Does anyone out there have an opinion about the selection process for the Ontario Youth Team? It seems to be a closed door unless your team’s coach has been named to the team.

The Ontario Youth Team is probably more open than ever.
If you contact the OBA via their website they can tell you when the tryouts are and how to attend them.

Open tryouts were held May 29-31. You have to be invited back. I did note that this years GM of the OYT has invited 11 of his players to the 40 man try out camp. I think you have a much better chance if you are aflliated with with a coach on this team or the Junior Nat. Team.

There has always been that problem It is not as bad as it used to be. Players on the NAT team always get a preference. The NAT team is a whole other story.
One thing about BB, it is rarely totally fair. At one time no elite team players were allowed but they got tired of coming in last. BB coaches do tend to take care of their own.

A group of us parents most of whom have boys in college in the states were talking about this at a game the other night. We all agreed that you get a lot more exposure to MLB scouts if you were on these teams. It also seems to be a real shame that so many good players are overlooked. We attended the OYT try out a couple of years ago and our team barley got a sniff from these coaches. Seems to me to be a pretty selfesh way to run a program.

There are many other ways to get exposure. A few years ago my son was invited to the tryouts. That was when you had to play OBA and only a few select elite teams. He chose to play in a tournament with his team instead.
BB has always been a good Ole boys network in Ontario. I was especially true with the NAT team.
we were around when Team Ontario was the Ontario rep team. A dispute led to TO separating from OBA and a long turf war developed which barred elite players from the newly developed OYT. The OYT was grossly under powered and after about 5 years of failure they opened the doors to elite players. They then became a power house winning the Canadian championship at Melville Sas. several years in a row.
I wouldn't sweat it. We had lots of pro interest and college offers. My son made TO when he was 16U but chose not to spend the $5000 it would cost back then. He played for a great team and it cost $1200.