2008 USA JR. OLYMPIC BASEBALL TOURNAMENT

Announcing the 2008 Colorado Junior Olympic team 

Once again, The Yard has secured it's spot for the 2008 Junior Olympic Baseball tournament and will be starting the Colorado selection process immediately. The Yard is the only team in Colorado to have secured a spot in this tournament at this point. Daven Bond is the regional director for USA Baseball and annually takes at least one team to the tournament.

If selected players will represent The Yard Baseball Academy and the State of Colorado at the 2008 USA Junior Olympic Baseball Championships in Jupiter, Florida from June 18nd – June 26th. This is a great opportunity for exposure and a chance to compete for a spot on the USA Youth National Team. Out of this tournament, 48 players are invited to USA Baseball's YNT trials. This roster is then reduced to the final 18 players that represent the United States in the International Baseball Federation's AA World Youth Championships in Varacruz, Mexico in August.

Last year The Yard played great baseball in Florida and we expect to be taking an even more competitive group of players this year with several returning players and possibly a second team. This is truly an unforgettable experience. The Yard has participated in the tournament for the last 7 years. Players are selected from Colorado players 16 and under. The process includes recommendation letters and phone numbers that are processed to determine potential players.

This is truly a once in a lifetime event that is a definite highlight of your career. We stay at nice hotels, eat well and do various fun excursions on our trip. The baseball competition is awesome. The fields are great and the tournament is very well organized. As you can tell, I am excited to go back this year with a great group of players and families. If you have any questions, please call me at The Yard (720-922-1884).

If you are interested in being considered for this year's JO team, please fill out the player profile and send it in as soon as possible. Also include 2 references with phone numbers and/or email addresses.

PRESS RELEASE

USA Baseball Announces Dates for 2008 Junior Olympic Baseball Championships

Total of 144 teams to compete June 22 - 30

Thank you very much for your interest in USA Baseball and the 2008 USA Junior Olympic Baseball Championships! The JO West will be back in Peoria and Surprise, Ariz. (72 teams), and Palm Beach County, Fla. (72 teams) will again be the host for the JO East.

The games will again be held at the Roger Dean Stadium Complex (Marlins and Cardinals) and the Santaluces Complex (former spring training site of the Expos), for a total of 15 fields in Palm Beach County. In Peoria and Surprise, the games will take place at the Peoria Sports Complex (Mariners and Padres) and the Surprise Recreation Campus (Rangers and Royals), a total of 20 available fields. As you may know, top-notch facilities help make the USA Junior Olympic Baseball Championships a fantastic tournament experience. To see the tournament format, click here .

In addition, the 2008 USA Baseball Youth National Team (YNT) will once again be selected exclusively from the pool of more than 2,400 participants in the Junior Olympics. The YNT's pool of candidates (36 total between both tournaments) will be announced on June 29. The 2008 YNT will compete in the IBAF 'AA' Youth World Championships in San Cristobal, Venezuela later in the summer. If you have any questions, please contact Jeff Singer via email at jeffsinger@usabaseball.com .

Players born May 1, 1990 or later are eligible to compete in the Junior Olympics. Please note, however, that only players born January 1, 1991 or later will be eligible to be selected to the Youth National Team. As such, USA Baseball requires that at least 8 players on each team's roster be born on or after this international age cutoff.

When : June 22 - 30, 2008
Where : Peoria & Surprise, Arizona (72 teams) or Palm Beach County, Fla. (72 teams). Team's choice based on availability Age Limit: May 1, 1990 (oldest eligible birth date).

BENEFITS

• Guaranteed minimum of 7 games - weather permitting (5 pool-play games guaranteed)
• Outstanding facilities (MLB Spring Training complexes of the Mariners, Padres, Rangers, and Royals in Arizona, and the Cardinals and Marlins in Florida). Free housing service to guarantee affordable and convenient housing for the entire family USA Baseball gifts and discounts
• 36 players will be selected as participants in the USA Baseball Youth National Team Trials