FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE –

FIELD IS SET FOR INAUGURAL ‘NATIONAL YOUTH

BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS’ TOURNAMENT

SIXTEEN TEAMS FROM NINE STATES TO COMPETE FOR FIRST-EVER

10-UNDER AND 12-UNDER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS IN MEMPHIS

August 18, 2008 – The field is set for the inaugural “National Youth Baseball Championships” tournament with 16 teams from nine states headed to Memphis, Tennessee.

The four-day tournament will be played at Gameday Baseball’s First Tennessee Fields in Memphis from Thursday through Sunday (August 21-24) and will crown national champions in the 10-under and 12-under divisions, which include more than 100,000 teams. Future plans call for the tournament to include as many as eight age groups.

The “National Youth Baseball Championships” is the initial effort of the “Major Youth Baseball Alliance, LLC.” The MYBA is a newly formed company comprised of eight major youth organizations, including AABC (American Amateur Baseball Congress), AAU (Amateur Athletic Union of the United States), Babe Ruth Baseball, Dixie Youth Baseball, NABF (National Amateur Baseball Federation), PONY Baseball, Super Series Baseball of America and USSSA (United States Specialty Sports Association).

The teams representing the eight participating organization’s are:

10-under Division: Tomateros de California, Paramount, CA, USSSA ; Juice 10’s, Orlando, FL, AAU; Tamiami Playmakers, Miami, FL, PONY Baseball; Southern Jaguars, Atlanta, GA, NABF; Kenner, LA, Babe Ruth; McComb, MS, Dixie; Bonnie Braves, Brooklyn, NY, AABC; McKinney Marshals, McKinney, TX, Super Series.

12-under Division: Blossom Valley Broncos, San Jose, CA, PONY Baseball; Norwalk Stingrays, Norwalk, CA , USSSA; Juice 12’s, Orlando, FL. AAU; Gresham Park Yard Dogs, Gresham Park, GA, AABC; East Cobb Astros, Marietta, GA, NABF; Southeastern Lexington, Lexington, KY, Babe Ruth; Germantown Giants, Germantown, TN, Super Series; and Texarkana, TX, Dixie.

The breakdown by state: California (3) - Tomateros de California, Paramount, CA, USSSA (10-under) ; Blossom Valley Broncos, San Jose, CA, PONY Baseball (12-under); Norwalk Stingrays, Norwalk, CA, USSSA (12-under); Florida (3) - Juice 10’s, Orlando, FL, AAU (10-under); Juice 12’s, Orlando, FL, AAU (12-under); Tamiami Playmakers, Miami, FL , PONY Baseball (10-under); Georgia (3) - Southern Jaguars, Atlanta, GA, NABF (10-under); Gresham Park Yard Dogs, Gresham Park, GA, AABC

TOURNAMENT FIELD OF 16 IS SET
(12-under); East Cobb Astros, Marietta, GA, NABF (12-under); Kentucky (1) - Southeastern Lexington, Lexington, KY, Babe Ruth (12-under); Louisiana (1) – Kenner, LA, Babe Ruth (10-under); Mississippi (1) - McComb, MS, Dixie (10-under); New York (1) - Bonnie Braves, Brooklyn, NY, AABC (10-under); Tennessee (1) - Germantown Giants, Germantown, TN, Super Series (12-under); Texas (2) - McKinney, TX, Super Series (10-under); Texarkana, TX, Dixie (12-under).

MLB.com, the official website of Major League Baseball, will provide live video streams of 14 games from the inaugural tournament Thursday through Sunday from Memphis. In the MLB.com broadcast booth for the semi-final and championship rounds—on Saturday and Sunday—will be former Major Leaguers Harold Reynolds and Billy Sample. Joining Reynolds and Sample on the MLB.com broadcast team will be Noah Coslov and Vinny Micucci.

