Northwoods League Opinions

Knowing something about your son, IMO this would be a great place to play next summer. 

Most of the better leagues fill up very early.When my son played in the NECBL he knew the day after he arrived back on campus in the fall, where he would be the next summer.

Excellent league, with some long rides, creatively marketed as "The Minor League Experience". It's a very well-regarded league to be sure with some really nice facilities. Only negatives are some long trips, and as it's a "for profit" league, they play a lot of games, running from late May until Mid-August.  Not too many players pass up Northwoods invites.

Great to hear from you birdman! Hope all is well. I'm in the trust but verify mode with our guy!

According to him, he feels like it's a good opportunity to play in the the Northwoods League but needs be able to say "Yes" to the chance earlier than I expected.

If your son has pro aspirations, as hokieone pointed out this league is the closest to the MILB experience (self-described, but somewhat accurate). Kids get to see what it's like to play every single day (there are something like four days off during the summer) from whenever they get here until mid-August (with travel to match). Add those seventy games to the college season and you get a season whose length approaches a full minor league season.

The league is free; Host families are provided free of charge; most teams draw (at times better then low level MILB clubs), most teams are far enough from each other so that the players stay in motels while on the road; pitching rules protect pitchers; position players really never get a rest. As in the Cape, there are several times the league really needs players: the very beginning of the season and towards the end when injuries and school commitments deplete the teams. (S's team was chronically short during the last couple of weeks.)

For a rising soph, better be sure he has the energy to compete and finish. Remember for rising sophs, they have one year of school under their belts, haven't been home since Christmas break, played more baseball at a higher level then they could have dreamed before the year, pretty much begin playing as soon as their semester is over, and will have no summer decompress time. I know of players who were worn out by that; I know of players who were energized by the experience.

If the player has no girl friend, social opportunities abound (not quite Cape Cod, but pretty good).  Often times, a rising soph who plays Northwoods will head to the Cape the following summer.

As in the Cape, a scout or coach with connections to the league/coaches gets you in. And like the Cape, there are lots of opportunities to find clubs with immediate needs. Players can be assigned during fall or can find a spot literally the day before the season begins or as it grinds on. Ask your college coach.

Cape Cod still #1 for talent

Northwoods easily #2

It really is the closest league to minor league baseball.

In fact, the Waterloo team is owned by the group that owns the Minnesota Twins Class A team in Cedar Rapids.

Goosegg nailed it. My son spent 2 summers in the NWL. He had a great experience but the schedule and travel is pretty daunting, especially if the team is a geographic outlier. A lot of VERY LONG bus trips, leaving late after a game and getting "home" early a.m., with a game that day. There were even several split DHs. I don't recall there being much in the way of "social opportunities" per se, because of the schedule. For the most part, teams are very well supported by the locals. All in all my son had a fabulous experience and made a lot of friends along the way. 

The best way to describe the Northwoods League is to say that it's very long.

Looks like the Northwoods League possibly adding a new team in North Dakota. Big league!