Why Berkshire Baseball? Fall Baseball for 10-U, 12-U, 13-U, 14-U, 16-U & 18-U players. Our...

Why Berkshire Baseball?• Fall Baseball for 10-U, 12-U, 13-U, 14-U, 16-U & 18-U players.• Our organization has been around since 1989, we have stood the test of

time. Many organizations pop up every day and try to impersonate what we have been doing for two decades. We have been established for twenty-two years and are considered to be the organization in which other organizations are molded after.

• We strive to instill the qualities of teamwork in all of our players.• We strive to teach each every player to conduct themselves with dignity

and class both on and off the field.• When we travel, we require that players conduct themselves in a

respectful manner. We always travel as a team. We return to the same hotels that we stay at annually and expect all players to uphold the good reputation that those who have played for us previously have established.

Why Berkshire Baseball?• Our coaches are experienced, dedicated & pass background checks.• At every age level of our program, our goal is to prepare our players for

the college baseball experience. We attempt to better prepare our players for the vigorous schedule that a college athlete must maintain. There is a tremendous commitment involved in playing in this organization. Just as in college, players must be dedicated and disciplined to travel when they need to and at the same time continue to maintain good grades in the classroom.

• Hundreds of our players have advanced to play at the collegiate level, 26 have gone on to play professionally, most importantly, countless members of our alumni have gone on to become productive members of society.

Why Berkshire Baseball?

• For our 18-U Showcase team, we strive to provide our areas top baseball athletes with an opportunity to play a competitive Fall schedule, while getting exposure to college coaches and professional scouts. Our schedule is mailed to over 200 college coaches and professional scouts and we provide a profile link of each player on the roster that can be accessed through our web site.

• Most of all, we aim to provide our players with the best possible baseball experience that we can and hope that their experience with Berkshire Baseball will last them for a lifetime.

Mission Statement

• The objective of the Berkshire Baseball Club is to promote amateur baseball at every level. Our organization shall strongly encourage our beliefs of good sportsmanship, honesty, loyalty, dignity, humility, class and respect for authority.

Mission Statement

• We will strive to teach and develop the necessary skills for our players and participants to reach the “next level”, all the while fully realizing that for many of the players that go through this organization, the “next level” for them may very well be LIFE. Therefore, let it be known that it is the responsibility of our members and coaches to not only teach and train the young individuals that participate in our program to be better ballplayers, but more importantly, to be better human beings.

Mission Statement

• To achieve this objective, the Berkshire Baseball Club will provide supervised baseball programs for youth participants in conjunction with the rules and regulations of the local leagues and tournaments in which they participate as well as the official baseball rules.

• This organization will operate as a non-profit 501(C)(3) entity.

Organizational Structure

10-U

12-U

13-U

14-U

16-U

18-U

OrganizationalStructure

• Concept was developed and modeled after that of a professional organization.

• The organization is developmental in nature.

• We will stress the fundamentals of the game at every level, stressing repetition and development of muscle memory.

• Winning and success on the field is a bi-product of the fundamentals that are stressed during practice and workout programs.

• Berkshire Baseball is an organization that to get the most out of it, you must look at it as a “baseball journey”. Adding a new dimension at every level of the program.

10-U

12-U

13-U

14-U

16-U

18-U


• Player Selection Process.

• Attempt to make each team at each age level as equally competitive as possible.

• Coaches have been removed from the player selection process.

• There is no guarantee that players moving from one age group to another will remain on the same team.

• By the end of your son’s Berkshire Baseball career, his social skills would have benefitted tremendously by not only getting to know 12-13 friends from outside of his current school district, but by becoming good friends with many, many great individuals from outside of his home school district.

10-U

12-U

13-U

14-U

16-U

18-U


• Ultimately, we stress that Berkshire Baseball is truly a family.

• We wish for our players to have mutual respect for each other.

• Playing hard against each other.

• Rooting each other on when not competing against each other.

• At the end of the day, there really is only one name that matters.

10-U

12-U

13-U

14-U

16-U

18-U


Is the only name that matters!

• Ultimately, we stress that Berkshire Baseball is truly a family.

