Florida Pokers Headed to Elite 32 World Series

The Coral Springs based 9u Florida Pokers Travel Baseball Organization has qualified to play in one of the country’s premier amateur baseball tournaments.  The Pokers, due to their USSSA Super NIT Championship win over the Wellington Warriors 5-0  last weekend in Ft. Pierce, will play for a National Championship Aug 2-9 at Disney’s Wide World of Sports in the USSSA Elite 32 World Series.

The Pokers went 4-1 (knocking off Team Combat from Merritt Island, PPO Bengals, Miramar Canes and the Wellington Warriors) in earning the berth to the World Series and will be South Florida’s only 9u travel team to participate in the prestigious event.

The event brings the top 32 teams from around the country to compete at the highest level of travel baseball.  “This event is the travel baseball version of the Little League World Series” said Coach Lenny Roberts.  “Our kids have really raised their level of play over the past 2 months especially our defensive play”.  The Pokers have gone 24 – 4 during this stretch and are currently 34-13.

The World Series berth is the first in the storied program’s 19 year history.  Once considered one of the top ten Amateur Baseball Programs in the country as an 18u team, the new version of Florida Pokers is quickly emerging to be in the same class.  This team has been consistently playing for tournament championships (3 out of 4 so far this year) for the past 3 season including winning the 2008 Roberto Clemente Florida State Championship and advancing the Southeast Regional in McDonough, Ga.

With the USSSA Super NIT Championship win, South Florida Travel Ball News ranks The Florida Pokers as the #1 (9u) travel baseball team in South Florida with its’ May 20^th rankings.  The Pokers have also been invited to play in the Florida Elite 8 in Altamonte Springs June 27-28.

The Florida Pokers players come from Coconut Creek, Parkland, Coral Springs and Tamarac.  This year’s roster includes:  Riley Allison, Jarrett Hall, Jake Herskowitz, Andrew Jenner, Robert Joy, Shane Magrann, Luke Reidy, Caleb Roberts, Christian Scott and Earl Semper.

Baseball is the name. Education is our game.

Started in 1990 by Mike Roberts and currently run by Lenny Roberts, The Original Florida Pokers Baseball Club has used the platform of Competitive Travel baseball to help some of South Florida’s top baseball players further their education and prepare for college.

Between 1990 and 2005, over 300 talented players went through the Florida Pokers Program, most going on to play in College, some going into Professional Baseball, 5 currently on MLB rosters.  In 2006 and moving forward, the Poker Program has re-focused and is now developing 8 and 9 year olds, both in Baseball Skills and Personal Development, while still using the Platform of Competitive Travel Baseball.

Aside from teaching baseball skills and “Game Savvy”, we stress the following which we feel helps the kids mature and develop into a Total Person:

·         Education

·         Appreciation and Respect for Others

·         Responsibility

There are literally thousands of Youth Baseball Programs throughout the United States, but The Florida Poker Baseball Club is truly one of a kind. It is an Educational Experience that uses Competitive Travel Baseball as its Platform. The student/athletes that pass through the Florida Pokers Program are better prepared for the life challenges that lay ahead of them; you only need to ask any former Florida Pokers player.

For more information please visit our website at www.thefloridapokersbaseball.com or contact Lenny Roberts at (954) 817-1008 or e-mail to flapokerbaseball@myacc.net.