'AAA' Division

Directors

 

CMBA Has unfortunately had to make the difficult decision to not field teams in the AAA Division for the 2023 Season due to a lack of registrants for these teams!!!! Please check back next season as we hope to have teams then!!!!

 

 

The Cougars AAA Baseball Program is a highly competitive program, and therefore has a high level of commitment required from its players. Cougars AAA teams will be entered in the Baseball Alberta AAA Performance league to play teams that come from across the province. The Cougars AAA Baseball Program in alignment with Baseball Alberta's objective for the Provincial AAA League, is to provide a highly competitive yet developmental level of play for players/teams at the 15U and 18U age categories in a province-wide format. This program is designed for players with more advanced baseball abilities and a desire to compete at a higher level, among peers and competing teams that will challenge their abilities.

 

As a program, we feel the importance to foster an environment that strives for high end development through hard work and a positive competitive spirit.  In our AAA program, players will not only work to improve upon the skill set necessary to play the game at a competitive level, but also learn and experience the benefits of dealing with adversity, improving ones physical fitness, and having dedicated focus on achieving goals in sport. Our expectations for players, coaches and parents representing our program, is to exhibit a high degree of sportsmanship, teamwork, respect and positive attitude at all times.

 

Playing AAA baseball requires that certain commitments be made. These major commitments are time, travel, and financial. With approximately 11 - 16 players per team, all players are expected to attend all practices, games, and team functions as reasonably practicable. If families are taking extended vacations or have high commitment levels in other sports or activities this should be discussed prior to evaluations with the Program Director and/or Coach. We do not want to take away a roster spot from a full-time player for a player that can only play part of the time. Failure to fulfill commitments by any player or parent will result in a review of that player's privilege to play in the Cougars AAA Baseball program.

 

AAA Time Commitment

• minimum 2-3 weekday Practices/week.
• Weekend games, exhibitions and tournaments.
  • Typically, 2 to 3 games per week (weekends of play are dependent on teams entering the league, you could be playing almost every weekend of the month for regular scheduled games). The Baseball Alberta link http://baseballalberta.com will provide you with all the BA AAA information, and a schedule will be provided by Baseball Alberta for the year once its completed.
  • Season runs from May through to the end of July and possibly August Long weekend depending on tiering.
  • Teams earning a spot in Tier 1 Provincial Championships also have an opportunity to play for a spot in the National or Western Canadian AAA Championships.

 

Independent Tournament Play

• Typically, teams will play in 1-2 additional tournaments outside of the scheduled league play.
• These tournaments are normally held over May long weekend and a weekend in June/July (depending on the league schedule).

 

Travel Throughout the Province;

• Schedule and locations will be determined by Baseball Alberta.
• Baseball Alberta does their best to reduce travel when possible and give opportunities for teams to take turns hosting.
• Distances for provincials will vary as hosts locations can be anywhere in the province.

 

Fundraising;

• As a member of the Cougars AAA Baseball Program it is expected that team players and parents raise funds to help with Team Budgets.

 

Associated Costs

Your Cougars AAA Baseball Program costs will cover season Program Start-Up Fees (BBAB league/Coach/Players fees, & Association fees), as well as Team Season Fees (see under Projected Season Team Budgets). Team Budgets are created by the Program Director based on required projected team costs for that season. For more information on AAA Fee's or team budgets etc, please contact the AAA Director Ryan Popowich at aaadirector@camroseball.com. 

Standard Fee's

• Cougars AAA Program Tryout Fees will be $100/Player.
• 15UAAA season Registration/Team Fee's will be $1575 (fees could be subject to change pending registration and/or team numbers)
• 18UAAA season Registration/Team Fee's will be $1925 (fees could be subject to change pending registration and/or team numbers)

 

Coach Honorarium (In the event of a non-parent coach, a Coach Honorarium will apply as per below ranges.

• 15UAAA Head Coach Honorarium will be between $4000-$6500
• 18UAAA Head Coach Honorarium will be between $10,000-$13,000
• Head Coach Honorariums could cover the following coach expenses;
  • Coach Honorarium/Clothing
  • Team Equipment
  • Coach Mileage/Food
  • Coach Hotels/Accommodations

 

Failure to fulfill team financial commitments by any family "can" result in a removal of that players privilege to play in the Baseball Alberta Provincial year end Tournament. This is at the discretion of the team Head Coach and/or coaching staff along with the Team Manager. 

 

Team Uniform

Once teams are selected, they will be assigned Team Jerseys for which a postdated cheque of $100 will be required as a deposit and will be forwarded to the Cougars AAA Baseball Program Treasurer to hold until the return and inspection of the jersey at the end of the season.

Outside of the required standard baseball equipment (bat, glove, helmet & personal protection), players will also be responsible for the following:

• Mandatory White Baseball Pants
• CMBA approved Cougars Hat
• Belt & Socks to match team designated colors

 

Cougars AAA Baseball Program Player Evaluation Process

In March registered players for the Cougars AAA Baseball Program will be required to attend 1 of 2 evaluation sessions for their registered division. The evaluations (tryouts) are conducted under the direction of the CMBA AAA Director, the team coach and independent evaluators. Evaluations will be based on the players skill level, development potential, perceived dedication, character and coachability.

Once the evaluation process is over, team rosters will be placed on CMBA's website. Any Import Players not chosen for the AAA team, will be reassigned to their home association, and any Camrose Player who does not make a team will be assigned to the AA Competitive tryouts for placement onto a CMBA team.

 

Cougars AAA Baseball Program Coaching

Coaches will be chosen based on the applications submitted to the CMBA AAA Director. We are going to do our best to have qualified non-parent Head/Assistant Coaches involved with our teams, but this will depend on interest level and coach qualifications for those positions. Team fees will be responsible to cover a Coach Honorarium to help with their season expenses.

All AAA Program coaches are required to meet requirements in alignment with Baseball Alberta. Coaching certification courses will be made available in March/April/May prior to the start of the season. For more information regarding coaching certification, you can find it at:

http://www.baseballalberta.com/content/nccp-requirements

 

Code of Conducts

As players, coaches and parents you will be responsible for reviewing, signing and ensuring your familiar with.

• Parental Code of Conduct (one Parent or Guardian must review and sign)
• Player Code of Conduct (to be review with and signed by the player)
• Coaches Code of Conduct (reviewed and signed if you are either the Head or Assistant coaches)

 

AAA Program Director

The CMBA AAA Program Director will be responsible for overseeing the AAA Program throughout the season. Responsibilities include but are not limited too helping in the coach selection process, providing team direction, conducting and assisting through the evaluation process, addressing disciplinary issues, parent concerns and general complaints. The Directors are dedicated to ensuring the guiding principles and the general philosophy of CMBA is followed by all players, parents and coaches.