What league are we playing in?
Teams will play in the Westchester Baseball Association or Rockland Baseball Association, and Select teams may play in the Greater Hudson Valley League. All leagues are competitive and play games at our home fields on Randall’s Island and away at fields in Westchester and Rockland county as well as the surrounding boroughs.
What time are games on Sundays?
Double-headers usually start at 9am at the earliest or 3pm at the latest. As a committed member of the team, you are expected to be available to play at anytime on Sundays as the schedules may change due to various reasons (weather, field or umpire availability, etc.) Players should be at the field to warm up one hour before game time. Each game will last about two hours each, so expect a five-hour commitment once you arrive at the field.
Where is practice? What time? How long does it last?
Weekday practice will be held at Manhattan based fields (Central Park, Morningside and Thomas Jefferson park or Randall’s Island fields). Saturday practices will be held at Randall’s Island. A full schedule will be released once we have all of the permits approved that we have applied for.
Why aren’t all team practices during the week?
We wish that we could offer all outdoor practices during the week but field access is very limited and difficult to secure during the season for all of our teams. In order to provide the best training experience possible for players, some team practices will be held on Saturdays. This is different than last Spring, and we understand that it may be inconvenient for some families. If your child is not able to attend at the time they are scheduled, we are usually able to offer a different time spot on Saturdays with a team around the same age as your child. Please let us know how we can help to make practices work for your child.
What if my child can’t attend practice on Saturdays?
We understand that players have many different commitments and competing priorities so we hope that you consider this when deciding whether your child can commit to a team. While we hope that attending on Saturdays is possible for your family, attendance is not mandatory to play on regular travel teams; however, lack of attendance will diminish your child’s experience and opportunity for development. If this is the case for your child, please do sign up for indoor hitting during the week.
How do I sign up for private lessons and how much are they?
You can email us at travel@bulldogballclub.com if you are interested in scheduling a private lesson. Please let us know the day(s) of the week, times, and location that are most convenient for you. Lessons are $125/hour.
Will some kids be sitting the bench the whole time?
Our program prioritizes player development, and we don’t attempt to “win at all costs.” As players get older, they will begin to specialize in other positions and playing time may be more limited (typically at the 13u and older levels). Younger players will have more opportunity to try different positions. Players who have a poor attitude or don’t come to practices may sit out more innings than players who are consistently embodying our values of positivity, effort, perseverance, and sportsmanship.
What is winter training and how much does it cost?
Our winter training program is our most popular training experience that we offer. The program runs January-March and each sessions is 90 minutes. Players will work on mobility training, strength and conditioning, pitching, fielding, base running and hitting mechanics as well as mental skills training. Sessions are offered Monday-Saturday and you can register on our website under winter programs.
Who are the coaches?
Your child’s coaches are caring and compassionate teachers, trainers and role models with a growth mindset. They understand that long-term development of the players greatly outweighs any short-term gain or success and are devoted to helping your child grow their athletic ability and skill level as well as their life skills. Specific team coaches will be named prior to each season. Our coaches are all professional coaches who have played and/or coached at the collegiate or professional level. Coaches are also certified in CPR/First-Aid and the usage of AEDs.
How many players will be on my child’s team?
We seek to place 12 players on each team. Occasionally, teams may have more or less than 12 players on a team for a variety of reasons including, player injury, team consolidation or other reasoning. We understand that more players will result is less playing time at games so we work to keep the roster size a manageable level.
Who else is on my child’s team?
We will announce your child’s team roster once players are registered. If you care to ask who was invited to the team then just send us an email. When will we know the game schedule? Each league will hold a scheduling meeting in mid-March so we should be able to communicate any games schedules around that time.
Do I have to buy a uniform?
All new players to the program will have to purchase a team uniform. Our uniform vendor creates a team web store for ordering all required and optional uniforms items that we will send to you after registration is completed. For returning players, your child will wear the same uniform as last season so you will only need to reorder items that you choose.
What are the bat requirements?
Players are able to use wood, USA or BBCOR bats.
Will we be playing in a tournament? When?
Teams in the 10u-16u age divisions have the opportunity to participate in a tournament this season. Following registration, we inquire with the team families about whether they would like to attend a tournament and will provide some appropriate options for their respective team. Additional fees will apply for a tournament.
Do you provide transportation to practice or games?
Generally, we do not provide transportation to practices or games. In the past, we have provided transportation for various reasons for a fee. We will let you know if transportation is an option for any of your team’s events.
My child can’t attend indoor hitting at the time that it’s available. When can they go?
Registration for each time slot during the week has been designated for a specific team. Once all registrations are complete, any remaining spots that were not claimed for optional hitting will be offered to players who can’t make their team’s time.
Where are the games when they aren’t on Randall’s Island?
Games can be in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, Westchester or the greater Hudson area. Usually not more than an hour commute by car. If your child needs a ride to a game or practice, families often carpool. Please use the chat function on your TeamSnap app to arrange this. You can also utilize the roster on your team’s page to reach out to a family directly.
Why didn’t my child make the Select team?
We had an overwhelming interest in our Select team program this season and determining teams is the most challenging and stressful job for our coaches. Team Select players were chosen based on a complete evaluation of their level of development for their age group. Only the top rated 12 players based on position in each group were offered a spot. We will let you know if a roster spot becomes available.
If the most competitive players go to Select, will my child’s team still be competitive?
Absolutely! In fact, some of our most talented players have chosen not to play Select baseball so our travel teams will be as competitive as they have been in the past.
What’s the difference between Black, Red or Gold teams?
Currently, the team colors are not consistent nor associated with the competitiveness of a particular team. In some age divisions, our Gold teams have become the unofficial “A” team while in other divisions the Black or Red observed as such.
What are my options if my child didn’t make the team?
Our goal as a program is to place players in the most appropriate team and competitive environment to have the best opportunity for growth. We will be happy to keep your child on the alternate list and do invite him or her to play in our Saturday League, with games and a practice on Saturdays on Randall’s Island. The league is coached by many of our travel baseball coaches. Players will have an hour practice before each game.
Why does the Select team cost so much?
The Select team includes program offerings that have not been included in Bulldogs travel before. Players will commit to at least two tournaments, a weekly practice, extended indoor hitting, and winter training. The cost for attendance at the additional practices and team events add up quickly.
What uniforms will the Select team wear?
All Bulldogs travel teams wear black jerseys, white pants with a black stripe, black socks, a black belt, and a black Bulldogs hat. Select teams will also have one additional jersey to purchase from our uniform vendor. If you need any uniform items, you can order them from the web store when the link is provided. Please have your child try their uniform on before the season starts in case you need to exchange sizes.
What if my child is on Select but I already paid for winter training?
Please bring this to our attention when you get to the checkout page of registration. You can call our office at (212) 472-8344 or email travel@bulldogballclub.com and we will deduct the amount you paid for winter training from your total cost. Winter training is not included in the price of regular travel.
Can I make installment payments for team fees?
Absolutely! Please contact us when you get to the checkout page of the registration and we can set this up for you. We can be reached at (212) 472-8344.
Can my child decide to play regular travel if they made the Select team?
Yes, but please call or email us as soon as possible so that we can adjust the rosters. If I have other questions, who can I contact? We have a dedicated team of program representatives standing by to answer any of your questions. The best way to reach us is to email questions to support@bulldogballclub.com.