MLB.com will stream four pool-play games in the 10-under division on Thursday (8/21) and four 12-under pool-play games on Friday (8/22). The 10-under semi-final games will be streamed live on Saturday (8/23) at 9:00 a.m. CT and 11:30 a.m. CT with the championship game to be streamed live at 6:00 p.m. CT. The semifinal round for the 12-under division will be streamed live on Sunday (8/24), at 10:00 a.m. CT and 12:30 p.m. CT with the championship game scheduled to be streamed live at 6:00 p.m. CT. Opening ceremonies will also be streamed live by MLB.com on Thursday (8/21) at 8:30 p.m. ET.

NATIONAL YOUTH BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS

TOURNAMENT PAIRINGS

10-YEAR-OLD DIVISION

POOL A
1. McKinney Marshals, McKinney, TX
(Super Series)
2. Southern Jaguars, Atlanta, GA
(NABF)
3. Bonnie Braves, Brooklyn, NY
(AABC)
4. Juice 10’s, Orlando, FL
(AAU)

POOL B
1. Tomateros de California, Paramount, CA
(USSSA)
2. McComb, MS
( Dixie Youth Baseball)
3. Tamiami Playmakers, Miami, FL
(PONY Baseball)
4. Kenner, LA
(Babe Ruth Baseball)

12-YEAR-OLD DIVISION

POOL A
1. Germantown Giants, Germantown, TN
(Super Series)
2. Blossom Valley, San Jose, CA
(PONY Baseball)
3. Juice 12’s, Orlando, FL
(AAU)
4. Southeastern Lexington, Lexington, KY
(Babe Ruth Baseball)

POOL B
1. East Cobb Astros, Marietta, GA
(NABF)
2. Norwalk Stingrays, Norwalk, CA
(USSSA)
3. Gresham Park Yard Dogs, Gresham Park, GA
(AABC)
4. Texarkana, TX
( Dixie Youth Baseball)

Originally published in The Tri-County Times on August 17, 2008
Click here for complete article

Holly powerlifter Zack Graves prepares to lift some weight during the recent AAU Junior Olympic Championships. He was one of three Holly residents to win a national title at the meet.
By David Troppens
Published: Sunday, August 17, 2008 6:34 AM EDT
Holly High School trainer Dave Hillger had an idea.

 A few months ago he went to some of the Holly High School students and asked if they wanted to do some powerlifting.

 Four said yes. And now, because of it, three of them are AAU Junior Olympic champions.

 The winners were Christian Jensen, Zach Graves and Shane Hegedus. Steve Bozynski also competed.

 Jensen, a 2008 Holly graduate, won in the 198-pound 18-19 year-old full power raw division. He lifted a total of 1,212.6 pounds. He had a squat of 440.9 pounds, a bench of 314.2 pounds and a deadlift of 457.5 pounds. As with all four competitors, it was his first powerlifting competition.

 “I just wanted to use it as a learning experience because it was my first powerlifting tournament,” Jensen said. “I wanted to hopefully do good and hoped to stack up well against the other people. I felt I really did well.

 “I didn’t think I had a chance in the world to place.”

 Jensen not only won his weight class, but he actually had the most weight lifted of all the competitors in every weight class that competed in the raw class. There is an assisted class that makes it easier for competitors to lift more weight. Only two competitors from that event had better performances than Jensen.

THREE 10-UNDER TEAMS QUALIFY FOR FIRST-EVER
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS TOURNAMENT IN MEMPHIS
AABC’S DALLAS PATRIOTS, DIXIE’S McCOMB, MISSISSIPPI, CLUB
AND MIAMI TEAM FROM PONY CAPTURE ORGANIZATION TITLES

August 11, 2008 – Three more 10-under teams—the Dallas Patriots of AABC; PONY Baseball’s Tamiami of Miami, Florida; and Dixie Youth Baseball’s McComb, Mississippi, club—have qualified for the inaugural “National Youth Baseball Championships” tournament in Memphis, Tennessee.

