Guilderland Prep Baseball
Welcome to the Home of Guilderland Prep Baseball!
Winter 2022/2023
Below is an overview of the Guilderland Prep Baseball Program.
Typically, there are two divisions, 13u and 15u. This is solely dependent on the number of players that register for the 13 to 15 year old age group. With a much larger field size and rule changes in the game (stealing, leading, balks, etc.), we attempt to populate a 13u team with this single age group to help them through this transition. Over the past 2 years, the rec teams have combined the 13 to 15 year old ages to one team. We are hoping for this to change for the 2023 season with a large number of 13 year old players.
Players on a team are primarily from two Leagues. Guilderland Cal Ripken and BKW Little League. This historically has been the path for many of the players coming from the two Leagues. We had lost touch with BKW over the past several years, but have now re-established a link to them for players to continue to play beyond 12.
In addition to the two Leagues, other area Leagues have been in search of players to add to their team or a place to send their players due to limited registrations within their League. This becomes a blended team.
Thorough the cooperation of Eastern New York Travel Baseball (ENYTB), we have been working to develop a Prep Level of play that is scheduled by ENYTB for all the Prep teams in the area. Over the past 2 years, there have been 8 teams involved in prep level baseball.
Registration fee is $300 per player and $150 for any player who is also rostered on a GTB travel team. To register, use the green “Register Here” button on this page. This will direct you to the registration portal used for both Guilderland Travel Baseball and Guilderland Prep Baseball. Follow the instructions to register for Prep Baseball. This button will be enabled on March 1st.
Securing managers and coaches starts before the season begins and usually before the end of a season and may continue through the registration period. In late March to early April, we begin the process of completing team rosters. We will accept registrations into mid-April and place them on a team with the lowest number of players. If we receive a registration beyond that time, we will do our best to place a player.
Once teams are assembled, practices can begin. Tawasentha Park and the batting cages at Dutchmen Field can be scheduled for use by team managers. If Dutchmen is dry enough for play, this too can be scheduled.
A team shirt and cap for uniform will be provided. White pants are the responsibility of the family.
Games will be scheduled to begin in late April and will continue through early June and home games will be scheduled for play at Dutchmen Field. Teams typically play two games per week: one during the week and one on a weekend, totaling 14 to 16 games.
We also offer baseball in the Fall. Fall Ball will begin early September and continue into late October. Information will be posted on the home page of the Guilderland Prep Baseball website.
For further information, contact:
Mark Blaauboer
markblaauboer@yahoo.com
518-487-1739
For the 11 and 12 Year Old Player
With the 2022 season behind us, this is a reminder that in early April our attention turns to the 2023 Spring baseball season for the 13-year-old player.
If you’re interested in playing baseball after Cal Ripken or Little League, you can register to play on a team with Guilderland Prep Baseball. No tryouts….just an interest or desire to play baseball.
If you’re on a travel team, but not playing school ball, consider playing on a Guilderland Recreation team. Every effort will be taken to populate a team with 13-year-old players as this may be their first experience on a 90-foot infield.
Registration will be accessed online thru the Guilderland Prep Baseball section of the Guilderland Baseball web site - https://www.guilderlandbaseball.com/recbaseball. On this page will be a green button, "Register Here", along with additional details on the program.
Registration cost is $300 per player and registration opens on March 1st.
Home games are played at Dutchmen Field in Keenholts Park. The Tawasentha field can be scheduled for practices. Teams will play away games at nearby Leagues in South Colonie, North Colonie, Rotterdam, SORENSCO, East Greenbush and possibly a few others.
If you have a child or you’re a player and you’re thinking there’s no place to play ball after age 12, look no further than Guilderland Prep Baseball. We’ll find a place for you to continue to play ball.
For further information, contact:
Mark Blaauboer Andy Frye
markblaauboer@yahoo.com andy@enytb.com
518-487-1739 518-229-7059
Tawasentha Park Facility Renovation Update
We have started renovations at the Tawasentha Park Baseball Field. In cooperation with the Town of Guilderland, the facility project will be divided into two phases.
1st is to renovate the infield and playing surface. Work had begun in the Fall of 2021 and the field has been remeasured to center the infield to the backstop and reset the foul line to 90 degrees. We decided to raise the infield grass rather than remove the sod, bring in fill and install new sod. Cost and down time for new sod is the primary reasons. The mound will be removed, recentered and rebuilt to specs.
A full irrigation system will be installed on the entire field. 23 heads, 10 valves and controller will be installed in the summer of 2023. There will be 5 heads for wetting the skin prior to a game , similar to what is at Dutchmen.
The skin will be edged and we hope to topdress the skin with Marco Washington mix later in the Summer. In April 2018 we replaced the 2 dugouts with larger dugouts and benches. The Town will be replacing the backstop chainlink fence material and repairing the overhang section. Work has already begun on tree trimming throughout the facility and the trees along the 3rd base fence line will be trimmed or removed. This will be completed by the end of the 2023 summer.
2nd is the clubhouse. We have discussed and reviewed our building layout. With the building being so close to the hill behind the existing barn, we have secured an architect to design the building to place it in the location we desire. The building will be a two-floor facility with an attached garage to replace the existing barn we have. With twice the square foot area in the barn, it will help with storage of machinery and field material. Once approved this Spring, we will begin construction by removing the existing concrete and then install the foundation and plumbing in preparation for the new building. We will be getting prices for building material, however until we can raise the funds to cover the cost for materials, the project will be placed on hold.
