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FAQ

#1: My child is just getting started in competitive baseball and I am bit confused by the different programs and options. Can you please help me sort them out?

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The different options can get confusing, especially for those families new to competitive baseball.  One way to look at it is youth/minor baseball is like education: there are public, non-profit options, and sometimes your choices are restricted based on geography.  There are also private, for-profit options, and generally you can go anywhere as long as you meet the admission and financial requirements. 

 

The chart below attempts to serve as a helpful summary of the various competitive youth programs in Ontario.  The goal of the Newmarket Hawks Elite program, through its consortium of six Elite and AAA teams at different age groups, is to provide the best possible coaching, training, development, and competition at the best possible price (usually much lower than private programs and often at par or less than comparable EBLO/OBA programs in other communities).

VARIOUS COMPETITIVE YOUTH BASEBALL PROGRAMS IN ONTARIO

Various Competitive Youth Baseball Programs

#2: What fees can I expect to pay if I play for any of the teams within this program?

Despite the extensive coaching credentials and background as well as playing experience of Hawks coaches, virtually all of them are unpaid volunteers in the spirit of the Newmarket Baseball Association's role as a non-profit and community-based organization.  The exact budget will vary from team to team and depends on tournament locations and supplemental winter training. 

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The budgets for 2018-19 are still being finalized.  Each budget includes player registration with the Newmarket Baseball Association, home and away jerseys, New Era 59FIFTY game caps, a comprehensive winter training program (at indoor facilities with periodic professional instruction), diamond fees for practices and games, umpire fees for home games, miscellaneous team equipment, game baseballs, OBA insurance, EBLO and/or OBA fees, tournament registration fees, and more. 

 

For 15U-18U Elite teams, excluding travel expenses, optional Fall Ball, optional March Break training in Florida, extra team clothing, and personal expenses for gear and travel, the current estimate for each player’s total fee for the 2019 season is $2500.

#3: What is the difference between "Elite" and "AAA"?

First, let's define "Elite" baseball.  In Ontario, "Elite" was often used to describe the aforementioned private, "pay-for-play" baseball programs.  When the OBA (aka Baseball Ontario) created the EBLO in 2014, the term "Elite" is also used to describe teams from the 15U through 18U age groups who play in the EBLO.

 

For simplicity and clarification, we will use the term "Elite" to describe OBA/EBLO teams and "private" to describe non-OBA/EBLO teams.

 

Within the OBA, there are AAA teams (and AA, A, etc.) starting in Rookie Rep ball all the way through Minor Bantam (14U).  With the launch of the EBLO, AAA no longer exists at the 15U, 16U, 17U, and 18U age groups (although AA, A, etc. remain).  Some of the main differences between "Elite" and "AAA" at this age group include:

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  • Regular season league play is now province-wide vs. local (i.e., regular season is not among just YSBA or COBA teams, but instead based on EBLO divisions).  

  • EBLO playing rules take precedent over local affiliate rules (i.e., EBLO rules are followed where there is a conflict with, for example, YSBA or COBA or EOBA or TBA rules).

  • EBLO "benchmarks" are to be followed, such as travel to the U.S. for tournaments and the requirement of local associations to have Elite teams at all age groups (depending on age of oldest team).

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Please visit www.elitebaseball.ca for more details.

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