The four-day tournament will be played at Gameday Baseball’s First Tennessee Fields in Memphis from August 21-24 and will crown national champions in the 10-under and 12-under divisions, which include more than 100,000 teams. Future plans call for the tournament to include as many as eight age groups.

The “National Youth Baseball Championships” is the initial effort of the “Major Youth Baseball Alliance, LLC.” The MYBA is a newly formed company comprised of eight major youth organizations, including AABC (American Amateur Baseball Congress), AAU (Amateur Athletic Union of the United States), Babe Ruth Baseball, Dixie Youth Baseball, NABF (National Amateur Baseball Federation), Pony Baseball, Super Series Baseball of America and USSSA (United States Specialty Sports Association).

At the Dixie Youth AAA World Series in LaGrange, Georgia, Coach Guy Gatlin’s team from McComb, Mississippi, defeated Troup County, Georgia, 13-3, to advance to the inaugural tournament. Ben Coney picked up the win for McComb while Tag Gatlin had a home run and three runs batted in.

In Catano, Puerto Rico, the Dallas Patriots captured the Willie Mays World Series with a 4-1 victory over the powerful Puerto Rico National team. They went 5-1 in the double-elimination tournament to become the first AABC team from the South Plains Region of the United States ever to win the Willie Mays World Series. Dallas starter Jordan Roberts tossed 4.0 innings, allowing only one run while Michael Newstifter pitched 2.0 scoreless innings to close out the win. Dallas scored all its runs in a four-run third with shortstop Ryan Cash driving in a run and scoring a run.

At PONY Baseball’s 2008 Mustang World Series, Tamiami of Miami, Florida, defeated William S. Hart of Santa Clarita, California, 5-0, to run its tournament record to 5-0 and advance to Memphis. Tamiami outscored its opponents 52-16 in the five games of the tournament.

“The team has had a long road to work its way from the first level of tournament play to become the champion of the 2008 Mustang World Series,” said Tamiami coach Andy Garcia, “but, with hard work we have overcome every obstacle and are overjoyed at being the 2008 Champions. The team is looking forward to be the first team to represent PONY in the inaugural National Youth Baseball Championships in the 10-under division. “
With these three 10-under teams, 10 of the 16 slots in the tournament have been filled. Previous qualifiers for the “National Youth Baseball Championships” tournament were:
10-under Division: Southern Jaguars, Marietta, GA, NABF; Orlando Juice 10’s, Orlando, FL, AAU; and McKinney Marshals, McKinney, TX, Super Series.
12-under Division: Germantown Giants, Germantown, TN, Super Series; East Cobb Astros, Marietta, GA, NABF; Orlando Juice 12’s, Orlando, FL. AAU; and Team Texas, Texarkana, TX, Dixie.
MLB.com, the official website of Major League Baseball, will provide live video streams of 14 games from the inaugural tournament, which is scheduled to be held from August 21-24 in Memphis, Tennessee. In the MLB.com broadcast booth for the semi-final and championship rounds will be former Major Leaguers Harold Reynolds and Billy Sample.

NATIONAL YOUTH BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
TOURNAMENT PAIRINGS

10-YEAR-OLD DIVISION
POOL A
1. McKinney Marshals, McKinney, TX
(Super Series)
2. Southern Jaguars, Atlanta, GA
(National Amateur Baseball Federation)
3. Dallas Patriots, Dallas, TX
(AABC)
4. Orlando Juice 10’s, Orlando, FL
(AAU)

POOL B
1. USSSA (TBD)
2. McComb, MS
(Dixie Youth Baseball)
3. Tamiami, Miami, FL
(PONY Baseball)
4. BABE RUTH (TBD on Friday, August 15)

12-YEAR-OLD DIVISION
POOL A
1. Germantown Giants, Germantown, TN
(SUPER SERIES)
2. PONY Baseball (TBD on Tuesday, August 12)
3. Orlando Juice 12’s, Orlando, FL
(AAU)
4. BABE RUTH (TBD on Saturday, August 16)

POOL B
1. East Cobb Astros, Marietta, GA
(NABF)
2. USSSA (TBD)
3. AABC (TBD)
4. Team Texas, Texarkana, TX
(Dixie Youth Baseball)

Excerpt from TBO.com
Click here for the complete article

SEBRING - Sebring picked the best place to make dreams come true - at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex - as the Magic Kingdom is holy ground for the underdog.

