OWATONNA HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL

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1 OWATONNA BASEBALL - ISSUE 18 OWATONNA HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL The MSHSL has approved a zero week that allows all pitchers and catchers to start one week ahead of all players to allow them the opportunity to gain arm strength. All OHS Pitchers and Catchers will start Monday, March 12th at OJHS starting at 3:30. Each session will last approximately 90 minutes. OHS (Grades 9-12) pitchers and catchers will begin a zero week on Monday, March 12th at 3:30 pm at OMS. The remainder of all players will officially begin on Monday, March 19th at 3:15 pm at OMS. High School parents should look for a spring newsletter in February. MINNESOTA STATE HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE AND BIG 9 NEWS Starting in 2019, the Big 9 Conference will move to a schedule that will include 11 head to head matchups between the 12 schools. This will open the door for 9 non conference games that can be played throughout the season. There will be a number of teams that continue to schedule DH s within the conference. The first game will always count as the conference game. Pitch counts will also continue to be used throughout the state of MN. LL & ML EVALS From time-to-time, the Owatonna Huskies Bullpen Club receives questions and/or comments in our annual survey regarding evaluating our LL and ML players and our team selection process. Please understand that this is a critical piece of our baseball program and we want to be transparent with our members (parents). We are currently looking for ways we can improve this system and would appreciate your feedback. We will be communicating with all of you in the near future. CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS The following capital improvements were completed in We improved our tarps throughout our ballparks this past season, which allows for improved maintenance and ability to play our games on time. We added new batting cage nets at Willow, Jaycee, and Manthey Park. Dugouts were completed at Willow Creek West. Cement slabs were added at Manthey Park for each dugout. And, we invested into additional hitting pop up nets throughout our minor league teams for the 2018 season. SUPPORT OHS BASEBALL WATER SOFTENER SALT SALE PRE-SALE BEGINS NOW! CONTACT COACH TATE CUMMINS FOR SALES owatonnabaseball@live.com

2 PITCHING CAMP AT DARTT S PARK - SUMMER OF 2018 PLAYERS THAT ARE ENTERING 4TH AND 5TH GRADE, JUNE 4 and 5 NAME: UPCOMING GRADE: THROWS: R OR L PARENT NAME: CELL PHONE: T SHIRT SIZE (YOUTH): S M L XL COST: $25.00 This two-day camp will be held at Dartt s Park from 9:00-11:00 am on June 4 and 5. This camp is recommended for players that are interested in improving their pitching this summer. We will cover it all! Instructed by OHS Head Coach - Tate Cummins. The registration deadline for this camp is Friday, June 2nd. SEND THIS FORM TO: HUSKIES BULLPEN CLUB / PO BOX 96 / OWATONNA, MN PRESIDENT S NOTE BY PAUL SMITH As I m writing this, the chill of January is upon us. It s hard to believe on Monday, February 26 we ll be having baseball registration for the 2018 season and hopefully on the fields in April. As we look to the 2018 season here are the highlights for each of our programs. The Little League (2nd through 4th grade) program will again be a Junior Twins program. This is the second of a three-year grant that the Bullpen Club received from the Twins Community Fund. The grant is to be used to promote youth baseball and the Bullpen Club. One of our goals with this program is to increase interest and participation in baseball. We want more kids enjoying the great game of baseball. You ll likely see more newspaper, social media and radio presence from the Bullpen Club. All Little League uniforms will have the Jr. Twins logo on them to identify them as Junior Twins teams. We are hoping for an early Spring so that the new dugouts at Manthey can be completed in time for the start of the season. The concrete slabs were put in place last year. The completed dugouts will consist of a wooden structure with a roof for shade. This will be a great addition to these fields for those sunny and warm days. The Minor League (5th through 8th grade) program has one significant change for the upcoming season. New bat regulations. All bats starting this season must meet new bat regulations. None of the bats used this past season meet the new regulations. The Bullpen Club will be purchasing at least two new bats for each of the Minor League teams. If a player is interested in getting a new bat that meets the new regulations, please refer to Similar to last year teams will participate in either a Southern Minnesota League or a Metro Baseball League. Based on survey responses, parents and the board believe these leagues provided the appropriate level of play for our teams. In addition, teams will also play in 3-4 tournaments include one home tournament. Thank you to our partners and sponsors. Without them, youth baseball in Owatonna would not exist. We hope to see you out at the ball fields this summer. Please spread the word and encourage others to participate in baseball through the Owatonna Huskies Bullpen Club.

