by posted 01/21/2012
 
GBA Launches newsletter!

In an effort to keep our members more informed of GBA events and news, GBA has developed a newsletter.  

Click on this link to load the January 2012 Issue.

GBA

by posted 01/19/2012
 

by posted 01/18/2012
 

by posted 01/14/2012
 
GBA Members, 

Registration for the 2012 season is still open but it will be closing soon.  GBA offers baseball programs for ages*  5 to 17 years old.  Don’t miss out! 

Please go to www.genevabaseball.com for more information or to register.  To avoid late charges** on the league fees please register by Jan 17^th.  We need to complete the majority of registrations by that time in order to order uniforms for the upcoming season.

Thanks

GBA

* - Ages based on age as of 8/31/12.

** - Late charges do not apply to the Colt program which closes registration near the end of May.

by posted 01/12/2012
 

• Fielding: Brian Buchanan Kane County Cougars manager
• Pitching: Doug Henry Kansas City Royals minor league pitching coach
• Catching: Tony Tijerina Kansas City Royals minor league field coordinator
• Hitting: Mike Jirschele Kansas City Royals minor league manager.
   

by posted 12/30/2011
 
 
Coaches, join us the first Wednesday of each month to discuss different aspects of coaching, baseball strategies and techniques for teaching youth players.  Each session will have a specific topic to get us started with.
 
The January topic will be on Pitching Strategies and Pitching Defense.
 
These sessions are free.  So please join us.
   
When:        1^st Wednesday of each month (Next Session: Feb 1st)
 
Time:         6:30pm
 
Please RSVP to so that we know approximately how many we are expecting.
 
Also, if you have not already registered for consideration for coaching in 2012 please make sure you go to our website and register under REGISTRATION/Coaches

by posted 12/20/2011
 
Is your child looking for more games and/or additional training beyond what they get with In-House baseball?  Do they play other sports and can’t commit to a full Travel program?  Perhaps they are looking to better their skills to make the Travel program in the future.  If so, this program might be a good fit.
 
In the past, GBA has had two in-house tournament team programs (Red Team and In-House All-Star tournament team) per age group.  Starting in 2012, we will be combining these programs into a single program.  This will provide a more consistent and equitable way to form these teams. 
 
This new program will be an enhancement to our in-house programs.  The focus will not only be on individual development, but also on playing competitive baseball as a team.  Conflicts with the in-house leagues will be held to a minimum.  Players must participate in the in-house league to be eligible. 
 
Teams will play in 3 to 5 tournaments over the season.  While we do not know the exact tournament dates at this time, we will be looking at the Memorial Day weekend, 4^th of July weekend, possibly one in April and/or two more weekends in mid to late July.  Teams will have the option of playing in more tournaments at the end of the season at their own expense.
 
Tryouts for the 2012 season will be conducted on Sat and Sun Feb 25/26th at our training factily at 220 N Randall Rd in St Charles just North of 64 on Randall.  Times will be announced.  While it is preferred that players come to tryouts, they are not required to attend these tryouts for consideration.  Their evaluation scores from Travel Tryouts and/or evaluations from the Spring or Fall season will be used.  They must  pre-register for consideration, even if they cannot attend tryouts.

They age cut off date for these teams is 4/30.  Players are encouraged to play with their age or may opt to play with their grade.  Exceptions will only be allowed with the approval from the League President of the age level in question.

The program will have the following Teams: 9U, 10U, 11U, 12U, 13U, 14U, based on interest, coach and player availability.  Each year, it will be a requirement of the 9U and 11U teams to host a tournament to raise funds for the program.  These tournaments will be over the July 4^th holiday weekend.  Families will be asked to volunteer help for this event.

Practices for these teams will not start before March.  Teams will be limited as to the time and number of practices they will have so that they do not interfere with the in-house programs.  Strict guidelines will be in place so that players do not get overused. 
 
Managers and Coaches must apply via the on-line registration system for consideration for this program.  These selections will be made prior to the tryouts in November.

The cost of the program will be approximately $75 per player, which will cover practices, uniforms, and tournament entry fees.  This does not include additional training and/or extra tournament costs that teams may choose to participate in. 

Roster size will be limited to 12 active players.  Alternates may be determined at the discretion of the manager and approval from the League President.  Players can tryout for alternate positions to play in just a few tournaments if the opportunity exists. 