The same stadium where Sebring won the championship is exactly where the Atlanta Braves play during spring training - a cliff note on the event that didn’t go unnoticed by the players.

“When we first got to the stadium to warm up,” Griffin said. “Everyone looked at the huge wall in center field and commented that Chipper Jones hit home runs in the same spot. It was amazing to know we’re playing in the same grass as all those players.

“We just took in the experience.”

MLB.COM TO STREAM FIRST-EVER

‘NATIONAL YOUTH BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS’ GAMES

FORMER MAJOR LEAGUERS HAROLD REYNOLDS AND BILLY SAMPLE TO CALL THE ACTION FOR INAUGURAL YOUTH TOURNAMENT TO DETERMINE NATIONAL CHAMPION

August 11, 2008 – The Major Youth Baseball Alliance LLC, the governing body of the first-ever “National Youth Baseball Championships,” announced today that MLB.com, the official website of Major League Baseball, will provide live video streams of 14 games from the inaugural tournament, which is scheduled to be held from August 21-24 in Memphis, Tennessee. In the MLB.com broadcast booth for the semi-final and championship rounds will be former Major Leaguers Harold Reynolds and Billy Sample.

The four-day tournament is the initial effort of the Major Youth Baseball Alliance, comprised of eight major youth organizations, including AABC (American Amateur Baseball Congress), AAU (Amateur Athletic Union of the United States), Babe Ruth Baseball, Dixie Youth Baseball, NABF (National Amateur Baseball Federation), Pony Baseball, Super Series Baseball of America and USSSA (United States Specialty Sports Association). It will be played at Gameday Baseball’s First Tennessee Fields in Memphis and will crown national champions in the 10-under and 12-under divisions, which includes more than 100,000 teams. Future plans call for the tournament to include as many as eight age groups. 

“I am thrilled that MLB.com has stepped up to provide national exposure for these long-established youth baseball organizations that will be competing in the National Youth Baseball Championships,” said Eddie Einhorn, Vice Chairman of the Chicago White Sox and founder of the Major Youth Baseball Alliance. “All of the teams coming to Memphis are already champions of their own organizations and it will be exciting to see them compete for a national championship.”

“As the site that powers the Hall of Fame, the Major Leagues and the Minor Leagues, MLB.com is honored to add this exciting event to our lineup,” said Dinn Mann, Executive Vice President of Content for Major League Baseball Advanced Media. “Eddie Einhorn and these prestigious organizations have formed a thoughtful alliance with the best of intentions, and these impressive young players deserve to have their championship efforts seen by our millions of visitors.”

MLB.com will stream four pool-play games in the 10-under division on Thursday, August 21 and four 12-under pool-play games on Friday, August 22. The 10-under semi-final games will be streamed live on Saturday, August 23, at 9:00 a.m. CT and 11:30 a.m. CT with the championship game to be streamed live at 6:00 p.m. CT. The semifinal round for the 12-under division will be streamed live on Sunday, August 24, at 10:00 a.m. CT and 12:30 p.m. CT with the championship game scheduled to be streamed live at 6:00 p.m. CT. Opening ceremonies will also be streamed live by MLB.com on Thursday, August 21, at 8:30 p.m. ET.

Joining Reynolds and Sample on the MLB.com broadcast team will be Noah Coslov and Vinny Micucci.

Said Reynolds: “I am delighted to be a part of the broadcast team for the inaugural National Youth Baseball Championships. Everyone knows how much I love being a part of youth baseball, and it will be very exciting to be part of an inclusive national tournament that is comprised of players from such outstanding, diverse organizations.”