3 RAMP UP - PITCHING DEVELOPMENT In collaboration with OHS Baseball, Little League, and U11 Baseball - we have developed RAMP Up. A program that will develop throwing and pitching mechanics at an excelled rate. One of our areas of improvement the past few years has been our ability to throw strikes at the 4th and 5th grade level. This concern has created the following areas of concern: slow game play, diminishing confidence of players, poor pitching mechanics, and hitters becoming disgruntled or over anxious in the batter s box. Ramp Up will be a step in the right direction. Our hope is that this will improve the speed of play (games), level of play (games), and will allow our players to become more successful on the baseball diamond. This program will improve the consistency of strikes thrown, an increased level of enjoyment from all players, challenge hitters, and actually - improve our hitters along the way. We are excited to offer this opportunity the following nights at Dartt s Park during the OHS Baseball season this upcoming spring. All sessions will be completed after the scheduled home games (see below). After Tuesday, May 1st vs. Rochester Century. Time: 7:15-8:00 PM. After Thursday, May 10th vs. Mankato West. Time: 7:15-8:00 PM. After Tuesday, May 15th vs. Faribault. Time: 7:15-8:00 PM. Tuesday, May 22nd at 5:30 PM. This will occur after OHS practice. ALL DATES AND TIMES WILL BE HELD AT DARTT S PARK ALL PLAYERS MUST WEAR AND BRING THE FOLLOWING: 1) Baseball Pants, 2) Baseball Hat, 3) Long Sleeve Shirt, 4) Cleats, and 5) Glove. ADDITIONAL DETAILS WILL BE COMMUNICATED THROUGH AND OUR WEBSITE BY APRIL 12 OR APRIL 14TH. SEE OWATONNABASEBALL.COM FOR ALL HOME TOURNAMENTS We hope your experience in 2017 was successful and full of memorable moments. We have been very fortunate to have tremendous field crews (Owatonna Park and Recreation), concession stand workers (parents) that volunteer their time and energy, and generous support from local businesses to help these tournaments run smoothly. With that said, another year is upon us. Here are the tournaments scheduled for These are all hosted in Owatonna. June 1-3: U12A & U14/U15A June 8-10: U12AA & U13A June 15-17: U11A & U14AA June 22-24: U13AA & U14/15A Our success continues to hinge on the volunteer efforts of parents and community members of Owatonna. We are hoping that you join us for another year of youth baseball in Owatonna!

4 OWATONNA BASEBALL ACADEMY ACADEMY TIMES U11 Blue - Tuesday 10:00-11:15 AM U11 Silver - Tuesday 11:00-12:15 PM U12A - Thursday 10:00-11:15 AM U12AA - Thursday 11:00 AM - 12:15 PM U13A - Wednesday 10:00-11:15 AM U13AA - Wednesday 11:00 AM - 12:15 PM One of the premier youth baseball programs in Southern Minnesota will once again be held this upcoming summer. The Owatonna Baseball Academy will begin Tuesday, June 5th at 10:00 am for all players from the U11, U12, and U13 levels. Our last week together will be Tuesday - Thursday starting July 10. The cost has been included in your registration fee. Each session will last 75 minutes at Jaycee Park. The goal of the academy is to increase skill level, develop leadership skills, and simply - create a dynamic baseball atmosphere in Owatonna that all players can enjoy. We will cover a variety of topics including: hitting drill work, pitching mechanics, base running strategies, and defensive drill work. All practice plans will be created by Coach Cummins and staff. Please note that arm care will always be a top priority. We will communicate daily with each player to understand when they last pitched and when their next outing is scheduled. We will also have light practice sessions on game days to conserve energy and effort for the evening game. All practices will be at beautiful Jaycee s Park in Owatonna. Players are asked to supply their own equipment and nourishment(s). This academy has been supported by the Huskies Bullpen Club and the Minnesota Twins the past 8 years. *All time changes will be communicated to the Head Coach of their respective team by May 31st. OPEN GYM SCHEDULE Thursday nights at OMS from 7:00-9:30 PM from now until March 15th. Tuesdays and Fridays at OHS from 7:30-7:55 AM from February 1st until Friday, March 16th. Austin Dome Dates/Times: (Sundays beginning February 11 and 18. March 4, 11, and 18). All times from 1:30-3:30 PM. Check for all other gym times.

