There are Metro teams and Mid-Maryland teams who are soliciting players from the local area teams. Essex has been very fortunate to have been able to produce some very talented ballplayers. The Essex program puts our teams in the Baltimore County Major League. The BCML also has an end-of-the season tournament that you will be participating in. Our teams also play in the local tournaments, such as Overlea, Perry Hall, Essex, Rosedale, and/or Hamilton over the summer. Some of our teams have gone to out-of-state tournaments in Delaware, South Carolina, Florida, and Pennsylvania. We feel that our teams are just as good as any metro baseball team.
As in the past, there is an additional charge for all travel players. When you register to tryout for an Essex Express travel team, you will be required to fill out a registration form, attach a copy of the child's birth certificate, and deposit the sum of $150.00. This money will be retained (and not deposited) until the child makes the team. When the child makes the team, the money will then be deposited. If the child does not make the team, the check or cash will be returned to the parent in person or by mail. If the child is in need of a new travel jersey, the cost will be an additional $ 50.00 per jersey (grey or blue).
Several years ago, Essex Baseball Executive Board designed our uniforms so that all travel teams wear the same looking uniform, as does all other area baseball programs. The governed body of Essex Baseball decided on these uniforms and even though there is a charge, the uniforms were designed, selected and approved. The home uniform consists of a grey vest, royal blue shirt, grey pants, royal blue belt, and royal blue socks. This uniform is optional. The away uniform, which is mandatory, consists of the royal blue vest, gold shirt, grey pants, gold socks and royal blue belt.
The major expenses incurred by the travel program are for umpire fees and tournament fees, however, there are additional expenses for equipment, balls, bats, etc. Some of the travel expenses are supported by the Essex baseball/softball program but each team is expected to cover their own expenses. Each travel team goes to a minimum of three (3) tournaments. All tournaments that each travel team would like to enter must be approved by the Essex Travel Board.
Your registration fee does not adequately cover these expenses, so we are dependent upon your participating in our mandatory fundraising. Fundraising is not optional. However, all fundraising must be approved by the Essex Travel Board. Fundraising will be explored by each manager and decisions made as to how each team wishes to raise their money. One alternative to the fundraising is getting sponsors for your team which is just another word for a donation from businesses. If you wish to consider obtaining sponsors, please talk to your manager about this procedure.
Any out-of-state tournaments your team would like to participate in will have to be fundraised separately and are not included in our 2007 budget.
If your child would like to play Fall Ball, the season runs from mid-August to mid-November. There is an additional charge for Fall Ball. We generally take the Fall Ball team to an out-of-state tournament over Labor Day weekend which we must fundraise as well. The cost of Fall Ball is not included in any of the above projections.
Other than the tournaments, most of our travel games are within Baltimore County while Metro teams may have regular season games in D.C., Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania or West Virginia. Metro teams traditionally do not have as many tournaments that they can play in during the summer because they are playing approximately 32 games over a 6 week season. And that is a lot of driving for the parents. Metro also is costly and there are no guarantees that your child is going to get any playing time at all. Metro teams can carry as many as 18 players. The Essex players will possibly play 28 games over a 12 week season, and that includes at least four tournaments. If the team makes it to the finals in a tournament that number could increase to 40 games during the seaon. Our travel teams traditionally carry about 12 players, which give the child a better chance of getting a lot of playing time than if they are on a team with 18 players. By playing in Essex, in a recreation program, your child will also be playing in-house games with his friends for an additional 20 games. In-house games for travel players is an opportunity to play with their friends and have fun. They don't realize it but they are also teaching their friends, by example, of how to play the game. The more games you play, the better skills and proficiency your child will develop.
So we feel that our teams have been so successful because Essex offers the player between 48-60 games during a summer season and more playing time, the cost is minimal compared to other Metro teams, the parents are not driving long distances, and the players get to have fun by playing with their friends.
The Essex baseball program has grown to be one of the most successful local baseball programs in Baltimore County. We have had countless number of Essex ballplayers who have been awarded college scholarships. Many of our travel players have made their varsity baseball teams at the freshman and sophomore level because of the excellent coaching they received in the Essex baseball program. We have also attempted to give our players a high level of competitive baseball as young players so much so that over 50% of our players make their high school baseball team.
If you are in need of additional information or have comments, please email us at bat4essex@aol.com or call us at 410-335-7884.