Organization champions that have qualified for the National Youth Baseball Championships tournament to date are:

10-under Division

Southern Jaguars, Marietta, GA, NABF; Orlando Juice 10’s, Orlando, FL, AAU; McKinney Marshals, McKinney, TX, Super Series; McComb, MS, Dixie Youth Baseball; and Tamiami, Miami, FL, PONY Baseball.

12-under Division

Germantown Giants, Germantown, TN, Super Series; East Cobb Astros, Marietta, GA, NABF; Orlando Juice 12’s, Orlando, FL, AAU; and Team Texas, Texarkana, TX, Dixie Youth Baseball.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE –

‘TEAM TEXAS’ HAS TICKET PUNCHED TO COMPETE FOR FIRST-EVER
12-UNDER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN MEMPHIS

TEXARKANA CLUB CAPTURES DIXIE WORLD SERIES’ 12 -UNDER TITLE

August 7, 2008 – Dixie Youth Baseball’s “Team Texas” of Texarkana captured Dixie Youth Baseball’s 12-under title to qualify for the inaugural National Youth Baseball Championships tournament in Memphis, Tennessee. AAU is represented in the 12U’s by Orlando Juice 12’s, Orlando, FL and the 10U’s by Orlando Juice 10’s, Orlando, FL.

The “National Youth Baseball Championships” is the initial effort of the “Major Youth Baseball Alliance, LLC.” The MYBA is a newly formed company comprised of eight major youth organizations, including AABC (American Amateur Baseball Congress), AAU (Amateur Athletic Union of the United States), Babe Ruth Baseball, Dixie Youth Baseball, NABF (National Amateur Baseball Federation), Pony Baseball, Super Series Baseball of America and USSSA (United States Specialty Sports Association).

The four-day tournament will be played at Gameday Baseball’s First Tennessee Fields in Memphis from August 21-24 and will crown national champions in the 10-under and 12-under divisions, which include more than 100,000 teams. Future plans call for the tournament to include as many as eight age groups. 

At Dixie Youth World Series in Pascagoula, Mississippi, on July 31, right-hander Taylor Jones tossed a complete-game one hitter and center fielder Justin Lewis blasted three consecutive home runs as the Texarkana squad defeated Pascagoula, 7-1. With a solo home run in the sixth inning of the semi-final game, Lewis belted home run runs in four straight at-bats. With two solo home runs and a two-run homer, he drove in four runs in the championship game.

Texarkana shortstop Alex Alsup added a two-run homer and left fielder Trey Worley had a solo shot as “Team Texas” completed a 6-1 tournament run. While allowing only one hit—a third-inning solo home run by Pascagoula first baseman Kaylin Rembert—Jones struck out 10 batters while walking only one.

“We are really excited to win the Dixie Youth World Series,” Texarkana coach Burt Fan said, and we’re thankful to be representing Dixie in the first National Youth Baseball Championships in Memphis.”

Previous qualifiers for the National Youth Baseball Championships tournament were the Southern Jaguars, Marietta, GA, NABF 10-under; Orlando Juice 10’s, Orlando, FL, AAU 10-under; McKinney Marshals, McKinney, TX, Super Series 10-under; Germantown Giants, Germantown, TN, Super Series 12-under; East Cobb Astros, Marietta, GA, NABF 12-under; Orlando Juice 12’s, Orlando, FL. AAU 12-under.
NATIONAL YOUTH BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS

10U and 12U TOURNAMENT PAIRINGS

10-YEAR-OLD DIVISION

POOL A

1. McKinney Marshals, McKinney, TX  (Super Series)           
2. Southern Jaguars, Atlanta, GA  (National Amateur Baseball Federation)
3. AABC (TBD)
4. Orlando Juice 10’s, Orlando, FL  (AAU)

POOL B

1. USSSA (TBD on Sunday, August 10)
2. DIXIE (TBD on Saturday, August 9)
3. PONY Baseball (TBD on Saturday, August 9)
4. BABE RUTH (TBD on Friday, August 15)

