Join the Hurricanes
Try out for Elkridge
This is our rising 13U team for the upcoming travel season (the Berry team). Tryouts for both Elkridge 13U teams are run together, so you sign up once and tell us which one you're interested in. There's no fee and walk-ups are welcome, but registering ahead helps us keep in touch with you.
Register on the 13U tryout hub
The button below opens the Elkridge 13U signup with Berry already selected. Dates, times, and field locations all live there, so there's just one place to check.
Sign up for 13U tryoutsWho can try out
We're a 13U team, so eligibility comes down to your player's age. For the upcoming season, that means players born on or after May 1, 2013 — in other words, a player cannot turn 14 before May 1, 2027. If you're not sure whether your player fits, reach out and we'll help you check.
How we coach
We coach with an 80/20 mindset. Most of our practice time goes to the things that actually win ballgames: hitting, throwing, pitching, catching, and running the bases. We still work rundowns, bunts, and defensive situations, but not before our guys can make the routine play and think their way through an inning.
We spend real time on the mental side too. Setting goals and chasing them, handling adversity, building a hitting approach, and knowing where to be and what to do before the pitch. We want better ballplayers, and we also believe the game is one of the best tools we have for helping these kids grow into good young men.
Baseball is a game, and it should be fun. But part of any sport is committing to it: working hard, bringing a good attitude, playing for your teammates, competing the right way, and putting ourselves in a position to win. Winning matters. It just isn't the only thing that does.
Our coaches
Our staff is four coaches: Dan Berry (head coach), Mike Risolo, Andrew Parlette, and Chris Raabe. We work as one group with clear roles. Dan runs all of the baseball operations, and from there we split things up, with base coaches, a bench coach, and coaches for pitching, catching, defense, and strength and conditioning, plus a few hands for logistics and tech. We also bring in other professional coaches from time to time, both for fresh voices and to keep our instruction at a high level.
Between us we have two former NCAA Division I players, a high school coach, and EYO's president on staff. Our foundation for teaching the game the right way is the Ron Polk Baseball Playbook, and we lean on other resources too, like Coach Bo's 80/20 Baseball podcast, among others. Traditional fundamentals come first, with newer ideas mixed in where they make our players better.
Development & playing time
Development is at the center of what we do. Every player has a primary and a secondary position, but we believe players should be comfortable almost anywhere on the field. That lets us plug guys in where the team needs them, and as they get older — think high school — that versatility becomes a real advantage.
We work to mix playing time across the roster. That said, this is a competitive travel team, and playing time is not guaranteed. In some situations — especially elimination games in tournaments — a player may see fewer innings than others, or not play in a given game. That isn't a common situation for us, but it's important that families understand it going in.
What a season looks like
Travel baseball is a real commitment, and we want families to know what they're signing up for. Here's the rhythm of our year, broken into three parts.
Fall
Sept – early NovA lighter ramp-up: usually one weeknight practice and a game on the weekend, plus one or two tournaments. We generally play through September and October, and sometimes into early November.
Winter
Jan – MarTwo workouts a week, one weeknight and one weekend day. One session is indoor conditioning to build the engine; the other is focused baseball skill development.
Spring
Mid-March – mid-JulyOur main season. We play in MABA Atlantic — a game one weeknight and a doubleheader on the weekend — and practice two other nights a week, with additional practices called as needed. We'll also sign up for roughly five tournaments, a mix of Open and “B” divisions, usually including one farther away that requires an overnight trip.
A quick note: this is a guideline based on past seasons. The actual details for each part of the year are determined by the coaches ahead of time and communicated out to families.
The commitment
We think it's valuable and worthwhile for players to be involved with other sports, and we encourage it. At the same time, travel baseball is a higher-level commitment, and our calendar reflects that.
In the fall and winter, we expect players at the majority of team activities. In the spring, baseball should be a player's primary sport — absences should be minimal, and when something does come up, communicated to the coaches ahead of time along with the reason.
Where we play
Our practices and home games are in the Elkridge area. Rockburn Park is our primary home field, and we also play at other local parks and high schools.
What it costs
We work to keep costs in line with other travel teams and as reasonable as possible, while still having the resources to play at a high level.
Typical annual team cost
$1,500–$2,000
per player, per year (a rough estimate)
That range depends on the actual budget planning each year. It generally covers:
- Uniforms — home, away, and alternate — plus helmets.
- Team practice equipment — balls, nets, a budget for indoor facilities, and more.
- Game costs — MABA league entry, tournament fees, field lights, umpires, and the like.
- Other team expenses that come up over the course of the year.
Beyond the field
The season isn't all baseball. We'll get together for the occasional pool party or team hangout, and every so often we head out to a University of Maryland or Orioles game as a group.
These get-togethers are always optional, but a lot of families come out — it's some of the best bonding time we get, for players and parents alike.