5 LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL REGISTRATION Registration for 2018 season opens on Thursday, February 22nd at 6:00 am (online only). Players are encouraged to register in person so they can try on uniforms. In person registration will be held on Monday, February 26th from 4:00-6:00 pm at THE SENIOR PLACE located at 502 Dunnell Drive in the West Hills Complex (SW of the Owatonna Parks and Recreation office). Late registrations can be taken to Owatonna Park and Recreation. Scholarships are available through the Owatonna Youth Scholarship Fund. Level 1 (Current 2nd and 3rd Grade Players) Pitching machine league with emphasis on participation and development of fundamental baseball skills. All participants receive a full uniform (pants, socks, belt, and jersey) with a Major League Baseball hat. Cost: $55 payable to Owatonna Park and Recreation at registration ($65 after March 8th) and a $25 check payable to the HBC for the Taco Johns Fund Raiser. Final deadline to register is May 10th. Evaluations: Saturday, April 7th at OMS. Communication will be sent at a later date with exact times. Kick off/meet your coach: May 29th at Four Seasons - 6:00 pm Practice/Games: 2nd grade = Mon. and Wed. / 3rd grade = Tues. and Th. (June and July) Level 2 (Current 4th & 5th Grade Players). 5th Grade Travel - See U11!!!!! Player pitch in-house leagues intended to continue the development of fundamentals and the skills of game. All participants receive a full uniform (pants, socks, belt, and jersey) with a Major League Baseball hat. Please NOTE: The Huskies Bullpen Club is encouraging ALL 5th grade athletes to play U11 TRAVELING BASEBALL to further skill development through more practices and tournament play. You can view all U11 information on the following page. The Huskies Bullpen Club will be hosting an end of the year weekend tournament for all 4th/ 5th grade in-house teams in late July. We look for this to be a fun experience for these teams as they prepare for traveling baseball. Cost: $75 payable to Owatonna Park and Recreation at registration ($85 after March 8th) and a $25 check payable to the HBC for the Taco Johns Fund Raiser. Final deadline to register is May 10th. Evaluations: Saturday, April 7th at OMS. Communication will be sent at a later date with exact times. Kick off/meet your coach: May 29th at Four Seasons - 6:00 PM Practice/Games: Mondays and Wednesdays (Starting in early June and ending in late July).

6 U11 TRAVELING BASEBALL U11 TRAVELING BASEBALL - Recommended FOR ALL 5TH GRADERS. Registration for 2018 season opens on Monday, February 26th from 4:00-6:30 PM at THE SENIOR PLACE located at 502 Dunnell Drive in the West Hills Complex (SW of the Owatonna Parks and Recreation office). Late registrations can be taken to Owatonna Park and Recreation. Cost: $225 for player fee + $25 Taco John s Fund Raiser for a total of $250. A $100 check is also needed as a workers deposit for your commitment to working the concession stand. This check is only cashed if you DO NOT fulfill your requirement of working the concession stand. Evaluations: Saturday, April 7th at OMS. Communication will be sent at a later date with exact times. Practices: Each team will practice a total of 3X every two weeks. Practices will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Games: We will play in the South Central League. Tournaments: A total of 3 tournaments will be played in the months of May and June. State Tournament Play: A U11 team must qualify to play in a state tournament. All state tournaments will be played the 2nd or 3rd weekend in July pending the team s qualification. All 5th graders that meet age qualification (must not reach age 12 before April 31st) may register for U11 travel team(s). U11participants in 5th grade will receive a uniform (2 dry fit jerseys, pants, socks, belt) with a Minor League Baseball hat. Players will be divided up into even teams that will compete in 3 tournaments and a possible state tournament as well. The number of U11 teams will be determined based on the number of registered players. The goal of U11 is to introduce a travel and tournament baseball experience for 5th grade players Overview of U11 Baseball 1. U11 Traveling Baseball Players will not play in our traditional in-house league. 2. Our focus is for increased practice time that will drive skill development. 3. Our goal is to provide consistency. Players will play on one team throughout the entire summer. In year s past, our U11 travelers played on two separate teams, which led to a number of difficulties. 4. We are playing in a total of 4 state qualifying tournaments in the hopes of prolonging our baseball season into July. If a team is to qualify, they will play in their first state tournament the weekend of July Another primary goal is to advance our pitching depth and development. This has been an area of improvement over the past several years and we believe this new system will further our skills on the mound. Arm care will continue to be a cornerstone to Owatonna Baseball. We will continue to follow national guidelines that protect our youth baseball players.

