Minneapolis Youth Baseball Association

FIve big things you need to know about MYBA and traveling baseball:

1. When does the season begin and end? Your season begins with outdoor practices in early April, usually when the snow melts and the parks open. Practices could possibly begin as early as mid-March, if your coach secures indoor practice space. Regular season games begin in early May and end in early July. Post-season playoffs and tournaments may extend the season to late July.

2. How intense is the commitment? Generally speaking, like all traveling sports, your child may be expected to attend up to four MYBA “events” per week – a combination of games, practices, and tournaments. Here is roughly how that breaks down:

Pre-season practices begin early April – These practices are held 2-3 times per week at area parks including Pearl, Lynnhurst, Todd, Kenny, etc. Practices are generally 60-90 minutes, but coaches may lengthen practice sessions if they believe it is beneficial and appropriate.

League play begins in early May – Once your team’s league schedule begins, expect two games and up to two practices per week. Coaches may modify the number of weekly practices depending on the number of games and tournaments in a given week. The league schedule dictates two games weekly over an eight-week period for a total of 16 regular season games. 

Weekend tournaments – MYBA teams also participate in two or three weekend tournaments, depending on the age group. Some teams also opt for an out-of-town tournament, which kids really enjoy. Teams often participate in additional tournaments, but that is a mutual decision agreed upon by coaches and parents.

State tournaments – If your team qualifies, your team may participate in one or more state tournaments sponsored by MSF, MBT, and GSTC. These tournaments usually take place starting the second weekend in July, concluding by the last weekend in July.

3. Where and when are games played? Most home league games are played at the Neiman Sport Complex near the Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport (off of 62-Crosstown south of the airport). League away games are generally played in suburban communities such as Burnsville, Apple Valley, Eagan, and Lakeville to the south and Wayzata, Eden Prairie and Chaska to the west. Game start times are generally between 6:00 pm - 6:30 pm before school is out, and sometimes after 8:00 pm once school is out. Some league home games can also be played on weekend days at Neiman.

4. Are kids able to play another sport concurrent with MYBA? Generally speaking, MYBA doesn’t recommend that players participate in another sport during the MYBA season. Face it, kids are over-scheduled as it is, and allowing them to focus fully on one sport, and be an integral team member is an important value that we stress.

Keep in mind, player attendance and participation at all practices and games is expected, and critical to the development of the individual player and the team.

5. What about other schedule conflicts? MYBA realizes that life doesn’t revolve completely around baseball. You can expect that your team will certainly understand schedule conflicts with church events, school events, family activities and other functions. However, if your family has other commitments, like traveling to a family cabin every weekend, traveling baseball may not be the best fit for you. Here are the MYBA rules of thumb for avoiding conflicts and allowing your kid to get the most out of the MYBA experience:

• Submit all conflicts from April through July to your coach so they can place them on the team master schedule before league and tournament schedules are determined. This way, the team can schedule around conflicts, and not be shorthanded for games and tournaments.
• Schedule family vacations after August 1. This is typical for families that fully commit to supporting their kids throughout a baseball season.