Team Information

2010 13U Ruffnecks

The 13U Ruffnecks program is a full transition to the “Big Diamond.” The saying goes, “Baseball begins at ninety,” which of course means 90 foot base paths.  For the rest of their baseball careers, players will be on a regulation-sized field. Accordingly, the intensity of competition and the selectivity with which the program fills its roster increases significantly.

Mission and Philosophy

Our mission is to develop baseball players and young men on and off the field.  We seek players with a passion for the game of baseball, and we have a lot of fun developing them as individuals and as a team.  Our coaches are experienced.  We provide non-parent coaching.  In fact, we ask parents to maintain an “arms length” distance from the baseball development in the context of the Ruffnecks activities at 13U.  This is important to establishing self-accountability for the player as well as learning how to advocate for oneself.  Our 13U players and team must be focused on development first.  The long-term objective is to become a fine high school player and then a college prospect.  Our program is experienced and has a proven track record (see the “ABOUT” page) developing players over time.

Selection & Tryouts

Tryouts for the Ruffnecks 13U program are conducted through a combination of Fall Baseball and Winter Workouts.  We prefer this method of evaluation.  While it is slower, it is more beneficial for all parties to be deliberate.  Fall Baseball runs for six consecutive Sundays beginning September 12th.  Even if a player can only attend two or three of the Fall sessions, we welcome his participation as a candidate.  Families may discuss a limited attendance arrangement by calling the office directly.  We can make prior arrangements to give any candidate a opportunity to attend. While participation in Fall Baseball is encouraged, it is not required. We will have additional candidates join our winter workouts on an evaluation basis.

Roster Composition

Many programs rush players and families to make a decision selecting a travel team at the 13U level.  We do not hurry our selection process.  We look for good players and families.  Our roster is often composed of a core of players from several different towns.  We seek a mix of talent from different communities.  In 2010 our 13U roster was comprised of 15 players from 10 different towns, including one from Cape Cod and one from Connecticut.  We always seek a good mix, and hope that part of the experience that attracts folks to the Ruffnecks is the opportunity to expand personal and competitive boundaries.

We look for baseball players with good “Baseball IQ,” which means we like players who demonstrate good instincts. At 13U athleticism is more important than size, though small players may have difficulty making the transition to the big diamond. We expect focused players with a sense of purpose.  The 13U season is the beginning of a developmental path in the Ruffnecks program.

Developmental and Competitive Objectives

The season runs from April through the last week in July and includes approximately 50-60 games. The Ruffnecks are a founding member of the Northeast Baseball Alliance (NEBA) in cooperation with several of the most competitive developmental programs in New England.  April and May is devoted to NEBA competition.

• From April through May most of the game activity is local, with three to four games per weekend played in a series in the NEBA League.
• Practices are held indoors during the winter (primarily weekends). Practices are generally one day per week during April through mid-May.
• There is some mid-week activity during the spring and summer.
• Beginning with Memorial Day Weekend, the focus of the schedule becomes tournament-oriented. Travel increases.
• The team roster is generally 14-15 players. We expect all players to contribute. Obviously, some play more than others.

2010 Roster