ABOUT
Our goal with the Ontario T-Birds organization is to get players to the best of their ability by working them hard physically and teaching them the mental strength needed to play the game of baseball.
The bottom line is that through hard work, commitment, and desire, our end goal is to get all players to the next level. For our senior players, this involves working hard to get them scholarshipped (keeping up with the past successes of the Canadian Thunderbirds in scholarshipping), and, if the opportunity arises, to get them drafted. For some players, this will mean attending major league scouting bureau camps. Of course, opportunities will depend on how bad the player wants it, what fits with the players’ needs, and what skill level the player is at.
The success of players and the opportunities available to them will also depend on:
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GRADES!!!
- ATTITUDE – positive, even when struggling; listens to coaches; enthusiastic and energetic
- COMMITMENT - shows up for all practices and games, and shows up on time; willing to work hard (during the game and at home); willing to try new things (mechanically)
- TEAM PLAYER - picks up teammates; gets along/includes all; leads by example
- WORK ETHIC - willing to work hard all the time at baseball and at home (110%)
- BASEBALL SKILL - produces on the field; good mechanics; natural sense
As an organization, we also take pride in helping our players develop into better people. We truly believe in the saying: "We produce great ball players, but even better people".
All tournaments or showcases for our teams will be highly scouted with lots of exposure. Our teams will be a part of the ECPL (Eastern Canada Premiere League), which is in the process of amalgamating with the WNYTL (Western New York Travel League). After finishing first in the season in the ECPL last year, we are extremely excited to join this league, as it will mean playing against American competition, and having a World Series playoff format. We believe the new ECPL will be the best league to play in in Ontario!
FALL BALL
The fall schedule mainly consists of playing colleges in Canada and the States. We will play around 30 games in the fall. For regular roster players, we will be going to the Baseball Heaven tournament in Long Island N.Y. in the fall (which is highly scouted).
WINTER PROGRAM
Then we move on to our extensive winter program, where we will have top notch instructors! One instructor is a Braves Scout, another was drafted twice, was offered a minor league contract, and was involved with some minor league camps/games, and all instructors have played at the college/university level. We will be holding our winter program at the soccer dome in Hamilton and the Fieldhouse Athletics in Burlington. We will get two workouts a week. It is extremely important for all players to work hard on their own time (there’s 5 other days in the week!). We also plan to bring in guest speakers and instructors.
Each player will get a full off-season gym membership (6 months) to any gym of their choice. We will hold a demonstration day to teach the proper mechanics of working out and will provide a few different workout plans. We will also measure and weigh each player and keep tabs of their progress.
The first part of the winter program will be run like a training camp (lots of conditioning and position specific drills). We believe a player has to be in shape in order to get the most out of the mechanical part of the game. Soon after, we will mix in a lot of mechanical work. *Most important to us*. We will break it right down (back to the basics) and then build up from there. We understand that players are at different skill levels, but we will do everything we can to challenge everyone at all times.
We will then move on to incorporate more team-oriented drills and plays. At this point, players will be ready for season...Bigger, Stronger, Smarter and All-Around Better Ball Players!
Consistently throughout the year, we will also emphasize and work on the mental aspects of the game.
MARCH BREAK IN FLORIDA!!!
SEASON
The season will consist of about 40 games, and a mid-week PRACTICE will be held EVERY WEEK. We want players to remember this saying: "How you practice, is how you play!”
TOURNAMENTS
In July, the Ontario T-Birds will start their tournament schedule. We will travel comfortably and stay in quality hotels. Each player will get meal money daily when away at any US tournaments. We will be entered into a World Series, and most importantly, into highly scouted tournaments.
All in all, our goal is to have one of the best organizations!
