1. As a general rule, we expect our teams to practice 2 times per week.  Indoor practices should start in January and will generally conclude when the season is officially over.  Some teams may elect to play fall ball and continue to practice into the fall season, but this is not a program-wide expectation. Fall ball participation is optional.  If players choose not to participate in fall ball, there will be no impact on their team selection or playing time when the spring season begins.
2. Our 9U – 12U teams are expected to play in 5-6 tournaments each season.  Because of our partnership with and commitment to Whitefish Bay Little League, we limit these teams to 5-6 tournaments to minimize conflicts with the Whitefish Bay Little League schedules, to maximize Jr. Dukes participation in Little League, and to ensure our players are able to enjoy their overall Little League experience.  We recognize that playing in more than 5 tournaments during the Little League season will significantly detract from the quality of Whitefish Bay Little League.  Additionally, we want Jr. Dukes to satisfy the Little League All-Star eligibility requirements by participating in at least 60% of their Little League games.
3. Travel will be limited to “drive-able” locations in the Midwest. Coaches should avoid tournaments that will require players to miss school.
4. Our 13U and 14U teams are expected to play in 5 - 6 tournaments each season.  Our 13U and 14U teams also participate in the Wisconsin State Youth Baseball League, where they regularly play approximately 18 games. Traditionally, our 14U Team travels to Omaha to participate in a tournament that coincides with the College World Series.
5. Each player is expected to receive meaningful playing time.  Because we field competitive travel baseball teams, playing time will not be equal.  Nonetheless, we expect that each player receive significant playing time and we require all teams to utilize a continuous batting order absent extenuating circumstances.  We expect each player to play at least 4 innings in the field in each game.
6. Jr. Dukes Baseball was not organized to play year round baseball.  Our young players derive significant mental and physical benefits from taking a break from baseball during the year to rest their arms and to develop athletically by participating in other sports.  We strongly believe that participation in other sports makes each player a better overall athlete and teammate, and,  subsequently a better baseball player.
7. Every year we allocate a portion of our Jr. Dukes Baseball budget to provide professional coaching and instruction.  Every year we attempt to provide meaningful instruction from experts in the field to foster the development of our players.  While we partner with professional coaches in a limited capacity every year, we always encourage each player to utilize outside resources if you feel that your child will benefit further from additional instruction.  Among others, we recommend Baseball Lab Wisconsin (https://www.baseball-lab-wi.com) or Milwaukee Baseball Academy (https://milwaukeebaseballacademy.com) for additional instruction and support.

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