Travel
Click on any of the links at right for details regarding our Baseball and Softball Travel Leagues as well as tryout information. Highlights for both leagues will be listed below. If you are a coach and wish to submit your team's highlights, or if there is a news article you would like featured, please email that information here.
Highlights and Photos:
August 19, 2011 - By Mike Romano
Wheaton Warriors 11u Blue 2011 Season:
- Champions of the Northwest MadDogs May Slugfest Tourney
- Finished 5th in KCBL Silver Division
- Outscored Opponents 162-153 in KCBL League Play
- 5th Place Wheaton RWB Tourney
- Team Offense ranked 6th of 25 teams in KCBL
- Finished Season on a 10-6 streak over final 3 weeks
We also traveled up to Brookfield Wisconsin for an out-of-town Tournament and stayed at an indoor waterpark! Despite a very tough bracket (the eventual undefeated tourney champion and the 4th place finisher) we battled hard and lost 2 close games, advancing to Sunday play where we had to play one of the same teams again!
The coaching staff is extremely proud of how hard the boys worked, beginning last September when we began the process of adding 6 new players with no previous full-time travel experience and scheduled fall practices followed by indoor winter workouts. The boys bonded together, believed, and played as a team, outworking and out-executing opponents all year. We purposely sought out the toughest schedule we could find, and the 11u Warriors Blue responded to the challenge. Most importantly, we played the game with the class and respect it deserves, and the boys represented Wheaton and the Park District well. Its a special group of boys with a great future on and off the diamond, and it is a privilege and honor to coach them.
August 10, 2011
12U Wildcats Gold Team
The Wheaton Wildcats 12U Gold Travel Softball Team competed in 8 tournaments and played in the West Suburban Girls Softball League. The Wildcats’ overall record was 26-24-2 and they were 6-5 in league play, where they lost to the eventual champion 5-4 in the semi-finals of league tournament. The Wildcats were comprised of a wide array of players, who played together for the first time this season. As their team chemistry developed, the Wildcats had great success finishing the season 14-7 during which they won the consolation bracket at the Glen Ellyn Tournament, took second at the West Chicago Keppler Classic and finished second in the Wheaton Red, White & Blue Tournament.
Season Highlights:
- 26-24-2 overall record
- Finished 3rd in Hoffman Estates Tournament
- Won consolation bracket at Glen Ellyn Tournament
- Finished 2nd in the West Chicago Keppler Classic Tournament
- Finished 2nd in the Wheaton Red, White & Blue Tournament
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"Wheaton's 13U Warriors Red -- Finish Red Hot!"
TribLocal - July 18, 2011
The 13U Red-Hot Warriors closed out their 2011 Baseball season finishing the last 4 Tournaments with a 15-4 record! This time the 13U Wheaton Warriors Red team took 3rd Place last weekend at the 2011 Wheaton's Red, White and Blue Tournament. On a very hot Sunday with temperatures nearing 100˚ on the last day of the tournament the 13U Warriors Red team played 3 playoff games during an 8 hour day and place 3rd in a highly competitive 15 team tournament...
To read the rest of the article, click here.
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July 28, 2011 - By Tony Abbinante
2011 - 13u Red - Season Highlights:
The 13U Red-Hot Warriors closed out their 2011 Baseball season finishing the last 4 Tournaments with a 15-4 record! This time the 13U Wheaton Warriors Red team took 3rd Place last weekend at the 2011 Wheaton's Red, White and Blue Tournament. On a very hot Sunday with temperatures nearing 100˚ on the last day of the tournament the 13U Warriors Red team played 3 playoff games during an 8 hour day and place 3rd in a highly competitive 15 team tournament. As every year, great teams from Homer, Oswego, Geneva and all across DuPage competed in this annual tournament. The Warriors teammates included Matt Perna, Blaze Barista, Austin Hartnett, Will Bach, Grant Negris, Jack Bucholz, Andy Andersen, Jackson Nafziger, Marcus Gustaveson, Jackson Garner, Nick Howell and Jake Barry.
2011 - 11u Red - Season Highlights:
- Overall record 32 – 18. (72 – 35 the past two seasons)
- 2011 KCBL Gold Division Champs
- 2nd Place Wheaton Red, White & Blue Classic
- 3rd Place Glen Ellyn Summer Classic
- Advanced to final 4 in Vernon Hills Tournament which was then cancelled
- Lost in Semi-Finals in Arlington Heights tournament (no consolation game)
- Did not advance in two tournaments
- The teams we lost to in ALL our tournaments went on to win the tournament, and one finished 2nd
Great character story: we were set to advance in St Charles (a very difficult tournament), and we were just having one of those games where everyone was hitting. We were going base to base in the first inning; that’s how good we were playing. The kids knew the deal. I rotated the kids around, and instead of closing the game out we ended up letting some runs up which we wouldn’t have had I kept the kids in their main positions. Sure enough, we don’t advance because of runs against (2 run differential). The team we played from the coaches to the parents thanked us for how we handled the game and what good sports our kids were. They even sent me a note a week later when they found out we didn’t advance. I told the boys that we won more than a game that day, that it was my fault, but at the end of the day this is how I wanted them to be remembered rather than by some $4 trophy.
We also went to the Dells, and had a blast. Great kids and parents. We struggled early with a tough schedule, but came on like beasts at the end. It’s a privilege to coach, and I never take it for granted.
2011 - 10u Red - Season Highlights:
· 32-20 Overall Record
· 1st Place- KCBL Silver South Division
· 2nd Place- Warrenville Tournament
· 4th Place- St. Charles Tournament
· 3rd Place- Wheaton Red, White and Blue Tournament
· 1st Place- Roselle End of Summer Tournament
In addition, we took the kids up to Helfaer Field in Milwaukee for an extended weekend. We played a game against Yorkville at Helfaer Field and then attended a Brewers game that night. The kids had a blast. We had a great group of parents this year, which really made the entire experience that much more fun. Our kids really improved as the season went on this year. The culmination came in Roselle when the kids went 5-0 to win our last tournament of the year. We were also pretty successful fundraising this year. These funds allowed to us purchase some professional hitting help from a couple of area experts throughout the season. When the year ended, the kids were hitting the cover off the ball.
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