7 MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL Online registration for the 2018 season will begin in early February through our website (communication will be sent). All players/parents are encouraged to attend in-person registration on Monday, February 26th between 4:00-6:00 pm at The Senior Place located at 502 Dunnel Drive in the West Hill Complex. (SW of the Owatonna Parks and Recreation office). Late registrations are not guaranteed placement and will be charged a late fee if accepted. Late registrations can be taken to Owatonna Park and Recreation. U12 - U15 Cost: $325 for player fee + $50 Taco John s Fund Raiser for a total of $375. Checks can be made payable to the Huskies Bullpen Club. A $100 check is also needed as a workers deposit for your commitment to working the concession stand. This check is only cashed if you DO NOT fulfill your requirement of working the concession stand. Kick off/meet your coach: Sunday, April 29 at Dartt s Park - 6:30 p.m. start. Practice/Games: Beginning in May Evaluations: NEW for days of evaluations will start on Saturday, April 7th and Sunday, April 8th at OMS. Communication will be sent at a later date with exact times. All evaluations will occur at the Owatonna Middle School. They will be followed by a team selection meeting. Parent meetings for all ages and teams will be held the first week of May to officially kick off the Minor League season. We will be participating in Metro Baseball for AA. Our A teams will play in the South Central League. All teams will also compete in home and away tournaments throughout the summer months. Remember to check the website for additional information. Evaluations will occur at OMS. There will be team selection meetings held after this by OHBC. Parent/Player meeting for all ages will be held Sunday, April 29 (see above). VFW and Legion Registration Legion and VFW registration will be completed at the Player, Parent, Coach meeting for OHS Baseball on Monday, March 12TH. Time and place can be found on the calendar. Legion registration will be $ this year. Checks will not be cashed until the middle of May. Head Coach: Adam Trautman. Assistant Coach: TBD VFW Registration for all 9th and 10th graders will be $275 this year. There will be two VFW teams once again in 2018 with the VFW 9 and 10 playing a shared schedule. Both teams will play approximately 18 games that will include various tournaments and games within our league. A final team of 20 players will compete in our District Tournament on the weekend of July 21st and 28th. Checks will not be cashed until the middle of May.

8 January - March Feb March 12 Open Gym at OMS on Thursday nights Open Gym at Owatonna High School on Tuesdays and Fridays. Winter baseball camps at OMS (Sunday Nights) C February 26 Minor League registration (Senior Place) from 4-6:00 PM Little League registration (Senior Place) from 4-6:00 PM March 12 OHS Baseball parent/player meeting at OHS. Varsity and JV at 5:00 in the SGF. Grades 9 at 6:00 PM in the Small Group Forum. A March 19 March 20 OHS Pitchers and Catchers Only at 3:30 PM at OMS OHS Practice Begins at 3:15 PM (OMS). All Grades. Salt Sale Money and Forms are due L April 2 April 7 April 8 April 10 April 21 Kids 1st practice begins Little League/Minor League evaluations at OMS Minor League evaluations at OMS Torey s Brunch for Owatonna Baseball Home opener for OHS vs. Winona at 5:00 PM Salt delivery beginning at 8:00 AM E N April 29 Mid May May 9 Scotts MLB Pitch, Hit, and Run Competition U12, U13, and U14 Metro Leagues begin Youth Baseball Coaching Clinic at Dartt s Park - 5:30 PM D May 15 May 26 May 29 Senior Parents Day vs. Faribault at 5:00 PM Section 1AAA Playoffs begin Little League Kickoff Meeting at Four Seasons at 6:00 PM A June 4 June June 13 Varsity Baseball Banquet Pitching Academy (10-11 Year Olds Only) Owatonna Baseball Academy Begins R

9 A big thanks to our sponsors that make Owatonna Baseball such a success. The funds raised lower participation fees, which increases the number of athletes playing the great game of Baseball. There is no question, this support makes Owatonna among the best communities in MN to raise and develop our youth. Thank you, Huskies Bullpen Club Berkshire Hathaway Bremer Bank Cartime of Owatonna Centerline Builders Cole s Electric Cumberland s Trapping Deml Heating and Air Conditioning Fame Awards Federated Insurance First Call Bail Bonds General Plumbing Gopher Sport Hometown Credit Union House Chevrolet Hy-Vee Jaguar Communications Kasper Plumbing King Orthodontics Kirchner Siding and Window Legacy Signs Mayo Clinic Oak Glenn Oldenburg Photography Owatonna Foundation Owatonna Gun Club Owatonna Park and Recreation Owatonna School District Pizza Ranch Prairie Ridge Orthodontics Precision Lining and Sewer Profinium Financial Ritter Insurance Sparetime Entertainment Struss CPA Sweet s Towing Taco Johns Tony s Flooring Twins Community Fund United Prairie Bank US Bank Viracon Waseca Chrysler Center Wenger World of Wheels Zappa Insurance Agency S P O N S O R S

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