• We wish for our players to have mutual respect for each other.

• Playing hard against each other.

• Rooting each other on when not competing against each other.

• At the end of the day, there really is only one name that matters.

“Strive for Perfection,Achieve Excellence”

~Vince Lombardi

Basic Philosophy• First and foremost, the game of baseball is fun; you must have fun on the field. We

will teach your son the basic fundamentals of the game while having fun doing it.• Keep the game simple by driving home basic fundamentals.• We’ll explain why we are telling your son to do something a certain way and

encourage them to ask us questions if they do not understand why we are telling them to do something a certain way.

• Understanding individuality, there is no “cookie cutter” approach to teaching the game of baseball. We understand that even though the core fundamentals of the game are the same; no two players are the same. Therefore we may “customize” some of the fundamentals of the game to better fit each individual player’s talent and skill set.

• Repetition, Repetition, Repetition. We’ll do the drills correctly over and over in order to build muscle memory, practice does not make perfect, but perfect practice does make perfect.

• Baseball is a game of failure; we strive to teach our players to learn from failure and to not get frustrated when they do fail.

• Work Ethic & Commitment – Your son will get out of Berkshire Baseball what he puts into it.

Expectations• We hold our “star” players to a higher standard.• We expect our “star” players to lead by example.• We expect our older players to be examples for our younger players.• Always hustle. On and off of the field and on every play.• Show Integrity.• Be honest.• No Alcohol, drugs or Steroids.• If your sick or injured, tell your coach.• Be on time. Lombardi Time.• Stand Tall, Look Proud, you are a ballplayer.• Show Respect.• In public, wear a complete uniform. Hat forward.• No throwing equipment.• Keep Dugouts, hotel rooms and dorm rooms clean.

Expectations• No horseplay on vans, buses, hotels or dorm rooms.• Players and coaches in the dugouts, no parents in the dugouts or bench

area during the games.• Parents - Please allow our coaches to coach, coaching from the stands

generally only confuses the issue.• Parents – If you have an issue with your sons coach, please do not

approach him immediately following a game. Give both yourself and him time to cool down following a game.

• Always show up at the first game of the day in a clean uniform and the correct uniform. Everything that you do is a portrait of yourself.

• Never argue with or belittle an umpire.• Always address umpires as “Sir” or “Mr. Umpire”. Never address an

umpire by calling him “Blue”, it is a sign of disrespect.• By striving for perfection, we will be able to achieve our 22 year “Tradition

of Excellence.”

• We will always use wood bats in our tournaments, games, workouts and camps.• By using a wood bat, a player is forced to become a more disciplined hitter without doing anything else

other than using the wood bat.• The “sweet spot” on a wood bat is considerably smaller than that of an aluminum bat, therefore

forcing the hitter to have a better pitch selection and knowledge of the strike zone.• Wood bats are much less “forgiving” than an aluminum bat. Swinging at bad pitches with wood will

result in outs, broken bats and sore hands.• Wood bats are generally heavier than aluminum and the weight is distributed differently which will

help build strength and bat speed over time.• We will always have a supply of wood bats for our tournaments.

Team Budgets10-U Team Budget

Player registration Fee: $250.00, plus uniform costs.

Income:Player Registration Fees (12 @ $250.00) $3,000.00

Expenses:Home Tournaments (5) $1,500.00Hats $210.00T-Shirts (2 per player) $350.00Socks $56.00Belts $56.00Footwear $660.00Bats $300.00Misc. Equipment (Buckets/Balls/Pine Tar/Practice Facility/Etc.) $300.00Admin (Coaches Salaries/Insurance/Postage/Professional Services/Etc.) $1,550.00Total Expenses $4,982.00 Please note: In an effort to keep our program costs as low as possible, our registration fees do not cover 100% of our team expenses during the year. The tournaments that we host help to offset those uncovered expenses, therefore we ask that our parents help out during our tournament weekends with concession stands, field prep, etc. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.




