Over the next two weekends, the Margaret Borley Youth National Baseball Championships (YNBC) will take place, with 32 teams from 14 clubs competing across five divisions.
This Saturday and Sunday (21st and 22nd September), Farnham Park will host U10’s, U12’s, and U14’s. The following weekend (27th September), Grovehill – home of Herts Baseball Club – will host another U12 championship along with the U16’s.
A packed weekend of youth baseball will take place across four fields at Farnham Park. U10 teams from LYBL, Herts, Mets, Cambridge, Guildford, Croydon, Sussex, and Greenwich will compete on Saturday, with a champion crowned on the day.
The U12 Shield is split into three groups and includes teams from Sussex (Brighton and Chichester), Cambridge, Greenwich, Croydon, Birmingham, Herts, Guildford, Oxford, and the Mets. Four teams will progress from tournament play to Sunday’s semi-finals ahead of the final.
Seven teams in two groups make up the U14 bracket, including LYBL, Herts, Cambridge, Mets, Oxford, and a joint Birmingham/Bournemouth side. The teams will battle it out, with four progressing to Sunday’s semi-finals ahead of the final and a third/fourth place game.
Seeds 3, 4, and 5 (LYBL, Herts, and Cambridge respectively) of the U12 Super League will compete on Sunday, with two spots up for grabs in the semi-finals to be held on 27th September at Grovehill. Those two teams will join the top two U12 Super League seeds – another LYBL team and the London Mets.
Also taking place at Grovehill will be the U16 Super League championship, with LYBL, Cambridge, and Herts playing each other, the top two meeting in the final.
Those players from teams who do not progress from Saturday play at Farnham park are invited back on Sunday to take part in a mix and match starting at 10.30 am
“I’m thrilled with the turnout for this year’s YNBCs, with entries up by 60% compared to last year.” said Youth Affiliated League Commissioner, Glenn Taylor “This growth is a real testament to the dedication of our players, their families, coaches, and clubs in building youth baseball. We’re especially excited to welcome T-Rex T-Ball, who’ll be running a taster session for our youngest players on Saturday the 20th at 3pm. Plus, GB age-group coaches will be present across the three days of the tournament to observe games. It’s shaping up to be a fantastic event for youth baseball!”
As well as the YNBC tournament taking place at Farnham, Will Lintern will be running a T-Rex T-Ball Festival for girls and boys under 8 year old. Will has been instrumental in bringing baseball to a younger demographic. The dinosaur-themed format allows children to learn the skills of hitting, catching, and throwing, as well as the key element of roaring like a dinosaur.
“We are so excited for T-Rex T-Ball to feature as part of the BBF’s Youth National Baseball Championships,” said Founder and Director of Dinosaur Experience, Will Lintern. “The T-Rex T-Ball festival will feature a variety of hitting, catching and throwing games as well as Raptor dash – a version of t-ball best suited to children learning the game. It will be an amazing experience for girls and boys aged 4-7 to come try baseball and leave with smiles guaranteed and hopefully a few home runs as well”.
T-Rex T-Ball will take place from 3-4pm on Saturday, with all equipment provided. The session will feature a variety of game-based activities designed to encourage children to explore and try different throwing, hitting, and catching techniques. It is perfect for beginners and those new to baseball. Athletic/sports clothing is recommended.
The YNBC is named in honour of Mrs. Margaret Borley MBE, who passed away earlier this year.
“Margaret had a passionate commitment to young people from all backgrounds getting involved in baseball and developing their potential.” said Mark Borley “So it is a wonderful tribute and truly honours her memory for the National Youth Baseball Championships to be named after her. “
‘Mrs. B’, a member of the Cooperstown Hall of Fame inspired a generation of players and coaches at the Youth grass roots level and played a pivotal role in coaching young players who went on to represent Great Britain Baseball.