FAIRFIELD FALCONS TRAVEL FALL BASEBALL TRYOUTS 8U, 9U, and 10U

Exciting benefits of the FAIRFIELD FALCONS
 

• Elite level professional coaching (see detailed profiles below)
• Local fields for practice and games (yes, a top tier travel program with less traveling!)
• Professionally run skills development team practices combining a mix of team coaches and IST professional roving coaches
• Year-round professional baseball and fitness skills development at IST Sports Headquarters
   

AGE ELIGIBILITY, PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS, TRY-OUTS
 

TRYOUTS- Riverfield Elementary School (Gym Side check in)
 

8U- Monday June 26th 2PM to 4PM                 CLICK TO REGISTER

9U- Thursday June 29th 1215PM-215PM        CLICK TO REGISTER

10U Thursday June 29th 230PM to 430PM      CLICK TO REGISTER
 

If you have a conflict and are interested in trying out please email istkatz22@yahoo.com
 

TRYOUTS

Player evaluations will be conducted by a panel of this season's coaches, and in an effort to provide as much continuity as possible and to take into account a broader body of baseball experience with IST coaches, input from prior seasons' coaches will be considered as well.  The coaches will make every effort to operate a consistently applied, multiple evaluator and merit-based review. 
 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS/AGE ELIGIBILITY

Set forth below are the age brackets for each team as well as a summary program description. Please register your child and bring him or her to the try-out at the appropriate time in accordance with the age ranges below.  A player may not participate in a try-out for an older team without the permission of the program leader.
 

IST reserves the right to roster children on Travel teams outside of the age bands below based on the professional recommendation of the IST coaches, including in circumstances that comply with the East Shore League's age eligibility requirements.
 

8U Team

Eligibility: May 1, 2015 to April 30, 2016

Head Coach: Mike Mendez

Team Focus: This program is developmental in nature and intended for those who want more advanced baseball for their children than Little League game play.  Practices will focus on teaching the fundamentals of baseball.

League: CT Youth Baseball League
 

Practice: 1X per week
 

Games: Approx 6 games
 

Cost: $675
 

Uniform Kit- Not included ($90)
 

Games: We currently anticipate that the 8U team will play at least 5 games against teams from other towns, subject to scheduling conflicts and the coaches' determination regarding the appropriate balance between the number of games and practices based on the team's needs.  Game formats and rules may vary (e.g., player pitch, stealing bases, continuous batting, pauses for teaching moments, etc.) from game to game as agreed upon with the coaches of the opposing teams.  The program will include practices featuring drills to demonstrate game situations and potential intra-squad scrimmages.  The team plays on the Little League 46/60 diamond.  Coaches will teach the fundamentals of the game and learning to play team baseball.

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9U Team

Eligibility: May 1, 2014 to April 30, 2015

Head Coach: Roberto De La Cruz

Team Focus: This program focuses on reiterating baseball fundamentals and instructing players how to elevate their game to a more competitive level.  There are two weekly practices and a full game schedule.  The team plays on the Little League 46/60 diamond with no leading, but stealing is permitted.  Coaches will teach the fundamentals of the game; instructing pitchers and catchers; and continuing to learn to play team baseball in live game situations.  Playing winning team baseball will be a focus.

League: East Shore Travel League.  The coaching staff will explore supplementing the game schedule with games against teams from local towns and a tournament.
 

Practice: 2X per week
 

Games: East Shore League approx 16 games plus playoffs
 

Cost: $1650
 

Uniform included

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10U Team

Eligibility: May 1, 2013 to April 30, 2014

Head Coach: Roberto De La Cruz

Team Focus: Solidifying and enhancing players' core skills to play at a higher, more competitive level, as children move to the bigger 46/70 diamond with leading and stealing.  Players will also be taught the nuances of the positions that they will most likely play in games; pitchers and catchers will be developed; as well as situational play.  Playing winning team baseball will be a focus.

League: East Shore Travel League.  The coaching staff will explore supplementing the game schedule with a tournament.
 

Practice: 2X per week
 

Games: East Shore League approx 16 games plus playoffs
 

Cost: $1650
 

Uniform included

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ROVING COACHES

In addition to the team head coaches identified above, highly experienced professional coaches with specific expertise in hitting, pitching and catching, including  Kevin Morton, Mike Randazzo, , plus additional IST Pro Coaches will supplement the coaching staffs and work with the players at practices to focus on training in these areas.

