Advantages of NACSB affiliation??

I can only speak for our league, the Valley Baseball League, which is a member of NACSB. NACSB teams are required to be nonprofit organizations, which practically mandates significant widespread community support. NACSB teams get much appreciated significant discounts on baseballs from Diamond and on other items from other vendors. Every league is different regarding travel-in our league, many teams are located fairly close to each other so average travel times are short, relatively speaking. Our team (The Strasburg Express, www.strasburgexpress.com) has an average travel time of less than 30 minutes, with our longest single trip at just under 3 hours. This will vary from league to league, and team to team.

NACSB teams are eligible for grants from Major League Baseball, if they all have a 501(c)(3) ruling from the IRS. The grants are given on a league basis, and the teams in the VBL received approximately $4000 each this year.

The VBL is a non-alcohol league but I don't know that the NACSB mandates that. The VBL promotes a family friendly atmosphere and booze at games doesn't fit the program. (The privately owned teams in for-profit leagues make huge amounts off of booze sales.)

All of the more well-regarded leagues, NACSB and non-NACSB, get good pro scout exposure. We've had scouts at several games and for the league's all star game next week, the norm is scouts present from every MLB team, plus the scouting bureaus. There have been many years where some mlb teams would have 2-3 people present.

The Valley League doesn't charge players to play, but I believe the NACSB rules have been changed to allow the charging of a fee by a member league, if desired. That's simply a factor of the economic times. To my knowledge, no VBL players pay for housing as most stay with host families in the different communities, and the overwhelming player response by the players to host families is positive. We have some host moms that would adopt these guys if they could. (During the summer, my wife shops for food based upon what our resident player likes to eat, and he eats healthy so maybe it will rub off...) Most teams feed their players after games, often with food supplied by community organizations, church groups and the like.


Feel free to send me a PM if you have more questions.

Thanks hokieone.

PM sent.

Hokie one;

My special congratulations to you for your excellent
support of the Valley League.

My memories are from my son Robert, who played for Waynesboro in 1989-1991. It was an "outstanding" experience.

He later played at the U of Hawaii and is now is the SSK bat Promotions Director to the ML teams. The Collegiate Summer Leagues are a great foundation for college players who desire to play professionally.

Years ago, I played in the South Dakota Basin League with 50 future MLB players. If I can help let me know.

Bob