Bulls FAQ

Is your child interested in playing Rep or Dedicated Select baseball as a Burlington Bull?

We hope this information will help you decide if Rep or Dedicated Select is right for your player and family.

**Note, the below assumes there are no COVID-19 restrictions on training/practices, games, tournaments and out-of-province travel.  

The Burlington Bulls Rep & Dedicated Select program runs from January to September  

• 14 weeks of Winter training instruction (led by Strike Zone trainers) (18U excluded)
• Access to the Yard for team practices (based on availability)
• 20-22 league games against other COBA (Central Ontario Baseball Organization) teams
• Weekly team practices May to August
• Average of 3 tournaments (team expense), plus playoffs and provincial championship 
• Practice gear, full game uniform including home/away jerseys **Bulls Branded Bags/Helmets/Sweaters & extra training gear can be purchased at an extra cost**

 
Tryouts:

Tryouts will start the week after Labour Day and continue through the month of September.

Tryouts will be run by the Head Coaches of each team in the age group and/or non-parent evaluators. 

The Head Coach of the 1st team will select their players, followed by the Head Coach of the 2nd team and then the Head Coach of the 3rd team. If there is a Select team, it is a combined age group and player decisions are discussed with the coaches in both age groups. There may be additional tryouts after each tier of team is selected.

All roster selections are approved by the Rep committee prior to offers to players. 

League Games:

Rep and Dedicated Select teams average 2 games per week totaling 20-22 games per season.

Tournaments:

Teams average between 3-6 weekend tournaments per season plus league play downs (mid to late August). If you are fortunate enough to make it to the Provincials, count on another full weekend of baseball (Labour Day).  Teams usually book the tournaments from January to April so you will have plenty of notice. 

Practices during the playing season:

Teams average 2 to 4 hours of practice per week.  This will depend on the Coach and practice time usually increases when preparing for tournaments.
 
Level of Commitment:

The above are minimum levels of commitment.  As this is a Rep sport there is an expectation of commitment to both off season and in season training & development.  Please consult your Coach about the time commitment and expectations.

Can I play another sport during the summer?

By accepting a spot on a Rep or Dedicated Select baseball team, you are making a commitment to that team for the season. It is VERY difficult to juggle another summer sport (especially another Rep sport) and your child will miss games and practices for baseball or the other sport. This is unfair to your teammates and should be considered prior to accepting a spot on a Bulls team.

Will the games be on certain nights/when will I know the game schedule?

Your home games in Burlington are usually the same night of the week. Your away games will be any other weeknight. This means the games can be any night from Monday to Thursday.  Burlington does not create the game schedule, it is done by COBA (Central Ontario Baseball Association) and is not ready until mid to late April. 

Can we take a vacation?

Of course! However, coaches prefer that you give them lots of notice so that they can arrange for call-ups if they are short players. It is also preferable to have all players available for tournaments. 

12U Teams:

We plan to have 3 12U  teams going to Cooperstown, NY for a week long baseball tournament. Team 1 attends Cooperstown Dreams Park. Teams 2 and 3 attend Cooperstown All-Star Village.

Because of this special tournament, the team cost for the year per player averages $2,500 to $3,000. Fundraising is key for this year and practices are more frequent in preparation for this unique experience for the 12U players. If you are selected for a 12U team, you must attend the Cooperstown tournament. 

Playing Time:

Our coaches are instructed to focus on player development as well as fielding competitive teams. Although playing time is not guaranteed at the Rep and Dedicated Select level, BOMBA is committed to "fair, not equal, play" during regular season games.  Players are encouraged to learn the value of being a part of a team, including the value of contributing off the playing field.  

Registration fees:  

Please visit our Bulls Rep/Dedicated Select Fees & Refund Policy page.

Team fees:  

Teams have additional fees to cover tournaments, extra training and team equipment costs.  Each team will determine a budget once the team is selected. These team fees are in addition to Registration fees . Team fees could range from $300 to $800 per player except for the 12Us going to Cooperstown (see above).

Winter Training:

8U to 16U teams have indoor winter training from January to end of April of the playing year. All players/teams must participate but we understand that it may not be possible to attend all sessions based due to other commitments.

Fundraising:

Due to the increased fees associated with tournaments, training facilities, and training equipment, there is an expectation of team fundraising activities by the parents & players.

Out of town players:

If you are not a Burlington resident and have not provided your release to BOMBA prior to the first tryout, your player will not be permitted to participate. The office is open Wednesday evenings (6:30 pm - 8:30 pm) and Saturdays (9:00 am - 12:00 pm). Please click here for our residency policy.

Please note that COBA has updated the release rules in 2023 for 14U to 18U (Minor Bantam to Major Midget) players. Players in these age groups are permitted to try out for any COBA team without a release. Once an offer is made, a release must be provided (and cannot be denied) by the player's home association if the release request is received by October 15th.

Last updated: September 25, 2023