Pre-register your player now to be considered for this program!  Click here to pre-register.
 
Managers for the 2012 season have been selected.  They are:
9U  - Dave Schupman

10U - Tom Hipp

11U - Jeff Croci

12U - Jason Ebel

13U - Bob Shabowski

14U - Dan McGarry

More information will be posted about this exciting new enhancement to GBA's program offerings within the next month.
 

by posted 12/10/2011
 
  The core STA program is a comprehensive 6 week baseball training program.  We will also offer some specialized Hitting, Pitching and Catching sessions.  These programs are open to any players and do not have to reside in Geneva to participate.
 
Training will be held at the NEW Tri-City Teamworks Training Center, 220 N Randall Rd in St. Charles*
 
This year’s training program is developed and managed by Aaron Nieckula with assistance from Don Schulze and the Aurora Universities Coaching staff.  Aaron is the 2011 Manager of the Burlington (IA) Bees and former Manager of the Kane County Cougars.  Both teams are part of the Oakland A’s Minor league baseball system.  He is also a professional instructor for youth players in the off season.  Don is a former Major League pitcher who is currently a Double A pitching coach in the A’s farm system and who also provides baseball instruction for youth baseball players. 
 
The core STA program consists of weekly one hour sessions for 6 weeks.  The areas covered include: Hitting, Pitching/Throwing, Fielding and more.   Sessions will be grouped into age appropriate leagues.  The cost of the STA Core program will be $85 which includes a free T-Shirt.
 
We will also offer some specialized 6 week programs for Pitchers and Catchers which will more advanced and spend more time in a specific area than our core program.  These special sessions will be one hour in length and have smaller class sizes.  The cost of the STA specialized programs range from $119 to $149 depending on class ratio and also includes a free T-Shirt.

These programs are a great value.  Players receive excellent instruction at a low price while keeping player to instructor ratio low.

Registration is now open for our Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday classes.    Go to our GBA website under Register Online for more information on class times.
 
*Training Center is located on the east side of Randall Rd. just north of Rt. 64
 
Class sizes are limited and many classes are close to filling up, so register soon!  These classes are open to other local communities so don't wait.

GBA reserves the right to substitute trainers, move, cancel or combine classes depending on enrollment. 

by posted 10/30/2011
 

The Pioneer League is an instructional baseball league that seeks to teach the fundamentals of baseball and improve players’ skill and confidence in a fun team setting.  The League is open to 5 and 6 year olds and is modeled after the GBA’s Rookie League.  The difference is players will hit from a tee for about half the season and may be pitched to by a coach for the remainder of the season.
 
The Pioneer League is including 6 year olds as eligible players in an effort to help improve the skills and confidence of those players who have had very little exposure to baseball.  If you are uncertain whether your 6 year old should play in the Pioneer League or the Rookie League, please refer to the document entitled “Pioneer or Rookie---Which Should I Choose for My 6 yr old?” on the GBA’s website at www.genevabaseball.com.
 
The GBA is very excited about the new Pioneer League.  We are very hopeful that the League will not only improve the baseball experience of our youngest players but will improve each of our leagues going forward as these players progress over the years.  As a result, we ask that if you know of anyone such as neighbors, who would be interested in participating in this new league, to please direct them to this announcement or to the GBA’s website.

by posted 10/29/2011
 
Pioneer or Rookie—Which Should I Choose for My 6 yr old?
 
The GBA’s Rookie League, and the recently introduced Pioneer League, are both to players who are 6 years old.  As the parent of a 6 year old, you may ask yourself which one you should choose for your child. 
 
The main difference is that the Pioneer League is designed to improve players’ skills and confidence for those players who have had very little exposure or experience playing baseball.  For example, players in the Pioneer League will start hitting from a tee and move to coach pitch as the season progresses.  The Rookie League, on the other hand, starts the season with coach’s pitching.  Having separate leagues allows players to play with those of the same skill level.  In the Pioneer League, coaches will be able to work on the skills of throwing and catching more so that these players will be ready to move on to the Rookie League next season.  The Rookie League will consist of players who are ready now to play at a higher skill level, thus increasing the level of play at that league.
 