Expenses:SATB Entry Fee $950.00SATB Lodging $600.00SATB Travel $925.00Home Tournaments (8) $4,050.00League Fee $925.00League Umpires $350.00Hats $210.00T-Shirts (2 per player) $350.00Socks $56.00Belts $56.00Polo Shirts $420.00Outer Garments $420.00Footwear $660.00Bats $500.00Misc. Equipment (Buckets/Balls/Pine Tar/Practice Facility/Etc.) $300.00Admin (Coaches Salaries/Insurance/Postage/Professional Services/Etc.) $2,000.00Total Expenses $12,772.00




Expenses:SATB Entry Fee $950.00SATB Lodging $600.00SATB Travel $925.00Home Tournaments (8) $4,500.00League Fee $925.00League Umpires $550.00Hats $210.00T-Shirts (2 per player) $350.00Socks $56.00Belts $56.00Polo Shirts $420.00Outer Garments $420.00Footwear $1,408.00Bats $700.00Body Zone 10-Visit Pass $960.00Misc. Equipment (Buckets/Balls/Pine Tar/Practice Facility/Etc.) $300.00Admin (Coaches Salaries/Insurance/Postage/Professional Services/Etc.) $2,000.00Total Expenses $15,330.00

Team Budgets18-U Blue Sox Team Budget



Expenses:SATB Entry Fee $950.00SATB Lodging $600.00SATB Travel $925.00Home Tournaments (8) $4,800.00League Fee $925.00League Umpires $550.00Hats $210.00T-Shirts (2 per player) $350.00Socks $56.00Belts $56.00Polo Shirts $420.00Outer Garments $420.00Footwear $1,408.00Bats $700.00Body Zone 10-Visit Pass $960.00Misc. Equipment (Buckets/Balls/Pine Tar/Practice Facility/Etc.) $300.00Admin (Coaches Salaries/Insurance/Postage/Professional Services/Etc.) $2,000.00Total Expenses $15,630.00

Team Budgets18-U Red Sox Showcase Team Budget

Player registration Fee: $1,300.00, plus uniform costs. Income:Player Registration Fees (16 @ $1,300.00) $20,800.00 Expenses:SATB Entry Fee $950.00SATB Lodging $600.00SATB Travel $925.00Moosic Entry Fee $650.00Moosic Lodging $1,250.00Moosic Travel $650.00Harrisburg Entry Fee $650.00Harrisburg Lodging $600.00Harrisburg Travel $650.00Diamond Nation Entry Fee $895.00Diamond Nation Lodging $1,350.00Diamond Nation Travel $650.00Home Tournaments (5) $3,450.00League Fee $925.00League Umpires $550.00Hats $210.00T-Shirts (2 per player) $350.00Uniform Vests (2 per player) $2,000.00Socks $56.00Belts $56.00Polo Shirts $420.00Outer Garments $420.00Footwear $1,408.00Bats $700.00Body Zone 10-Visit Pass $960.00Misc. Equipment (Buckets/Balls/Pine Tar/Practice Facility/Etc.) $300.00Admin (Coaches Salaries/Insurance/Postage/Professional Services/Etc.) $2,000.00Total Expenses $23,625.00

Team Budgets

Please note: In an effort to keep our program costs as low as possible, our registration fees do not cover 100% of our team expenses during the year. The tournaments that we host help to offset those uncovered expenses, therefore we ask that our parents help out during our tournament weekends with concession stands, field prep, etc. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

Uniform Inclusions w/Registration10-U - $250.00• Includes tournament/game fees, hat, T-shirts, socks, belt and spikes.

12-U - $700.00• Includes all lodging, travel, tournament/game fees, hat, T-shirts, socks, belt, spikes, outer garment and

travel shirt.


travel shirt.


travel shirt.

16-U - $850.00• Includes all lodging, travel, tournament/game fees, hat, T-shirts, socks, belt, spikes, outer garment, travel

shirt & 10-visit punch card for Body Zone Sports & Wellness Complex.

18-U Blue Sox - $900.00• Includes all lodging, travel, tournament/game fees, hat, T-shirts, socks, belt, spikes, outer garment, travel


18-U Red Sox - $1,300.00• Includes all lodging, travel, tournament/game fees, hat, T-shirts, socks, belt, spikes, outer garment, travel


Uniform Requirements & Add-onsStand Tall, Look Proud, you are a ballplayer!

