Bettendorf-Pleasant Valley Youth Baseball is hosting a free umpire clinic from 6-8:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 13 at Saldivar Field at Devils Glen Park.

Local high school umpires are again the chief clinicians for the annual fall training session.

BPV’s youth umpire program boasts nearly 100 participants with the best trained and most experienced of the crew graduating in recent years into the high school officiating ranks themselves.

Clinic participants will be grouped together by age and experience levels so rookies, less experienced and more experienced umpires all can gain knowledge and further their training.

Part of the clinic also addresses how the BPV operates and offers a team atmosphere for the umpire crew.

No advance registration is necessary. Coaches from every BPV division are invited to attend to get a perspective on the training and learn how to best work with umpires.

However, if you or your child are interested in umpiring during the 2023 BPV Fall Ball season, please plan to attend — and send an email expressing interest with the umpire’s name, cellphone number and email address to tappasteve@gmail.com.

In the event of inclement weather and the need to change plans, umpires will be contacted by email.

BPV Fall Ball games begin the weekend of Aug. 19-20. The Fall program runs to mid-October with no games scheduled Labor Day weekend.

Umpires are compensated for their work on a scale that depends on the day/division worked.

Online registration is now open for Bettendorf-Pleasant Valley Youth Baseball’s fall ball program.

Please visit:
https://active.leagueone.com/Olr/pages/welcome.aspx?clubid=14196

The fall baseball program features seven weekends of scheduled games from Saturday, Aug. 19-Sunday, Oct. 8.

Games are on Saturdays for the three youngest divisions at the Crow Creek Park 4-Plex, as well as nearby as needed at CC#6 and Tyler Hurd Field at Scheck Park. (Game dates: Aug. 19, 26; Sept. 9, 16, 23, 30; and Oct. 7).

Games for the oldest division (ages 14 and over) are Sundays at Devils Glen Park, Smitty Field at Crow Creek #5 (and if necessary at Castro Field at Paul Norton School/Kiwanis Park). Game dates: Aug. 20, 27; Sept. 10, 17, 24; Oct. 1 and 8).

There are no scheduled games the weekend of Sept. 1-4 because of the long Labor Day holiday weekend.

The weekend of Oct. 14-15 is set aside as a possible rain date in case weather impacts too many weekends of game play. Otherwise, the program is designed to simply play (and practice) as much baseball as possible around school commitments.

NOTE: The game/site schedule is determined by the number of teams/participants, but the usual time format used on Saturdays has featured game starts at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Normal Sunday game starts are noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m., 6 p.m. and (if necessary) 8 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 23 is the first day of the 2022-23 school term for both the Bettendorf and Pleasant Valley School Districts.

Before school and the fall games start, practice time is available to the individual teams beginning as early as Aug. 1. After school starts, practice time remains up to the individual teams and the preferences/schedules of their families.

For the youngest divisions, it is suggested teams try and practice at least one night each week once the fall games/school year begins, but other sports and extracurricular activities may impact plans (and should take precedence) as BPV hopes to help grow well-rounded student-athletes for the future.

Games also can be scheduled during the week on a team-by-team basis because of rainouts or special request.

SPECIAL FALL DIVISIONS:

— Rookie: Ages 5-8 as of Sept. 15, or grades K-3 suggested. Coach Pitch rules are followed. This is a great place to start and build experience for next season! NOTE: A recommendation (but not a requirement) for all players is to have already played a season of tee ball.

— Single-A: Ages 8-10 or Grades 3-5. A chance for Coach Pitch and Kid Pitch players/teams to get used to the next-level rules in the Minors division. NOTE: If your son or daughter has played in our Intro to Kid Pitch division — or is considering to do so next season as an Advanced Coach Pitch player — it is recommended to play Single-A in the fall to preview the next level. COACHES: If your team wants to play doubleheader each week (or more weeks), please advise the program director. ALSO: If there are enough players and individuals wishing to prepare for next spring/summer’s Intro to Kid Pitch/Rookie Division, we can break those teams into their own sub division.

— Double-A: Ages 11-13 or Grades 5-7. A chance for Minors players/teams to preview the Majors division style of play with Majors rules followed. NOTE: Teams intended to play doubleheaders for extra game action as the schedule allows. COACHES: If your team wants only to play once-per-week, please advise the program director.

