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OKC Broncos 8U

Spring 2019 Team Info

Vision

The OKC 8U Broncos coaching staff is excited about our upcoming spring season for 2019. We are continuing to expand the opportunities and experiences for each of our players. We will have two 8U teams (Broncos Red and Broncos Blue), a spring training program beginning in January to help improve fundamentals and develop new skills, as well as more events and planned activities to build up player and family relationships within our Broncos community.

As always, our goal is to use baseball as a tool to develop young men. The OKC Broncos program places a strong emphasis on fundamental skills training, teamwork, and character development.

2019 Schedule

Spring Training begins 1/17

Dates: Thursdays 1/17, 1/24, 1/31, 2/7, 2/14, 2/21, 2/28

Times: 3-5pm (pitching clinic at 2:30pm – see below)

Location: Storm Sports Facility – 100 N Rockwell

Spring Training will be a time where we focus on improving basic fundamentals and developing new skills. This will mean different things for each player, but ALL players of all skill levels will benefit greatly from this indoor workout time. The skill sets our players need to compete at the next level are expanding rapidly, and Spring Training is an opportunity for them to develop away from the pressure of games during the season.

Regular Practice Schedule

Outdoor practices will begin in February pending weather.

Location: Metropolitan Baptist Church (7201 W Britton OKC OK 73132)
Days: Mondays & Thursdays
Time: 5:45PM-7:45PM

Key Dates (subject to change)

January 17 Spring training begins

January 29 Parent meeting – 1st player fee payment due

February 9 Coaches Clinic

Mid February Outdoor practices begin (subject to weather)

Early March 8U Red and 8U Blue rosters published

Mid March PCO preseason games

April-June PCO regular season

Late May Broncos Family Day with High School Team

July BREAK

Mid August Fall outdoor practices begin

Sept/Oct Fall season

 

Team Communication

Team communication will take place primarily through a platform called Slack. This is how team messages will be sent, but also how you will communicate with coaches (not via text or email). Slack has a web interface, as well as apps for iOS, Android, and desktops. If you have not received an invitation to join Slack, contact Coach David.

Parent Meeting – January 29

Save the date! Our Parent Meeting will be at 6pm on January 29th at Metropolitan Baptist Church (7201 W Britton Rd.)

This is an important meeting for players and parents and will cover many items for the upcoming season. Player fees and uniform payments will be due that night as well. Make plans for your player and at least one parent to attend. If you absolutely cannot attend, contact Coach David before January 22 to make alternate arrangements.

Costs & Fees

Player Fee: $160

For Spring/Summer 2019 – half due January 29, balance due February 28

The player fee covers league fees and goes toward team expenses like practice location rentals, team equipment, events, etc. The team funds may also be used to cover additional expenses, such as tournaments, as funds allow. Player fees are usually significantly less during the fall season.

Need-based or multi-player scholarships may be available – ask a coach

Uniforms: $0-$100

Cost varies; existing uniforms may be reused. Complete uniforms for new players will likely run between $75-100.

Minimum Required Equipment (purchase on your own)

Baseball Glove ($30-$100+) – Every player must have their own baseball glove – not a t-ball glove.

Cleats ($10-$50) – rubber baseball cleats, can be found at sporting goods stores.

Protective Athletic Cup – can be found at sporting goods stores.

Optional Equipment

Baseball bat – for practicing at home and use during games

Baseball bag – Convenient for transporting and storing all equipment in one place

Helmet – shared team helmets also available

Ask a coach for recommendations on any equipment purchases.

Team Rosters

In Spring 2019 we will be forming two (2) 8U teams to play league at PCO, Broncos Red and Broncos blue. We will be mixing existing and new players on both teams. As a practical matter, this means that roughly half of our players from 2018 will go to each team, and 2-4 new players will be added to each team as well. The coaching staff will finalize and announce Red and Blue rosters in early March.

Two Squads – ONE Team

As we continue to grow, we want to encourage players and families to see themselves as part of the Broncos community-not just an individual team. A lot of relationships have been developed over the past few seasons, and we want to continue to foster and encourage that. We are taking some intentional steps to keep all of our 8U players together:

  • Coach David will remain head coach of both the Red and Blue teams. Our amazing group of assistant coaches will continue to step up and fill larger roles on each team as well.
  • All players will attend Spring Training together
  • Red and Blue teams will practice together throughout the season
  • Players can’t switch between rosters for PCO league play, but can be mixed for tournaments.
  • Additional activities, parties, etc will be joint as well.

A note from Coach David:  It has been such a joy and honor to coach your boys over the last few seasons of baseball. We have continued to see positive growth in our age group each season, and this is because of the amazing community of coaches and parents and players we have built. In 2018 we had over 16 players in 8U between spring and fall teams. For 2019 this left us with only three options: (1) cut players, (2) put 15-16 on one team, or (3) form two teams. At the end of the day, the choice was easy. Options 1 & 2 would lead to excluding some of our 2018 players or drastically reduced playing time for everyone. Forming two teams allows us to increase opportunities for our existing players, and welcome new players into the Broncos family. As coaches we encourage each of you to be as warm and welcoming to new players and families as you are already within our existing group. YOU are what makes the Broncos such a great organization. Let’s shine in 2019!

Transition to Kid Pitch

All players who turn 8 years old before May 1st, 2019 will be transitioning to kid pitch this fall. Spring will be their final year of coach pitch.

Pitching Clinic begins January 17

In order to prepare our players for the fall transition to kid pitch, we will begin training pitchers in January of 2019. Coach David will be holding an introductory pitching clinic the will be held right before Spring Training Workouts each Thursday from 2:25-3:00pm. We will be covering proper pitching fundamentals so that our pitchers can be successful on the mound and avoid arm injury. Players will not be allowed to pitch in games without receiving fundamental pitching instruction. This instruction may come through the OKC Broncos or another qualified instructor. If your son wants to pitch and Thursdays at 2:30pm DO NOT work for you, let Coach David know and we can get together another time.

If you would like your son to participate in the pitching clinic, please contact Coach David via Slack.

Kid Pitch Tournament

We will endeavor to enter at least one kid pitch tournament this spring or summer to give the players a chance to experience this new format before the fall season. More details to come.