Spikes:• Must be Mizuno, supplied by the organization.

Pants:• All teams now wear the same style pants. You can purchase pants either through us (New or Used) or on

your own, however, they must be Rawlings pants.

Sleeves:• Required to wear either Red or Navy sleeves. Mizuno Thermo Sleeves or UnderArmour can be purchased

through us. Any manufacturers sleeves can be worn as long as they are either Red or Navy.

Helmets:• Berkshire Helmets are required to be purchased during your first year in the program. Helmet can be

replaced as needed at your own cost throughout your Berkshire career. Players will receive new helmet decals when changing teams & age groups.

Bags:• Starting at 12-U, Berkshire bags are required to be purchased during your first year in the program. Bags

can be replaced as needed at your own cost throughout your Berkshire career. Players will receive new bag ID tags each season.

Equipment Add-on Deadline:• Deadline for ordering uniform and equipment add-ons is July 1 of each season.

PINK RIBBON CLASSIC TOURNAMENT

All teams will be provided with Pink Jerseys for the weekend of the Pink Ribbon Classic Tournament.

Fundraising OpportunitiesSovereign Center Concession Stand:

• We have secured one of the concession stands at the Sovereign Center for several Reading Royals hockey games and other events at the Sovereign Center.

• To work the stand, you must be 18 years of age or older.• The organization receives 10% of the after-tax sales at that concession stand

for the evening.• Each person that works receives 10% of the clubs net proceeds for the evening

to go toward their registration fee.• Example:

• Stand does $4,000.00 in net sales• Organization receives $400.00 for that evening.• Volunteers receive 10% of $400.00 = $40.00 per person worked toward

registration fee.• Call Randy Strausser at 610-223-5831 or email [email protected] to schedule.

mailto:[email protected]

Fundraising OpportunitiesLottery Calendars:• Lottery calendars sell for $20.00 each.• You receive $10.00 credit toward your

registration fee for each calendar sold.• Calendars will be available in January.• Available on a first come, first serve basis.• Please sell what you take.• Must be returned by June 15.

Fundraising Opportunities

Program/Newsletter ad sales:• Program & E-Newsletter ad sales sell for anywhere

from $5.00 (patron) to $300.00 (full page ad)• You receive 50% credit of any ads that you sell

toward your registration fee.• Ad information will be available in January of each

year (web site and printed brochures).


Golf Tournament:• We hold an annual golf tournament at Willow

Hollow Golf Course (May 21, 2011).• You receive $50.00 credit for each foursome that

you have golf in the tournament.• You receive 50% credit of any tee or green

sponsorship you sell toward your registration fee.


Corporate & Tournament Sponsorships:• Receive 20% of the cost of a corporate or

tournament sponsorship.• Contact Dan Clouser for details.

It’s about more than just BaseballOne organization, one family, with one unified goal:

• We truly believe that every player that wears a Berkshire uniform is a special individual.

• We have a track record of over 22 years.• Our coaches and board members are dedicated to the goals of the

organization.

Berkshire Baseball can be a lifetime full of great memories:• We are very proud of the fact that over 85% of the coaches within our

organization are former players.• We are developing young men and hope that those young men

continue to come back and pass on their knowledge to those that follow in their foot steps.

Community Service:• We stress to our players the importance of “giving back” to the

community.

It’s about more than just BaseballBerkshire Scholarship Fund:

• We have awarded over $35,000.00 in scholarships since 2001.

World Equipment Outreach Fund:• We have donated over 400 boxes of equipment worldwide since 2006.• We have spent almost $10,000.00 in shipping of equipment worldwide

since 2006.

Baseballtown Charities:• We have donated $9,100.00 to Baseballtown Charities since 2003.

Breast Cancer Support Services of Berks County:• We have donated over $3,500.00 to BCSS since 2007.

Children’s Alopecia Project:• We have donated $650.00 to CAP since 2010.

We use the game of baseball to teach our players about life.

It’s about more than just Baseball

Our tournament events generate over

$1,000,000.00* annuallyfor the Reading & Berks County Economy.

