2011/2012 Midwest Bruin Tryouts

Tryouts for the 2011/2012 Season will be:
 
Saturday, August 13th 2011
9:00 am - ?
Seaman High School- John Lewis Field
Wear appropriate baseball attire: pants, cleats, etc. 
$20 Tryout Fee payable to: Midwest Bruins
Tryout Registration form (download and print here)  
 
2012 TRYOUT INFORMATION
 
Mission Statement: Our goal is to provide high school athletes with the opportunity to earn scholarships to play baseball at the collegiate level. We strive to teach our players the fundamentals and skills needed to play college baseball, and to provide them with exposure to coaches. Furthermore, our players will receive other important instruction we feel student-athletes should know going onto the next level. This includes, but is not limited to: travel behavior, time management, and the importance of academics.
 
The Midwest Bruins are comprised of a group of 18 and Under young men with the desire and skill to play at the collegiate level. We strive to present the best baseball experiences for our players by providing:
1.)     Quality Coaching – the Bruins are coached by two experienced coaches, Kenny Swart and Adam Schroeder (see coaches bios)
2.)     Quality Competition- the Bruins travel to as many Division 1 and other higher level tournament sites in the Midwest as possible.
3.)     Exposure- the Bruins strive to get players as much exposure to as many college coaches/scouts as possible
4.)     Complete Baseball Organization- the Bruins, in addition to the coaches, have a Business Manager and a Director of Baseball Operations. The Bruins plan to expand into a full academy, complete with lessons and a strength and conditioning program.
 
The Midwest Bruins primary objective is to physically and mentally prepare players for college baseball. We not only want to prepare them to play on a college team, but we strive to prepare them to become major contributors to the success of their college team(s).
 
Playing Time
We DO NOT guarantee playing time for players during tournaments or regular season mid-week games. However, the coaches will work with ALL players on their fundamentals and skills, giving each of them a chance to earn playing time.
 
Tryouts/Recruiting
The team will not necessarily be comprised of only players that attend the tryout. We still do other recruiting of players from other cities, states, etc.
 
Fees
The Midwest Bruins have a budget to pay for team expenses. The team budget includes:
-Uniforms- 2 pairs of pants, minimum of 4 jerseys, hat, socks and belt
-Practice Uniform- T-shirt(s) and shorts
-Equipment- Batting helmets, balls, scorebooks, lineup cards, etc.
-Tournament Entry Fees
-Transportation of entire team and coaches to and from tournaments
-Hotel Accomodations for players and coaches
-Winter Practice/Lessons Facilities
-Umpire Fees
-Mid-week Game Field Expenses
 
The teams’ budget does not include, and these items are to be paid for separately by the player:
Optional Uniforms- Cage Jackets, Extra hat, pants, jerseys, Parent/Family shirts, etc.
Meals- Each player is responsible for their own meal expenses. *However, at most hotels we stay, there is a daily complimentary breakfast.
 
For the 2012 SUMMER season, the budget costs are estimated at: $1,000 per player
 
*There are sponsorship opportunities to aid with finances, if you are interested.   
 
Practice/Game Schedule
The Midwest Bruins will begin practice within a day or two after the high school season is over. We will practice or play 3 or 4 times a week, and then travel to tournaments on the weekend. Keep in mind, many tournaments begin on Wednesdays or Thursdays. If you plan on having a summer job, your schedule will need to be flexible. The season will span approximately 8-10 weeks between May and August. Practices, games, and tournaments are mandatory- excused only for situations approved by the coaches.
 
Kickoff BBQ
We have a summer kickoff bbq/scrimmage at the start of the season. It’s a great opportunity for everyone to get to know each other and to bring community support to the organization. We also have a silent auction and raffle drawings. 
  
We would like to thank you for your interest in Midwest Bruin baseball and we look forward to the opportunity of working with you.
 
Sincerely,
Kenny Swart, Co-Founder/Coach 785.608.0409
Adam Schroeder, Co-Founder/Coach 785.633.5405
Kristen Swart, Business Manager 785.608.0455
Billy Weber, Director of Baseball Operations 785.231.2013