12-YEAR-OLD DIVISION

POOL A

1. Germantown Giants, Germantown, TN  (SUPER SERIES)
2. PONY Baseball (TBD on Tuesday, August 12)
3. Orlando Juice 12’s, Orlando, FL  (AAU)
4. BABE RUTH (TBD on Saturday, August 16)

POOL B

1. East Cobb Astros, Marietta, GA (NABF)
2. USSSA (TBD on Sunday, August 10)
3. AABC (TBD on Sunday, August 10)
4. Team Texas, Texarkana, TX  (Dixie Youth Baseball)

Click here for results

By Katrina Moton

ORLANDO – New York Metropolitan District’s Orange County Crusaders will return home with a national title.

The club defeated district competition, Newburgh Zion Lions, 59-58 to capture the AAU Junior Boys Division II National Championship game on Aug. 1 at Disney’s Wide World of Sports® Complex.

“We were a true ‘Hoosiers’ story,” said Crusaders club President Scott Harris. “We were an unknown local club for 10 years that made its first entry into Regional and National play.”

The club also celebrated the achievements of its 16 and under squad as they came in 2nd place in the Classic Championship game of the AAU 16 and Under Division II National Championship on July 12 in Little Rock, Ark.

AAU Junior Boys Division II National Champions: New York’s Orange County Crusaders. Photo from mwhoops.com

Originally published in The Tampa Tribune on August 6, 2008
Click here for original article

TAMPA - The Tampa Boltz Baseball Club captured a national championship with its victory against the Titans from Greensboro, N.C., in the final game of the AAU National Tournament at Disney’s Wide World of Sports.

The youth baseball team posted a 12-1 in the six-day tournament that began July 14 and also featured teams from New Jersey, South Carolina, California and Puerto Rico.

Six Boltz players were named to the all-tournament team: Alec Sanchez, Jose Ciccarello, Noah Siem, Ethan Thomas, Jovani Diaz and Freddie Tarnok.

Originally posted at www.silive.com on August 5, 2008
Click here for original article

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. — Arden Heights resident Jason Collazo posted two third-place finishes and a sixth at the 2008 AAU National Diving Championships.

Collazo, a 17-year-old who competes for Lords of the Boards (N.J.), was third in the 3-meter springboard (407.75) and 10-meter platform (365.90) and sixth in the 1-meter springboard (347.70).

Originally published in The Beloit Daily News on August 5, 2008
Click here for original article

BELOIT, Wis. — Several members of the Beloit Flyers track and field club competed in the AAU Junior Olympic Games held in Detroit, Mich., from July 26 to Aug. 2.

The AAU Junior Olympic Games competition is the largest youth multi-sport event in the world with 16,000 athletes competing in 21 sports from nearly all 50 states. A total of 9,700 athletes competed in track and field alone.

Wisconsin’s top finisher was Chidera Obashi of Milwaukee, who was first in the 200 meters (24.30), fourth in the 100 (11.92) and 13th in the long jump (17-2) in the intermediate girls division. Chidera was the WIAA state champion in the 100 and 200 meters.

For the boys, Cetrell Mintor of Milwaukee finished fifth in the 100 (10.74) and sixth in the 200 (21.71) in the young men’s division. He was the state champ in both events at the WIAA meet.

For the Flyers, the top finish was a 19th by Ashley Pohlman in the youth girls triple jump (31-11). Anna Soyck was 22nd in the intermediate girls high jump (5-foot). Shannon Klein took 27th in the intermediate girls 800 (2:27.2) and Alexandria Moten finished 54th in the youth girls 400 (1:14.00).

The quartet of Kezia Anderson, Lekera Dubois, Moten and Pohlman finished 55th in the youth girls 4×400 relay (4:56.4) and 59th in the 4×100 relay (57.01).

Sherriah Anderson ran a personal-best of 6:18.14) in the sub-midget girls 800 to finish 49th overall.