— Triple-A: Ages 14-17 or Grades 8-12. A smash up for our Juniors and Seniors division to allow Juniors players/teams a chance to look ahead to the future on a full-sized diamond, and Seniors division players to remain active and work on baseball and leadership skills. NOTE: Teams intended to play doubleheaders for extra game action as the schedule allows. COACHES: If your team wants only to play once-per-week, please advise the program director. ALSO: AAA-plus division is possible if enough players ages 18-20 are interested, otherwise those participants again will be incorporated into the entire Triple-A division to provide leadership for the overall program. AND: If we have enough players/teams register wishing to play on an 80/54 diamond to prepare for Juniors Division play, we can create a special division for those teams and players.

PROGRAM DETAILS:

Registration is $75. (NOTE: There also is a nominal $3 online registration fee paid by each registrant for our shared use of the registration management system).

Registration by Monday, Aug. 7 helps in getting teams formed and out practicing before games begin.

The registration deadline is midnight Sunday, Aug. 13. For late registration, please contact tappasteve@gmail.com to assure roster space remains. (Participants have registered as late as Labor Day weekend).

Financial assistance is available by filling out an application located at BPVBaseball.com. Or request a financial aid form from tappasteve@gmail.com.

Summer BPV teams are encouraged, but not required, to stay together. For instance, if there are 2-3 or more kids/coaches wishing to play together, please let us know on your registration and send a follow up email to tappasteve@gmail.com. Teams can be grouped together to play in the fall.

If planning on rejoining a spring/summer team, or perhaps jumping in with friends/neighbors/classmates to create a special fall squad, please note this request on your registration, too. There is a prompt asking if you have any special requests.

All interested coaches, especially those with full or near-full teams, should contact Steve Tappa as soon as possible at tappasteve@gmail.com.

All registrants are placed on a team. Every effort is made to fulfill requests or group players by school. However, this is not a promise for registrations after Aug. 8.

Those wishing to sponsor a fall team to provide new uniforms for their team should contact the program director prior to Aug. 1. Otherwise, existing team jerseys are worn to provide additional exposure for spring/summer sponsors (new players on those teams are asked to wear a similarly colored hat & t-shirt/baseball sleeves).

Game balls and umpires provided. Team catching equipment and batting helmets also are available upon request.

For questions, please contact Steve Tappa at tappasteve@gmail.com or 563-676-8111.

PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY:

Fall Ball is intended to be a great bridge to the next level next season! The emphasis is not on winning, but rather developing skills and experience by playing (and practicing) as much extra baseball as possible.

Besides batting the entire lineup, as all divisions in BPV follow during the spring/summer season, special rules also are used:

— TIME LIMITS: 1-hour & 45-minute cut offs (10-run rule enforced after 4 innings; 5-run limit each inning; The intention is to play as many innings as the time limit affords).

— PITCHERS: Limited to 2 innings pitched per game & 3 innings per day if doubleheaders are played (goal: use multiple pitchers & develop more hurlers with mound time). Coaches, DO NOT pull pitchers midway through an inning unless in the case of injury. (Otherwise, this needlessly wastes game time for all and wastes the experience/coaching opportunity with the pitcher).

— EACH PLAYER: Should play the infield each game (goal: develop multiple positions).

— SPEED UP: Courtesy runners for catchers & pitchers; replacements ready for catchers making the 3rd out as a hitter (goal: maximize the time allowed).

— SUBS: May borrow other BPV Fall League players to avoid a forfeit, but they should bat last and should not pitch unless the other coach agrees to allow this (goal: play as much as possible; forfeits do no one any good).

The week of July 18-25 is a busy one for Bettendorf-Pleasant Valley Youth Baseball’s weekend tournament teams.

Included are tryouts at every level, with the Bettendorf Baseball Club (BBC) workouts for Bettendorf High School coaches the most comprehensive on Saturday, July 22 at Saldivar Field at Devils Glen Park. Players hailing from Bettendorf Community Schools — or Private School students intending to enroll at Bettendorf High School — can tryout from 8-and-under to 14-and-under.

