches.

When will tryouts be held?

Minor and Major Select tryouts are held in June. Travel teams tryouts are held in October.

Who is age eligible to play in Minor and Major Select

Only league age 10 and 11 may play in Minor Select and only league age 12 and 13 may play in Major Select. While there may be occasional age exceptions in the recreational leagues (younger players playing "up", or in a high age league), there are NO exceptions in the Select programs. Spring 2008, the eligible ages are:

Minor Select: must be born between May 1, 1997 and April 30, 1999 (inclusive)

Major Select: must be born between May 1, 1995 and April 30, 1997 (inclusive)

Why have a Minor Select?

There are a number of reasons for creating a Minor Select division:

Demand for competitive opportunities. Tryouts for Travel teams have been well-attended, but not everyone can be on a Travel team. Also, some players want the option of playing locally instead of traveling around the area.
Travel teams begin in BCC at league age 10; the Select divisions provide opportunities for players who did not make and/or choose to leave a Travel team.
Creating a Minor Select doubles the number of players who can play at a Select level.
Creating a Minor Select for ages 10 and 11 allows the Major Select to include league age 13. This fills an existing gap between the current Major Select and high school for most U13s.
Players graduating from existing Major Select typically return to recreational baseball for a year before moving on to high school baseball.
Provides better alignment of age-based skills and abilities
Coaches are selected by the league based on proven coaching abilities and will be expected to participate in continuing coaching classes, providing a higher level of instruction for the players.

What will happen to the players currently in Major Select?

All players currently in Major Select will be eligible to remain with their existing teams for the next two seasons (fall 2006 and spring 2007), without having to re-tryout. Players will have until June 1, 2006, to declare if they wish to remain in Major Select for the following two seasons.

What is the difference between the Travel teams and the Select divisions?

Travel is a highly competitive program that allows very skilled players the opportunity to compete with other competitive teams from all over the MD/DC/VA area. Our best players compete against the best in their age groups. The Select divisions group the best players within our league to play against each other.

I want to stay on a team with my friends, can this be arranged?

Can I play on both my recreational team and my Select team?

A player who chooses to try out for a Select team can only play for that team and cannot be guaranteed a spot on a team with his/her former teammates and/or friends. While it is not uncommon to be selected for a team that has friends on it, players and parents should anticipate and look forward to making new friends with new teammates. This process of breaking up the “old gang” might seem traumatic, but it really does work out and the kids adapt to the challenge! There are NO exceptions to this rule. A player CANNOT be a member of both a Select and recreational team.

Can I pick the manager I want to play for?

Since teams are selected through a draft process, the coaches will be choosing the players; players will not have the choice of coach, if selected.

Are the rules the same as the Minor and Major League recreation level?

In many cases, they are, but basepaths and pitching distances are different. Both Select divisions allow leading and stealing (Minor League rec does not), so pitchers will learn to pitch from the stretch and hold runners on base. See chart below to compare leagues.

Select Divisions		Recreation
Minor - New	New	Minor
League Age	10 and 11	10 and 11
Basepath length	60 feet	60 feet
Pitching distance	46 feet	46 feet
Leading/stealing	Allowed	No Leading

Major		Major
League Age	12 and 13	12 and 13
Basepath length	75 feet	70 feet
Pitching distance	54 feet	50 feet
Leading/stealing	Allowed	Allowed

How many games will we play?

There will be two games per week, on Friday nights and Sunday afternoons. The spring season will be 14 games plus playoffs (one to three additional games). The fall season is a bit shorter (typically 12 games) and there are no playoffs. The spring season starts in April and is targeted to end, including playoffs, by the time Montgomery County schools let out for the summer, usually in mid-June. Everyone should consider the playoffs before making summer vacation plans.

Are there guaranteed playing opportunities at the Select level?

Yes, teams bat in a consecutive batting order in which all twelve batters are in the lineup. Starting lineup positions in the field are determined by skill, particularly at pitcher and catcher. All players must play at least three innings in the field and often get to play four or more. The better players may well play the entire game at the most important positions.

If I make a team and decide after playing one season I want to play for another team, is that possible?

The short answer is yes and no. A player may re-enter the draft after playing one season and it is understood that his previous team will not draft the player. However, no guarantee can be provided as to what other team will select that player, or even if the player will be drafted at all. The only way to ensure that a player will be able to remain in the Select division the following season is to stick with your team.

How much do the Minor and Major Select leagues cost?

The total fee for participation in a Select division will be up to $200 for each of the spring and fall seasons. This includes twice as many games as the recreational league, an upgraded uniform, fees for the winter indoor clinics, and more experienced umpires.