1. Do your teams play in summer World Series events?

Our teams have played in a number of these events over the years, and the kids have enjoyed them every time, as would any young player. However, we are not fans due to the lengthened schedule-- parents may miss extended periods of time from work and need to use vacation time even for a local event. Going forward (and weather permitting), we aim to end our teams in early June allowing for a few things: 

1. To allow kids to be kids and parents to enjoy some time with their children away from a baseball field.

2. Rest is of ENORMOUS importance to our organization and for our kids. In order to remain in great shape and able to handle a heavy workload, our players must have ample time to repair their bodies.  

3. It is a very quick turnaround from the end of the spring season to the start of the fall season. Ending earlier allows us to asses current and future talent, plan for growth and hire the right personnel to handle it all.

 

2. When do practices start?

Fall practices begin mid-August and we will do our best to allow for a smooth transition of our athletes to begin their academic school year.

Spring practices start mid-February to allow multi-sport athletes to finish their competitions.  We do offer off-season Strength and Conditioning programs- and those who do not play Winter Sports may find it particularly helpful to stay in shape.

 

3. How many games/ tournaments do you play?

We like to look at this a little different than most. We place more emphasis on several factors including how many live at-bats our players are getting and how many innings of work they’re getting on the mound. Development is an overused term nowadays with many organizations struggling to stick to the plan. Part of development is allowing a player to struggle. This allows them to have to dig deep and compete. Do not let this get confused with "we are going to leave our players hanging out to dry and get beaten badly!" Just as some players have to learn to deal with failure, others have to learn how to succeed. Some athletes are naturally gifted and others are not.

Baseball can be an incredibly humbling game and is very important to never get "too high or too low." We will play 3 tournaments in the Fall with some Texans hosted weekend doubleheaders to ensure our guys are getting the innings and at-bats needed. This also allows us to focus on the development aspect and get rid of some parts of traditional tournament baseball that hinder the process.  Things that can hurt development are time limits, run rules, etc. We need to play, not be handcuffed by win or go home formats week after week. We want to get the most out of our players with no exceptions! We love to win, we are just not going to risk our player’s health.

 

4. Why is strength and conditioning important? 

This is a topic that we are very passionate about. Strength and Conditioning and an athletes body is #1 in our opinion on what gets them to the next level. Strength, speed, explosiveness, and mobility are the "engine that runs an athlete." What’s the difference between a Ferrari and a Hyundai? It is what is under the hood! The same goes for a top athlete: 1) Diet--meaning what we eat and drink, 2) Sleep- when our bodies get to recover, 3) Workouts- attention to detail in the weight room. Those are the areas that separate the good from the great.

Our players have access to the top strength staff to aid in their development. We have built this into our Fall 2019 program where 2 days a week are focused on Strength and Conditioning.  We want to keep our athletes on the field and out of the training room.

 

5. How do you keep your kids arms healthy? 

There are number of quality programs we like to follow, not one in its entirety, but a hybrid of a few different ones. The Jaeger Band program is a staple as they are very easy exercises to perform, allowing flexibility for our kids to do on their own whether at the facility, field or at home. Long Toss is a key component as well. I am a huge fan of throwing to increase arm strength. There are lots of methods out there to try and expedite the process. We agree with some but not all. One method often forgotten is the throw of a baseball to strengthen the arm. If we continually (based on how we feel) gradually push distance limits while keeping sound throwing mechanics, the body cannot help but adapt and get stronger.

6. What level are your teams? AA, AAA, Majors?

We cover the entire spectrum of teams at FWTBC. We have all levels of teams as I truly believe and have seen that players develop at different rates. It’s very difficult to project an athletes potential when they are 8-12 years old and beyond. Our kids try out or are recruited and then placed on teams according to their current skillset.

7. How many players do you carry on your rosters?

Through many years of experience we feel the ideal number is 12. This gives us a buffer for injuries and the unknown. As we monitor pitching usage, 12 players also gives us ample room to be able to cover any tournament needs.

8.  Do you have professional/experienced coaching?

Beginning with the 11u division, our teams are led by professional/experienced coaches with many having played, coached, and/or scouted at the professional ranks! For 8u through 10u, we have found through trial and error that the most effective both financially and developmentally is to find a qualified head coach who may happen to be a dad. For example, in 9U baseball there are a number of new things thrown at our players, such as the kids pitching to hitters for the first time. The players have to learn the balk rules, stealing, etc.

9. As a Texan player, do I get access to the facility?

Yes! All Texan players receive unlimited access to our facility to hit, pitch, take ground balls, workout, or whatever they feel will propel them to be a better player! Discounted private lessons are also provided as well as an endless list of additional perks.

10. How many teams do you have?

That is a number that continues to change as the Texans brand and organization continues to gain steam. We currently are at 8 teams but that number will most likely expand, but only as quickly as we find quality coaches and families.

11. When are Spring/Summer 2020 Tryouts?

 

Still have questions?  Please call or text us at 817-948-7531.