Mike Randazzo: Mike is not only a former outfielder in the Chicago White Sox organization, but he has also been involved in Fairfield American Little League since 2005. Most recently he managed the FALL team that was fortunate enough to make it to the 2017 World Series and he also coached his older son who graduated from FALL in 2013. Mike continues to reside in Fairfield and is still active in helping many of FALL's summer teams. Mike is a former teammate of Kevin Morton's, IST Sports Headquarters head pitching coach, at Seton Hall.

Kevin Morton: Kevin, is a former teammate of Mike Randazzo's at Seton Hall and was a 1st Round Draft Pick of the Boston Red Sox in 1989. Kevin was called up to the Major League's in 1991 and boasted an impressive 6-5 record as a starting pitcher for the Red Sox. Kevin Currently resides in Norwalk,CT and has been IST Sports Headquarters head pitching coach and instructor for the past 20 years.

 MORE INFORMATION; TOURNAMENTS

We currently expect to field one team, consisting of up to 12/13 players, at each of the 8U through 10U age levels.  Final decisions regarding teams and roster size will be made after the try-outs.

Teams (other than 8U) will participate in the East Shore League. 

The coaching staff of each of the 8U-10U teams may be supplemented by an IST assistant coach and a parent assistant coach. IST has added this third coach to address feedback that additional coaching would help improve the finished product and experience for the players and increase player safety.  This third coach will be a qualified volunteer parent identified by IST and the applicable head coach, taking into account a number of criteria, after the team's roster has been announced.  The parent assistant coach will not be responsible for determining playing time, batting order or defensive assignments, but rather will keep the book/operate Game Changer in the dugout and be available to the IST coaches on an advisory basis during games.

In addition, these teams may have a parent "Team Manager," who could be the parent assistant coach or another parent designated by the coach, to take the lead on communications with parents over the course of the season, including regarding practice and game schedules and managing scheduling conflicts for games and tournaments.

Further details regarding the Fall season and schedules will be communicated after formation of teams.

LITTLE LEAGUE; SCHEDULING

Children will not be required to play Fairfield Little League in the Fall, in addition to the Fairfield Falcons, as we recognize that many players also participate in other Fall sports.  To that end, Fairfield Falcons will attempt to accommodate game schedules of other Fall sports to the extent feasible, but cannot assure parents that there will not be any scheduling conflicts.  Times for Fairfield Falcons games should not conflict with Fall little league games.

We still encourage players to play both Fairfield Little League baseball and Fairfield Falcons should their schedules permit.  For parents of 8U players, we strongly encourage you to register your children in Fall Little League as well because the Travel program is developmental.

GAME AND PRACTICE SCHEDULE

The Fall season for the 8U-10U teams is expected to start the week of September 5 and run for approximately 8 weeks, with a schedule of up to 16 games (starting on September 9) plus playoffs, with playoffs ending by November 6 subject to weather (players will need to dress warmly!), as may be supplemented with other games and tournaments as discussed above.  Please see above re: the 8U Fall program.

This is the link for East Shore's website, which will ultimately include game schedules for the various teams accessible by clicking on the Schedules tab at the top: http://www.leaguelineup.com/welcome.asp?url=eastshoretravelleague.  Please disregard earlier iterations of the posted schedules at the beginning of the season; the scheduled games serve as placeholders.

Coaches will schedule regular team practices, attempting to take into account players' scheduling conflicts, and will communicate practice schedules at the beginning of the season at or before parents' meetings once teams have been selected.  These meetings will also be an opportunity to learn about coach/team expectations and discussion of other logistical information.

COMMITMENT LETTER/CODE OF CONDUCT

All players invited to join a Falcons team, and their parents, must sign a Commitment Letter, which sets forth the player's commitment to the team and to, along with the player's parents, abide by certain requirements and a code of conduct.  Failure to comply with the commitment letter/code of conduct may result in a player being removed from the team or a parent being prohibited from attending the team’s organized baseball activities.

DEPOSITS; PRICING

Parents of players selected for Fall FFYTB teams can secure roster spots for their children by making a 25% deposit payment that will be credited against registration fees for the season. Registration fees for our Travel teams in the Fall season are expected to be $675 for the 8U team and $1650 for the 9U-10U teams.

REFUNDS

After team rosters are announced, no refunds of the deposits will be issued.  IST has up-front non-recoverable costs such that we will not be able to refund such deposits. 

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We look forward to an exciting Fall baseball!  Please do not hesitate to contact Glenn Katz at with any questions.

Fairfield Falcons Travel Baseball