The other six team tryouts are not restricted to any particular school district — including:

• The new 9U Bombers (Tuesday, July 18, 5-8 p.m. at Crow Creek Park #11); for more information, contact Bob Jurkowski at bpvbombers@gmail.com
• The new 10U Cobras (Wednesday, July 19, 6-8 p.m. at Tyler Hurd Field at Ed Scheck Park); for more information, contact Brian Kim at bpvcobras@gmail.com
• The new 14U X-Men (Wednesday, July 19, 6-8 p.m. at Castro Field at Kiwanis Park/ Norton School) for more information, contact James Ballard at jballard763@gmail.com
• The 12U Thunder (Thursday, July 20, 5-6 p.m., CC#8); for more information, contact Brock Halverson at brockhalverson@aol.com
• The 14U Royals (Saturday, July 22, 10 a.m. to noon at Castro Field at Kiwanis Park/Paul Norton School). for more information, contact Tyler Kulig at BPVRoyals@gmail.com

The BBC tryouts are following this time schedule:

• 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. (8-under to 10-under)
• 10:30 a.m. to noon (11-under and 12-under)
• 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. (13-under and 14-under)

The rain date for the BBC tryouts is Sunday, July 23 at the same place and times. A makeup tryout for the BBC is Tuesday, July 25 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Crow Creek Park 4-Plex (fields #8 or #9).

If interested in attending the BBC tryout, please fill out our information form at this link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfpkQZORQd1_90A-aU86K61oXG-s74T_FqovkHzKBhM58klYA/viewform

To determine age groups, players can not be older than the age listed (8-under, 9-under, 10-under, etc.) as of May 1, 2024.

However, USSSA baseball rules do offer these exceptions:

— A player can still play at 8-U if they turn 9 prior to May 1, 2024 AND they are in the 2nd grade AND don’t turn 10 prior to August 1, 2024

— A player can still play at 9-U if they turn 10 prior to May 1, 2024 AND they are in the 3rd grade AND don’t turn 11 prior to August 1, 2024

— A player can still play at 10-U if they turn 11 prior to May 1, 2024 AND they are in the 4th grade AND don’t turn 12 prior to August 1, 2024

— A player can still play at 11-U if they turn 12 prior to May 1, 2024 AND they are in the 5th grade AND don’t turn 13 prior to August 1, 2024

— A player can still play at 12-U if they turn 13 prior to May 1, 2024 AND they are in the 6th grade AND don’t turn 14 prior to August 1, 2024

— A player can still play at 13-U if they turn 14 prior to May 1, 2024 AND they are in the 7th grade AND don’t turn 15 prior to August 1, 2024

— A player can still play at 14-U if they turn 15 prior to May 1, 2024 AND they are in the 8th grade AND don’t turn 16 prior to August 1, 2024

For more information about the BBC or any of the BPV tournament teams, contact Steve Tappa at tappasteve@gmail.com

Tryouts for the *2024 Bettendorf Baseball Club (BBC) weekend tournament teams at all ages (8-under to 14-under) are *Saturday, July 22 at Saldivar Field at Devils Glen Park.

In case of inclement weather, the rain date is Sunday, July 23 at the same place and times.

The tryout sessions will follow this time schedule: 8 to approx. 9:30 a.m. (8-under to 10-under); 10:30 a.m. to approx. noon (11-under and 12-under); and 1 p.m. to approx. 2:30 p.m. (13-under and 14-under).

The tryouts are conducted by the *Bettendorf High School baseball coaching staff and players*.

Plan to report to Devils Glen Park 30 minutes prior to your tryout session. The park’s entrance is at 1101 Devils Glen Road. The map is located at this link: https://www.google.com/maps/@41.5351507,-90.4786314,679m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu

To qualify for any of those teams, players must be students of the Bettendorf Community School District or plan to enroll in Bettendorf High School (or any of its feeder schools). 

To determine age groups, players can not be older than the age listed (8-under, 9-under, 10-under, etc.) as of May 1, 2024.

