Palm Beach County Hits the Ball Out of the Park with USA Baseball

Palm Beach County will be home to the most admired amateur baseball tournament in the United States. In partnership with the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, USA Baseball will host its National Team Championships at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter and the Santaluces Athletic Complex in Lantana for the next three years (summer of 2014 - 2016).  Over 100 teams consisting of more than 1,600 athletes from across the nation are expected to contend for championships in the 14U, 15U, and 17U age groups.   This event serves as the East National Team Championship, which takes place simultaneously with USA Baseball’s West National Team Championship in Arizona.

“USA Baseball is excited to continue its relationship with the Palm Beach County Sports Commission for three more years,” said USA Baseball’s Executive Director/CEO, Paul Seiler. “Palm Beach County has proved to be a great venue for the athletes that compete in our National Team Championships.

USA Baseball will conduct its National Team Championships over two weeks in 2014.  The 14U and 17U tournament will take place on June 17-25, while the 15U tournament is slated for July 11-19.  More than 350 baseball games will take place at Roger Dean Stadium and the Santaluces Athletic Complex during the two-week stretch.   The event will mark the first time that USA Baseball has hosted the National Team Championships for all of its age groups in Palm Beach County.

This event creates a sense of patriotism and national pride. USA Baseball uses the tournament to select individuals for the USA Baseball 15U National Team, and the 14U and 17U National Team Development Program. USA Baseball scouts will invite players from the 14U, 15U, and 17U age groups to attend their tryouts in Cary, North Carolina.   The USA Baseball national teams for each age group will be selected from the pool of athletes that were recruited during the National Team Championships taking place in Arizona and Palm Beach County, Fl. The 15U National Team represents the United States during international competition, including the World Baseball Softball Confederation 15U Baseball World Cup.

The USA Baseball National Team Championships will be the largest amateur baseball tournament taking place in Palm Beach County this summer.  In addition to home runs, great catches, and fastballs, the USA Baseball National Team Championships will bring a tremendous economic impact to the County.  The two weeks of baseball games is expected to generate over 4,500 hotel room nights and $2.5 million in direct visitor spending.

USA Baseball has a longstanding relationship with the Palm Beach County Sports Commission.  Since 2001, USA Baseball has hosted its Junior Olympics, now called the National Team Championships, in Palm Beach County.  Over the past 13 years, USA Baseball events created over 46,000 hotel room nights for Palm Beach County hotels.  Hosting the premier tournament for the leading amateur baseball organization solidifies Palm Beach County’s position as an elite destination for baseball.

Few communities have baseball venues such as Palm Beach County. Roger Dean Stadium is home to the Miami Marlins and the St. Louis Cardinals, during Major League Baseball (MLB) spring training and is one of the best spring training baseball complexes in Florida. Consisting of a 7,000 seat stadium, world class amenities, and 13 baseball diamonds, Roger Dean Stadium is a perfect venue for the nation’s largest and most esteemed baseball tournaments, including the World Baseball Classic qualifiers.  Palm Beach County is also home to the Santaluces Athletic Complex, the former spring training facility for the Montreal Expos. This complex maintains a quad of major league baseball size fields.

Since 1978, USA Baseball has been the national governing body for amateur baseball and governs over 12 million amateur baseball players annually.  It represents the sport in the United States as a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee and internationally as a member of the World Baseball Softball Confederation.  USA Baseball is also responsible for promoting and developing the game of baseball on the grassroots level, both nationally and internationally. Since 1999, USA Baseball has been selecting teams of professional-level minor and major league players to represent the United States in various international competitions, including the World Baseball Classic and the WBSC Baseball World Cup.

For information about the event schedule or game times, please visit www.palmbeachsports.com or contact Dan Smith at (561) 233-3123.