9U-14U Baseball Tournament team tryouts are July 22nd.
Longhorns Baseball
Proudly supporting Instructional, Recreational, and Tournament Baseball Teams, Ages 4-14
Tee Ball, Machine Pitch, and Player Pitch teams
2023-2024 Baseball Tournament Team Tryouts
Saturday, July 22nd at Villa Madonna
9U: 9:00-10:30am @ Villa Madonna #2
10U: 10:30am-12:00pm @ Villa Madonna #2
11U: 9:30-11:00am @ Villa Madonna #1
12U: 12:30-2:00pm @ Villa Madonna #2
13U: 11:00am-12:30pm @ Villa Madonna #1
14U: 1:00-2:30pm @ Villa Madonna #1
Instructional Baseball: Tee Ball and Machine Pitch
The Villa Hills Longhorns will again offer Instructional Tee Ball to our young athletes (normally ages 4-5). We also offer a local league for our intermediate baseball players with a "Machine Pitch" program (in place of "Coach Pitch"). This allows our players (normally ages 6-7) to get better, more consistent pitching while also preparing them for their entry into 8U "Machine Pitch" in the 2nd grade. More details are available for each age group on the registration page.
The Longhorns do not specifically mandate certain age ranges to the Tee Ball & Machine Pitch levels, as we think this is a decision parents should make based on their own child’s skill level. The general “rule of thumb” is that any first-time player should start with Tee Ball, and progress to Machine Pitch after 1-2 years, or when their skill level dictates.
Youth Machine Pitch (8U) and Player Pitch Teams (9U-14U)
Our 8U-14U teams compete across a number of leagues, including NKB, Crosstown, and Independent. At the 8U level, the Longhorns run a local "8U Machine Pitch" league for teams in the immediate area (VH, CS, Ft Mitchell, Park Hills, Fort Wright, Edgewood). 9U-14U is "player pitch".
All of our 8U & above baseball teams will play a full regular schedule featuring a wider range of teams to compete against. Longhorns fees for the season continue to be as affordable as any other league in the area, and our "all-in" fees include: Full practice & game schedule, tournaments, full uniforms, team equipment, and special events throughout the season, including our Opening Day Parade and Longhorns Night.
9U-14U Tournament Teams
9U-14U Tournament Teams will also either play in NKB or as an Independent, and also play in 3-6 additional weekend tournaments. 9U and 10U Tournament teams play fewer games (20+ games) than 11U-14U team will (25-35+ games). Weekend tournaments will allow for more competitive, tournament-style baseball to continue to develop our advanced players & teams. All Tournament Team fees for the season also continue to be as affordable as any other advanced league in the area, and "all in" fees include: Full practice & game schedule, end of season tournament, weekend tournament fees, 2 full uniforms (home & away), a practice jersey, team equipment, and special events throughout the season. Game schedules will be from late April through late June. Practices will occur during weeknights in Villa Hills at either Franzen Park or Villa Madonna.
Understanding Recreational vs. Tournament Teams
Our Mission and Balancing Recreational and Tournament Teams
The mission of the Villa Hills Longhorns is to provide a fun, affordable baseball & softball experience for as many kids in the Villa Hills & Crescent Springs area as possible. Because of this, the Longhorns Organization has been blessed to experience unprecedented growth over the past 10 years – with the # of players going from 15 five years ago to over 450 today.
That growth presents a tremendous opportunity to expand the Villa Hills Longhorns beyond our current leagues & opponents. As a result, the Longhorns will field both “Tournament” & “Recreational” teams. Balancing the needs of all our Longhorns players is extremely important to us, and that is why we are committed to fielding & supporting BOTH Tournament teams and Recreational teams. The Longhorns have made this decision based on a few critical principles:
- As players progress & develop their skill levels, the Longhorns also want to progress by expanding to meet the needs of as many players as possible. That means evolving to have options for our more advanced players, as well as our boys that are still learning the game.
- The Longhorns Bylaws (as voted on by the VHLAA Board) allows for 9U-14U teams to create the “Competitive” and “Recreational” split, allowing all boys the chance to grow & develop their skills sets.
The table below explains the primary differences between the “Recreational” & “Tournament” levels:
Questions?
As with everything else, the Longhorns welcome questions & comments from our amazing Villa Hills Longhorns community. Those questions can be directed to the VHLAA Board, or sent to VillaHillsLonghorns@gmail.com
* National Opportunities (examples include Iowa Field of Dreams Tournament or Cooperstown Tournament) are not guaranteed, and are up to each team. They must be submitted by the coach approved by the VHLAA board.