*This figure has been provided to us by the Greater Reading Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Where does the Money Go?Oley Valley Varsity Field, Oley Valley School District:

• 1991 – Re-worked and refurbished infield and provided additional infield mix. • Approximate cost: $2,000.00.

Robesonia Playground, Borough of Robesonia:• 1995 – Cut infield back to regulation depth, provided additional infield mix, seeding & aerating.

Renovated storage shed and concession stand by adding additional shelving and upgrades.• Approximate cost: $4,000.00.• 2001 – Re-sodded and re-graded entire infield. Rolled, seeding & aerated outfield.• Approximate cost: $16,000.00.• 2002 - Provided hitting screens, hitting mats and tarps.• Approximate cost: $4,000.00.• 2010 – Installed clay bricks in the mound and home plate area.• Approximate cost: $2,500.00.• 2010-2011 – Complete installation of batting cage.• Approximate cost: $5,000.00.• Ongoing annual projects that are done at no cost to the borough such as providing infield mix, edging

and general maintenance.• Approximate cost: $1,500.00-$2,000.00 a year in addition to field rental.

Where does the Money Go?Gibraltar Playground, Robeson Township:

• 2009 – Cut infield back to regulation depth, provided additional infield mix, surveyed and corrected the placement of foul poles.

• Approximate cost: $1,500.00.• 2011 – Replacing concession stand main double-doors and service window door.• Approximate cost: $2,000.00.

Daniel Boone M.S., Daniel Boone School District & Amity Township:• 2010 – Installed batting cages, made concession renovations, installed storage shed shelves, installed

clay bricks in mounds, re-edged and leveled infield surfaces and donated four home plate and pitcher’s mound tarps.

• Approximate cost: $10,000.00.

Optimist Field, Borough of Birdsboro & Daniel Boone Coaches Association:• 2007 – Provided hitting & pitching mats, home plate & pitcher’s mound tarps.• Approximate cost: $1,200.00.• 2010 – Installed clay bricks in the mound and home plate area.• Approximate cost: $750.00.

Where does the Money Go?George Field, Reading School District:

• 2006 – Provided hitting & pitching mats, home plate & pitcher’s mound tarps, L-Screen and hitting screens.


Conrad Weiser J.V. & Varsity Fields, Conrad Weiser School District:• 2003 – Provided hitting & pitching mats, home plate & pitcher’s mound tarps, L-Screen and hitting

screens.• Approximate cost: $2,500.00.

Womelsdorf 419 Field, Borough of Womelsdorf:• 2010 – Provided home plate & pitcher’s mound tarps, base plugs, trash receptacles, hoses, hose

rollers, mound clay and home plate infield mix, infield screen drag and infield over seeding to the brand new facility.


Egelmans Park, Reading Jr. Legion, Egelmans Park Assoc & City of Reading:• 2004 - Provided hitting & pitching mats, home plate & pitcher’s mound tarps, L-Screen and hitting

screens.• Approximate cost: $2,500.00.

Where does the Money Go?Lake Drive Rec Facility, Amity Township & Daniel Boone Coaches Assoc:

• 2010 – Installed clay bricks in the mound and home plate area.• Approximate cost: $500.00.

Kutztown High School Varsity Field, Kutztown Area School District:• 2009 & 2010 – Re-worked and refurbished infield and provided additional infield mix. • Approximate cost: $2,500.00.

Union Twp. Rec Facility, Union Township & Daniel Boone Coaches Association:• 2010 – Installed clay bricks in the mound and home plate area.• Approximate cost: $500.00.

• Many other smaller projects throughout our existence.• Our organization has put over $70,000.00 in addition to field rental fees

back into facility improvements for our local communities parks.• We are currently in negotiations with the County of Berks regarding an

over $100,000.00 renovation project at the Youth Recreation Facility.

What sets Berkshire Baseball Apart?Along with every thing else that we just went over, our resources are second to none…

College Recruiting

• As your son progresses through our program, the stress that comes along with selecting a college that is the right fit for him becomes greater.

• Everything that we do as an organization from 10-U through 18-U is to help prepare your son for the experience of playing baseball at the college level.

