WOBA has been a member of EBLO (Elite Baseball) since 2016. Teams that enroll in the Elite Division classify as AAA and currently run programs at the 18U-Midget, 16U-Minor Midget and 15U-Bantam. More specific information pertaining to WOBA's membership and providing opportunity to its players to try out for these teams may be found on our home page tab "Bulls/Elite".
Below is information letter from the EBLO Commissioner with respect to current 2020 season and prospective tryouts for 2021. https://www.elitebaseball.ca
Hello EBLO Coaches, Team Contacts and Affiliate Reps,
Trusting you and your families have been able to navigate these COVID-19 waters in a safe manner.
With Baseball Ontario returning to train as much of the province moving to Phase 2, it is appropriate to provide an update regarding the 2020 EBLO season.
The Steering Committee developed the recommendations below and I presented them to Baseball Ontario's Rep Council as way of an update:
- The EBLO will not offer a game schedule for 2020, given the COVID-19 situation has left many unpredictable variables (i.e. when does province move to Stage 3, what other centres are going to choose not to allow games);
- However, EBLO programs may schedule exhibition games when permitted by the Government of Ontario, Baseball Ontario’s Board of Management and subject to local municipality restrictions
- The July 1, 2020 deadline for programs to indicate their participation in 2021 will remain in effect;
- Programs already registered in 2020 will be assumed to be registered for 2021, subject to the 2021 benchmarks;
- The EBLO will hold a 2021 benchmarks meeting in August;
- Until said meeting, 2020 benchmarks will apply;
- Save for one exception, RP1.14 of the Baseball Ontario Constitution will not be altered;
- Specifically, programs will be able to start holding try-outs, subject to government and governing body restrictions, as of July 1;
- The one exception for RP1.14, because some centres will have a delay in executing try-outs due to local government restrictions, the deadline for roster submission to be eligible for automatic deemed releases, will be moved from the Wednesday following the second Sunday in September to the Wednesday following the fourth Sunday in September;
- For greater clarity, for the 2021 playing season, in order to be eligible for automatic deemed releases, subject to all other conditions being satisfied (i.e. player is from an Affiliate that belongs to the EBLO), the roster is due September 30, 2021.
Further, you can review the EBLO benchmarks on the attached file. The EBLO web site (www.elitebaseball.ca) also contains our benchmarks under the "Rules" section. Please note, we will be updating the web site to include "1.4 a)" from the benchmarks attached, which we adopted at our Aug 21, 2019 pre-season meeting.
The year 2020 is nothing like I've ever seen before, and we will continue to have challenges in the near future. However, as we continue to work together to deal with challenges, we will come out on the other end better for it.
If you have any comments, questions or concerns, please let me know.
Wishing health and happiness to all.
Sincerely,
Frank Fascia
EBLO Commissioner
Baseball Ontario