The 2008 USA Baseball 14U National Team Identification Series will consist of two identification events featuring a total of 216 players to be held over Labor Day Weekend. The West Coast event will be held at the Major League Baseball Urban Youth Academy in Compton, Calif., and the East Coast event will held at the Roger Dean Stadium Complex in Jupiter, Fla.

The two sites will each host only six teams and a total of 108 players. Activities will run from August 29-August 31, 2008, with each team playing a total of three nine-inning games over the Labor Day Weekend. Each camp will also feature USA Baseball instruction and training and will serve as the exclusive identification tool for the 2008 USA Baseball 14U National Team.

Five of the six teams at each site will be organized on a pay-to-play basis, similar to the USA Baseball 16U Championships (formerly known at the USA Junior Olympic Baseball Championships). Existing baseball programs which have previously entered teams into the 16U Championships will be targeted to fill these slots with entry fees defraying some of the costs of the events and the USA Baseball 14U National Team. As with the 16U Championships, these various baseball programs will be responsible for identifying and selecting the 18-player teams that will participate in the event.

Similar to the USA Baseball Tournament of Stars, USA Baseball will select one of the six teams at each site -- an "at-large" team. USA Baseball will rely on its national member organizations, existing events and other entities, as well as its established athlete database to identify players for these two USA Baseball at-large teams. As part of this initiative USA Baseball will encourage the inclusion of all athletes when filling roster spots for the two at-large teams.

NTIS Features:

• Labor Day Weekend event
• Sole identification opportunity for the USA Baseball 14U National Team -- all players must be born in 1994 or later.
• Individual skills testing and evaluation.
• All players will be put through a 14U National Team practice session with the actual 14U National Team coaching staff.
• Each team will play three nine-inning games.
• To-be-announced professional instruction by some of the game's all-time greats.
• Participants will receive a USA Baseball hat and gift bag.
• To-be-announced college and university coaches will be in attendance.
• All lunches will be provided by USA Baseball.
• Note: USA Baseball adopts new on-field rules for coaches

NTIS Schedule*:

Friday, August 29, 2008

3-4 p.m.	Player Registration
4-4:45 p.m.	Opening Ceremony
5-7 p.m.	Individual Skills Testing/Evaluation

Saturday, August 30, 2008

8 a.m.-12:30 p.m.	14U National Team Practice Simulation
12-1 p.m.	Lunch
1:30 p.m.-7 p.m.	Games 1, 2, 3

Sunday, August 31, 2008

8 a.m.	Games 4, 5
11 a.m.	Lecture/Clinic -- TBA Professional Instruction
11:30 a.m.-12 p.m.	Lunch
12:30 p.m.	Games 6, 7
3:30 p.m.	Games 8, 9
6:30 p.m.	14U National Team Trials Announced

(*schedule is tentative and is subject to change)

How to get involved:

For information on how to get involved with a team in your area, please contact your local club listed below. The teams participating in the 14U NTIS are independent organizations with the ability to conduct team selections at their own discretion. USA Baseball is proud to have these organizations attending this event.

NTIS East - Roger Dean Stadium Complex, Jupiter, Fla.