College Recruiting• We’re of the firm belief that there truly is a

college out there for every player.• We stress the importance of finding a college

that is the right fit.• We host a college recruiting seminar for our

players who are in their junior and senior years of high school every season. Coaches from our local colleges as well as a professional scout attend to speak to our players that evening.

College Recruiting• That seminar will help you understand the

recruiting process and what coaches are looking for in a player at the collegiate level.

• In baseball, athletic scholarship money is very hard to come by.

• You must have good grades and good SAT/ACT scores in order to play baseball at the collegiate level.

• Be honest when speaking with college coaches.

College Recruiting• We will always give you an honest evaluation

of your sons ability and we’re always willing to help, but we also stress as with everything else in our program, your son will have to do his part as well.

• Don’t get caught up in divisions, go where you can play.

• If you are good enough to play professionally, they will find you, regardless of what level you’re playing at in college.

College Recruiting• Through our relationships with the Phillies

Scouting Department, our four local colleges and partnerships with organizations such as corecoursegpa.com & freecollegewebinar.org, our organization adds a dimension to helping educate you and your son on the college recruiting process that is second to none.

Online Skills Coach• The world’s easiest to use Advanced Motion Analysis Software with

Connect-to-Coach Technology built right in; • Optional Comprehensive video analysis program;• Coaches can video players and break down their mechanics;• Players can purchase a “video locker” for $40.00 annually;• Will allow our coaches to compare your sons mechanics side by side to a

professional players mechanics;• Coaches can better teach one on one;• Video analysis can be done right at home;• Software enables for frame by frame slow motion analysis;• This program should greatly enhance our coaches abilities to break down

mechanics and help your son fix small glitches; • Please visit www.onlineskillscoach.com for more detailed information.

http://www.onlineskillscoach.com/

STAR Sportsmanship Program• Required for every athlete (approximately an hour)• Required for every coach• Required for one parent of each athlete (approximately 10 min)• Recommended for all of the family

StopThinkAct

Replay• Please visit www.starsportsmanship.com • From here you can click on the appropriate category• You will be prompted to enter this code: STAR04022 • Program will record completion. Must be completed by August 1, 2011.

http://www.starsportsmanship.com/

Important Dates•May 17 & June 14- Chik-Fil-A Fundraiser@ Chik-Fil-A in Exeter•July 25, 27 & 29 - Pitchers & Catchers Only@ Daniel Boone Middle School Complex•August 1-4 – Fall Workouts (all players)@ Daniel Boone Middle School Complex•August 6 - Uniform Handout and Pig Roast@ Beverly Hills Tavern

Important Dates•August 7 - Opening Day/Picture Day@ Daniel Boone Middle School Complex•August 18-21 – Sports at the Beach Trip@ Rehoboth Beach, DE•November 13 – Berkshire Baseball Banquet@ Crowne Plaza – Reading•2nd Tuesday Each Month – Board Meetings@ Body Zone – 7 PM

The Big Picture• With our growth, have come growing pains.• As an organization, we have taken great steps

to open lines of communication.• Dispel the misconceptions that exist regarding

the organization.• We have ongoing one-on-one meetings with

our coaches to make sure that they understand the “Big Picture”.

• We continue to train & educate our coaches.

The Big Picture• We firmly believe that the extra work that

comes with managing a larger organization is worth the opportunity to touch more kids lives by teaching them about life through the game of baseball & doing it the right way.

• We want you to become involved.• We’ve Developed a Parent Advisory

Committee to help the flow of information from the board level to the parent level.

The Big Picture

If you ever have any questions or concerns regarding the organization, please do not hesitate to contact:

Dan ClouserPresident & General ManagerBerkshire Baseball Club, Inc.610-927-4306 (Office)610-507-2580 (Cell)www.BerkshireBaseball.com"A life isn't significant except for its impact on other lives."~Jackie Robinson

http://www.berkshirebaseball.com/

The Big Picture

Why Berkshire Baseball? Fall Baseball for 10-U, 12-U, 13-U, 14-U, 16-U & 18-U players. Our...

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