To help you decide which League is best for your 6 year old, please review the below questions about his/her skill level.  If you answered “No” to two or more questions, we would strongly encourage you choose the Pioneer League as the most suited league for your player: 

• Has your child participated in any baseball leagues, classes or camps? 
• Can your child catch with a glove, 4 out of 10 baseballs thrown to him/her?
• Can your child hit using a normal baseball and bat, 3 out of 10 pitches you throw?
• Can your child throw a baseball accurately in the air to you from 20 feet away?
• Is your child confident (not timid) of the ball when playing catching or hitting a baseball pitched to him/her?

For more information, please contact the President of the Pioneer League at 

by posted 10/27/2011
 
To make payments on a program, click on the "Edit My Account" menu link located on the left side of this main web page.  This will show any outstanding family balances and allow you to make a payment if the program offers payments.  

If you are having problems logging into the system, please check to make sure you are using the email address that you registrered you child with.  To find out what your password is, you can leave the password field blank and the system will email it to you.  If you are still having problems, you can email us at  .  We can then verify your email address and/or reset your password.

You can also add or change your email address on file by using the "Edit My Account" link.

To recieve practice and game notifications and reminders make sure you check the appropriate box for emails and texting under your parent accounts.  

by posted 09/25/2011
 
Coaches,
 
We are now accepting coach applications for the 2012 season.  We can’t do this without your help!  Please go to our website now to apply under the menu option - "Register Online".  

Manager selections for the In-House Season will occur by February 2012.
 
We have a lot of plans for the 2012 season including coach clinics, new Pee-Wee league, a revamped In-House Tournament Team Program, and enhanced Spring Training Academy offerings.  More information coming soon.
 
Thanks for your past and continued support.
 
GBA

by posted 09/12/2011
 
   
Geneva Baseball Association would like to thank you for your support and participation in our Youth Baseball program.  In an effort to improve our registration process for the 2012 Spring season, we would like to update and clarify the following process/deadlines for our members.  Consideration has been given to developing this program while keeping in mind the economic challenges many families are facing. 
 
As in the past, GBA program fees will include two components:

1. Participation in the Innisbrook fundraiser ($85 min) or fundraiser buyout option, AND
2. Payment of respective league fees.  In order to minimize the financial impact on families and to provide more choices, this season we are introducing a payment plan option to our In-House members. 

 
As a First Step, we ask that all members please register online now so that we can properly plan for the 2012 season.  The only required commitment at this time is the fundraiser portion of the 2012 fees.  Here are the details and deadlines: 
 

• 9/4– Online Registration Opens (www.genevabaseball.com ) – Register your child and select the fundraising program you would like to participate in.  By registering now you can also take advantage of the incentives offered below for early payment of league fees by 11/1!
• 9/8– Innisbrook Fundraising Packet pickup (5:30p to 8:30p at Sunset Community Center – Room 107) –This program allows members to raise funds for the GBA program instead of using their own money.  Members may instead choose an $85 buyout option (payment due by 10/5) if they do not wish to participate in the fundraiser.  Note: Innisbrook orders must be completed separately for each player.  NOTE: Apparel will also be sold at this event.
• 10/5– Order deadline for Innisbrook and deadline for declaring fundraiser option (Innisbrook / Buyout).  Last day to pay $85 for the buyout.   
• 10/6– Late Buyout fee ($110) goes into effect for anyone registering after 10/5
• 11/1– 1^st payment of league fee due if participating in payment plan option
• 11/5 - Innisbrook Pickup from 8:30a till Noon at Geneva Middle School South
• 12/1– 2^nd payment of league fee due if participating in payment plan option
• 1/2– Final payment of league fee due if participating in payment plan option
• 1/17– Late Fee of $25 assessed for unpaid League Fees
• 2/15 – Registration closes – only allowing open spots to be filled

 
We are also offering the following new incentives for 2012:

• Early Payment - Members who pay in full by 11/1 can receive 15% off the GBA Spring Training Academy Program to be offered in early 2012!
• Innisbrook GBA Reward Program (individual member contributions only – each level includes the previous level prize)
  • $150 – Window cling for your car or window
  • $250 – 15% off the Spring Training Academy
  • $350 – Unique GBA Achievement Ball Cap that only these members will receive and be able to proudly wear. 
  • $550 – 50% scholarship payment of your Spring League Fee
  • $750 – 100% scholarship payment of your Spring League Fee
  • The top three fundraisers will throw out the GBA Opening Day pitch.

 
Note: Travel Programs have separate league fees and deadlines.  They can still participate in the Innisbrook program as well as the incentive rewards.  Please see separate travel registration document.