2008 Upper Deck Cougars/Top Tier 16U Tryouts

Who is behind this team....Upper Deck Cougars?????and the Top Tier?

Is it upper deck or top tier? when are the tryouts? is there a top tier (north)? is the national team a separate team from the south team? where in joliet?

...enquiring minds want to know!

We were the Upper Deck Cougars 15U team from last season (2007). We finished fifth at the CABA world series in Crystal Lake. The team has split at seasons ends with both wanting to stay with the club. Ken Kelly who coached the team last year is the north or National coach (most of their players are from near Chicago hence North), or whatever we end up calling it(their team is full to my knowedge). We will be the south team (our current players are from Joliet, Minooka, Oak Forest, Lincolnway, Aurora, and Naperville)So we will be the South or American Team. Dave Wabick (USSSA State Director) can be contacted as to the connection with top tier as a feeder program to the top tier 17U & 18U team and the merging of the Upper Deck and Top Tiers arrangement. Dave' e-mail is Wab27@aol.com or the Upper Deck Cougars website is www.upperdeckcougars.org, hopefully this helps! If not you can call me (information is in the first post)and I would be more than happy to let you know what I know.

Just one more note to the previous post Dave Wabick runs the Upper Deck program

Upper Deck is a fine organization with a great history of advancing the careers of young baseball players. This "arrangement" between Top Tier and Upper Deck allows the sharing of resources and provides a progressive path through the Top Tier program, one of the most respected programs around. Dave Wabick heads the Upper Deck organization and coaches the 15U (2008) team. Dave's background and knowledge of the game is extensive, and he has two children playing pro ball, one playing minor league ball with the Mets organization and one with Houston. My middle son Ryan plays for Dave's 15U team. Hope this information is helpful.

Are these 16U teams going to call themselves upper deck or top tier...i've heard there is already another 16U top tier team. how did the tryouts go?

There are two teams, (have explained in post in this thread)and we will be Upper Deck Cougars as a feeder to Top Tier as they have a 17-18 yr. old teams (we have 15U and 16U (two) teams). Tryouts for the south team are going well and most likely will be completed by this weekend. The north team had their's much earlier and are full to my knowledge.

We will be having a practice/tryout game Sun. Oct. 7,2007 at Morton West High School, 2400 Home Ave., Berwyn IL. 60402 at 1:00 pm. If you could be there by 12:15 pm to warm up/ register. Please let me know if you plan on attending so I can plan accordingly with personel. For more information call Jim Pasdertz (815)436-5343 or email upperdeck-toptier@comcast.net

Tryouts/game Sunday 1:00pm Morton West high school arrive at 12:15 to warm up /register

I would like to thank all that tried out Sun. at Morton. We have two spots left, one for a catcher and one for a middle infielder after Sun. tryouts. If interested in trying out call Jim Pasdertz at (815)436-5343 or e-mail upperdeck-toptier@comcast.net for more info.

We will have a tryout Sun. Oct. 14th at Morton West High School at 9:15 am for anyone wishing to tryout. We have two spots remaining. Please contact Jim Pasdertz (815)436-5343 or email upperdeck-toptier@comcast.net with interests.

Because of the poor/un-playable weather last Sunday tomorrow Oct 21 will be the final day for tryout for our 2008 team. We will meet at Morton West High school at 1:15 pm to warm up and play at 2:00 pm or just there after. With interests or more information contact Jim Pasdertz at (815)436-5343 or email upperdeck-toptier@comcast.net