However, USSSA baseball rules do offer these exceptions:

— A player can still play at 8-U if they turn 9 prior to May 1, 2024 AND they are in the 2nd grade AND don’t turn 10 prior to August 1, 2024

— A player can still play at 9-U if they turn 10 prior to May 1, 2024 AND they are in the 3rd grade AND don’t turn 11 prior to August 1, 2024

— A player can still play at 10-U if they turn 11 prior to May 1, 2024 AND they are in the 4th grade AND don’t turn 12 prior to August 1, 2024

— A player can still play at 11-U if they turn 12 prior to May 1, 2024 AND they are in the 5th grade AND don’t turn 13 prior to August 1, 2024

— A player can still play at 12-U if they turn 13 prior to May 1, 2024 AND they are in the 6th grade AND don’t turn 14 prior to August 1, 2024

— A player can still play at 13-U if they turn 14 prior to May 1, 2024 AND they are in the 7th grade AND don’t turn 15 prior to August 1, 2024

— A player can still play at 14-U if they turn 15 prior to May 1, 2024 AND they are in the 8th grade AND don’t turn 16 prior to August 1, 2024

WHAT IS THE BBC?

In 2020, *Bettendorf-Pleasant Valley Youth Baseball (BPV) began a new partnership with the Bettendorf High School baseball program* called the *Bettendorf Baseball Club (BBC)*.

The idea was simple: Make BHS and BPV baseball both better by helping turn the BPV players attending Bettendorf Community Schools into the next BHS players.

A key goal was for players to form closer bonds — and promote improved team chemistry — from the current model of players never playing with each other until they make one of the high school teams. The BHS coaches also wanted to invest their time in helping instruct players at the lower levels to learn to become great Bulldogs some day,

A 12-U team was formed for the 2021 season, and continues playing today at the 14-U level, successfully mixing weeknight play and practices in the BPV with action in select weekend travel tournaments.

A 10-U team was started last summer following the same model — at least one weeknight game in BPV, practices on BPV diamonds and action in weekend tournaments (schedule determined by the team’s coaches and families). 

The upcoming tryouts are the next step to expanding the program to additional age levels.

PLEASE NOTE: The BBC is specifically for current Bettendorf Community Schools students and their families or students/families intending to enroll at Bettendorf High School! Separate BPV tournament teams for Pleasant Valley (and students from other schools feeding into BPV) also are offered but unaffiliated with a high school program at this time (we share those tryout details when available and as teams are forming!)

If interested playing for the BBC? 

PLEASE FILL OUT THE TRYOUT FORM: *https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1WvuBdDq2pcFPMezlauyeu8czSboWY1QRdMAqmyBPCSA/prefill*

The BBC is committed to building a quality organization with well-led teams that will cultivate future BHS Bulldog baseball players and confident, responsible, hardworking young men.

BBC teams develop both by playing at their current age level in weekend USSSA tournaments and by “playing up” in BPV weeknight games, a combo that fosters well-rounded, multi-position athletes.

BBC players will be eligible for both all regular BPV activities (games, practices, camps, clinics) and unique BBC team activities, including chances to learn from BHS baseball players and coaches.

BBC teams will wear uniforms designed by BHS coaches and BBC board members to reflect the colors and styles of Bettendorf High School Baseball.

While travel baseball normally includes significant costs, the BBC is committed to offering opportunities to players from a broad range of economic backgrounds.

Interested in coaching? Please fill out the attached form and send back in an email to *danesco33@gmail.com* & *tappasteve@gmail.com*.

Tryouts for the new 9-U BPV Bombers — Bettendorf-Pleasant Valley Youth Baseball’s new 9-and-under tournament team — is Tuesday, July 18 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Crow Creek Park 4-Plex (diamond No. 11).

These tryouts are for the 2024 USSSA season. This team will be playing BPV games during the week and 1-2 USSSA weekend tournaments per month.

Players with birth dates of 5/1/2014 and younger are eligible to try out and play for the 9-U BPV Bombers.

All families are eligible for these BPV weekend tournament teams, but these opportunities are separate from the BBC (Bettendorf Baseball Club) partnership between BPV and the Bettendorf High School baseball program.

If you plan to attend the tryout, please email bpvbombers@gmail.com with parent name, player name, player birthdate and mobile number so we can ensure the tryout is able to accommodate those interested.

Please contact Bob Jurkowski at bpvbombers@gmail.com, for more information or alternative tryout times.

If interested in weekend tournament teams at other age groups next season, please send an email to Steve Tappa at tappasteve@gmail.com.