Two outfielders are needed to complete the 16 man roster for the 17-U team that is traveling to Italy on July 8-17 with USA Athletes International.
The player must have a passport and will meet the team at New York Kennedy International Airport on July 8. The team departs for Rome on a 5:00 pm American Airlines flight and arrives in Rome the following morning where a charter bus will transport the team to Rimini, Italy to play in a tournament hosted by the Rimini Pirates Professional Baseball Club. The team will play the 18-U Italian National team. The team visits Florence and Milan before returning to New York on July 17.
Contact Craig Gibbs 1-913-397-9024, ext 110. Program Coordinator, Baseball, USA Athletes International for more information on this outstanding opportunity.
Posts: 180 | Location: Chicago, IL | Registered: June 11, 2007
Life is expensive and so too is baseball. It is too bad that the 08 player that is referenced did not appreciate the significant sacrifice the parents likely made and got so little out of the extraordinary experience that was apparently paid on his behalf. Italy sure beats playing baseball in Kenosha!
Nonetheless, I suggest you add up the cost of gasoline and other associated expenses (hotel, meals, etc.) from a summer of travel baseball, plus camps and showcases and you will be surprised at the expense. I see lots of SUV's and big vehicles that are chasing to baseball games and at $4-$5 a gallon of gas it all adds up to a big investment. Minimum of and perhaps 35 weekends of travel baseball experiences at $200-300 per weekend (a conservative estimate). Do the math and you will find that it is not cheap.
Balance the expense of the experience and make your assessment. "ofbengals08" is absolutely right on the money...."the parents do pay...so the kid can play."
Posts: 180 | Location: Chicago, IL | Registered: June 11, 2007
You are soooo right. We are going on our 37th weekend trip this year. I've been everywhere from Ft Lauderdale, Fl to Yakima, WI. The experience my kid has gained from these trips has been immeasurable. Just last week he got calls from about 6 major league teams and he's only twelve. They gave me a lot of tips on what I need to do to get more exposure for him. The biggest tip they gave me was to get my kid enrolled at Whitney Young. Hope to see you there in a couple years.
Posts: 57 | Location: illinois | Registered: July 28, 2005
nonfrank, i'm interested now that you brought up the fact that your 12-year old son is already getting calls from the pros. what are the numbers o him? height, weight, stats from the spring, high school he would be attending as of right now, velocity, etc. Thanks
Posts: 68 | Location: McHenry County | Registered: December 04, 2007
Think Prince Fielder only skinnier. The kid is massive. Must be the corn based diet I have him on. He is currently 6'2.5" 215. He has a priority membership at Bally's and works weekends (when not at baseball) pouring concrete. I don't think a game has gone by that he hasn't mashed the ball. He's a pitcher too and is throwing about 88MPH. NO one else on his team is any good. All we need it him.
Posts: 57 | Location: illinois | Registered: July 28, 2005
Originally posted by Dolphin Mom: Italy sure beats playing baseball in Kenosha!
That would be true if you were in baseball for the sights and not the competition. I've seen some great baseball played in Kenosha, very enjoyable, and it doesn't give you an elitist snob attitude from the experience.
Do you walk to work, or carry your lunch?
Posts: 1289 | Location: northern burbs, IL | Registered: November 15, 2006
Originally posted by Dolphin Mom: Italy sure beats playing baseball in Kenosha!
LOL! Italy is darn near a third world country! So glad I never fell for paying exhorbanent amount of money to have my son play with others who also got suckered in. Can you imagine the low level of competition in Italy? I bet you can find better competition in Kenosha. The pasta might not be as good, but the brats sure are.
Posts: 118 | Location: Great Lakes Region | Registered: January 26, 2006
GOING to Italy may beat GOING to Kenosha, but that's not the same as saying PLAYING in Italy beats PLAYING in Kenosha. But, hey, if you can afford it and want to send your kid to Italy, more power to you. Just remember it's a TRAVEL experience, not a travel BASEBALL experience. Last time I checked Italy was not exactly a baseball hot spot.
Post the roster - you might garner some interest and get a couple of players that way.
Posts: 330 | Location: Illinois | Registered: February 25, 2006
Italy a third world country, not to my eyes. We are currently in Rome, after visiting Venice and Florence. What a magical country, what great food, and the only negative is that our dollar is almost worthless. Nothing against Kenosha, but this country is loaded with kids from the US either studying or backpacking around. I also know that the older brother of a recent draftee from Vernon Hills HS is currently playing professionally in Italy. Seems like a dream to me.
Jason Ormond, Whitney Young High School (Class of 2009) is playing for USA Athletes International representing the United States as a player and ambassador in the 2008 Torneo Citta di Rimini Baseball Tournament in Rimini, Italy. The coaches are David Vince of Clearwater High School and Tracy Paulton of Pinnellas Park High School. Both high schools are in Florida.
Coach Vince has 421 career wins with coaching experience on the international, college, high school level and has been a ten time coach of the year recipient. His record includes 10 district champion teams, 8 district runner-up teams, two state final four teams, 1 state runner-up team, and 1 college conference championship. He has coached baseball in Holland, Spain, Czech Republic, Australia, Sweden, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii. The roster includes players from Florida, Illinois, New Jersey and Connecticut.
Coach Paulton is the Pitching Coach at Pinellas Park High School. His experience includes being the assistant coach at nationally ranked Seminole High School, 6 years as the assistant coach at Countryside High School, where he worked under former major leaguer, Darnell Coles. He also has 10 years of playing experience above the high school level (college, semi-pro), and has worked baseball camps for Florida State, and All-Star Baseball. He is also the owner operator of Super Skill Baseball Academy in Florida.
The team will meet and travel from New York Kennedy International Airport to Rome, Italy on July 8 and then travels north to Rimini which is the tournament venue, located on the Adriatic coast 200 miles south of Venice. The tournament is hosted by the Rimini Pirates Baseball Club, Serie A1 of the Italian Professional Baseball League. The USA Athletes organization was established in 1991 and provides athletes the opportunity to experience international competition as well as the history and culture of another country. The 16 man roster team is scheduled to play the 18-U Italian National Team. USA Team Athletes must sign a release as the sponsoring organization retains all television and video rights.
After playing baseball Italian style, the team will visit Milan and Florence before returning to the United States on July 17, 2008.
