Question : What is the difference between "travel baseball" and little-league? Answer : Little League baseball is a community based organization with strict geographic boundaries. You must be in the community to play in a specific league. Independent travel baseball has no boundaries. If you can make the commitment to make the practices and games, and you are willing to learn and try your best, you can tryout for us. Little league accepts all players who register, whereas in travel baseball you have to "make" our team. We stress good sportsmanship and team work. We will not tolerate parents who yell at umpires, criticize the coaching staff, or become arm chair managers. In little league, your player is put on a new team every season. In travel baseball, teams are kept together season after season, year after year. It is in this way that players learn to play together as a unit. Most importantly, in travel baseball, we teach "real baseball". Little league plays it's games on a 60' baseball field with no leading or stealing until the age of 13. In travel baseball, only 9u divisions play 60' baseball, 10u moves to 65' with leading and stealing.

Question : If my son makes the team, will he be guaranteed a certain amount of playing time? Answer : Playing time is based on ability. Travel baseball is more competitive than what you may be accustomed to in little league. Most players find that the most valuable part of our program are the practices and training. This is where the learning happens. If a player works hard, he will have equal opportunity to "crack" the starting lineup.  Question: What makes the Bellport Braves different from other youth baseball programs? Answer: The Braves are a private youth program focusing on building young athletes. We pride ourselves in the fact that we provide resources to help train our players at a young age, therefore developing their talent. We believe that any child with average athletic ability, when provided with nurturing training in the right environment can develop into an above average player. Our coaches are here to help teach our kids, not only baseball, but how to carry themselves as young men both on and off the field, as they learn self respect, good sportsmanship and team work. At the end of the day, wins and losses are not the most important hing. The lessons they learn at this critical age, will remain with our kids as they begin their journey through their teen years.

Question : How much will this cost ? Answer : The total cost for 2009 has not yet been determined. Our program will consist of approximately 10 weeks of winter training at All Pro Sports Academy, Option of Spring, Summer and Fall baseball seasons at Baseball Heaven or NJBL. We may also choosing various tournaments.  Question : It seems like a lot of money, how does it compare to other travel teams ? Answer : Our fees will be relatively inexpensive when compared to most other independent organizations. Consider also,that most of the better players on Long Island take private lessons in addition to playing the seasons. Those fees and costs are additional to any Organizational fees. Case in point; one local organization charges $600.00 per season and if you were to add 8 lessons at $50.00 each, that alone would total $1000.00..

Question : What if I cannot afford that type of expense ? Answer : In addition to our Organizational fundraising, we will set up a system of individual fundraising to help assist with the fees. Our fees go directly toward  lessons, league fees, umpire fees, uniforms and insurance. You will have the opportunity to raise funds by selling adds on our website.   Question : Can I help coach ? Answer : Although each team will be professionally coached, we welcome volunteers to help in practices as well as in games on the bench. Question : Where are the games played ? Answer : All season games we hope  will be played at the Baseball Heaven Facility. Additionally, we are exploring the option of playing in tournaments. Individual Tournament location would dictate the location of those games. Question : Can a player play on the Braves and still participate in our local little league ? Answer : Due to the amount of playing time, practice and training you will have with the Braves we ask that players devote their time to us. If a player opts for little league in addition to the Bellport Braves, he cannot miss ANY PRACTICES OR GAMES due to a little league event. Question : Are Uniforms provided ? Answer : Uniforms are additional and are purchased by the Bellport Braves organization directly from UNIFORM EXPRESS in CA. Each uniform is customized, and can be used from season to season. We expect the uniform to cost in the area of $150.00 each. That price will include professional, custom embroidered, numbered jersey, pants, socks, belt and uniform ball cap.