Updated July 31st 2017

Badgers Baseball will be conducting private tryouts for ages 8u, 14u, 15u &16u, and 17u.  .  Coaches needed at all levels. 

Tryout Dates:

The 2018 8U Badgers. TBA You must register your child to schedule tryouts. Chris Busse (President) at 708-516-2580.  Practices are located in New Lenox

The 2018 14U Badgers are looking for a couple players to fill the roster.  Tryouts will be held on Wensday August 9th at 6pm.  Location will be at the ROUND BARN FARM located in Manhattan.  The address is 24115 US-52 Manhattan Illinois 60442.  Contact Chris Busse (President) 708-516-2580 for more info.  Or Dave Low at 312-804-4579

The 2018 15U Badgers are Looking for a couple  players to fill their roster as of 7/31/2017. Tryouts are Monday July 31st at the Round Barn Farm Manhattan at 630 PM. Private tryouts also available. Please Contact Chris Busse at 708-516-2580 Or Al Franc at 630-888-2115 if interested in tryouts

The 2018 16U Badgers are hosting  tryouts on  Saturday August 5th at 9am. Location is the Round Barn Farm in Manhattan, 24115 US-52 Manhattan Illinois.  Looking for a well rounded catcher/hitter and pitchers/Fielders. You may contact Chris Busse (President) at 708-516-2580.

Practices will be held in New Lenox and Joliet

The 2018 17u team is looking for a couple payers to fill their roster.  Private tryouts only.  Contact Head Coach Bob Nork at 815-474-6919 or Chris Busse at 708-516-2580

We are looking for coaches for the 7-8 year olds if we can get enough interest in the program for the 2017-18 season.  Details will be discussed in a parent/coaches meeting. .  If you are interested in helping out and/or interested in signing up your slugger, please email me at mbadgersbaseball@yahoo.com or fill out the registration form to the right.

GO BADGERS

Starting in the Fall of 2017 Winter training for 7-8 year olds, The Manhattan Badgers Baseball will be putting together a 8u team for the 2018 season.  Here at the Badgers Org. we would like to start preparing our  athletes for full time travel baseball. We understand the growing trend in Travel Baseball and would love to give your child the opportunity to start learning the game early.

Training will include all the basics in:

Sportsmanship and learning to work together as a team

Hitting - Starting with proper stance, balance, how to hold a bat, and proper swings utilizing the whole body

Proper Throwing Mechanics

Proper Fielding Mechanics

Base Running

Fun Activities to keep the interest in the game

Training will be 2 days a week for up to  7 months (Sept 2017-March 2018)

5-6 tournaments in 2018

Head Coach and assistant coaches needed

Please fill out the registration form on the welcome page to be considered.

Please email me at mbadgersbaseball@yahoo.com for any questions. Thank you

Welcome to the Badgers Baseball Organization.  Come play for an organization who cares about your kids and not about making money.  We feel strongly that our off season professional training provides all of  our players with the necessary tools to succeed and reach the next level.  MLB Pitching, Hitting and Catching  instruction are all included in our fees. To maximize quality instruction, our instructors work with our athletes one on one in most instances but at most 4:1 at times. You will not find this in many, if any, in another organization.  Be sure to register for the upcoming 2016 tryouts so you don't miss out on a one of a kind opportunity. 

Our 14u,15u,16u &17u  teams are looking for 2-3 players to fill there rosters. The Badgers Organization and its coaching staff would like to welcome all you to our tryouts and or private tryouts.  Contact Chris Busse at 708-516-2580 for more information on tryout dates.

Practices are held 3 days a week where Professional Instruction and elite level training is provided 2 days a week. Practices are centrally located in New Lenox. Home games are played at LW Central and 2 Fields located in Manhattan.  Fields are 5 miles south of I-80 on Rt 52 (Briggs st) 

Fill out the appropriate registration form to the right and we will contact you soon.

For consideration of Coaching or playing in the up and coming years, please feel free to contact me anytime to get the ball rolling.

Thank you and have a great day.

For a Sponsorship form, you can download it from the handouts link on the left.

Congrats to the 2014 11U Badgers for taking 2nd place in the American Legion Classic in Yorkville.  With great pride, the Badgers Organization would like to thank all of players, coaches and parents for thier hard work and dedication to make this happen.  Keep up the great work Badgers.

2014 13U Badgers Take 4th Place Medals Home

Congrats to the 2014 13U Badgers (Silver) for taking 4th place in the Will County Elite Tournament.  With Great pride, the Badgers Organization would like to thank all of the players, coaches and parents for thier hard work and dedication to make this happen.  Keep up the Great work Badgers.

Wishing you all great luck in finishing out this season strong.

GO BADGERS!!!

Congratulations to the 2014 11U Badgers for taking 2nd place in the Bourbonais Tournament.  The 11u Badgers took 2nd place in 2 separate tournaments in 2 consecutive weekends.  Congrats to the hard work by the Players and Coaches as well as the dedication of the parents on this team.  Keep up the GREAT WORK. Looking forward to many more.

Congratulations to the 2014 9U Badgers for taking home 2nd place in the Bourbonais tournament.  Thanks to all of the hard work and dedication by these young athletes, coaches and parents to make this happen.  Keep up the great work Badgers.

Chris Busse, President of the Manhattan Badgers.

Baseball Background

Chris Busse played baseball for the Homewood-Flossmoor Vikings from 1989-1993.  Chris was an All Area and All Confrence Player in both his Varsity years.  Chris was the Vikings starting pitcher in all 4 years of high school. He had pitched numerous shut outs and No Hitters during the course of high school career having an ERA of less than 2 earned runs in every season.  Chris had a high school career pitching record of 40 wins and 3 losses.  During his senior year, many scouts from colleges and universities across the nation had offered scholarships. 

Chris went on to pitch for Lewis University in Romeoville Illinois on a scholarship.  While playing for Lewis, Chris became the #4 starter as a Freshman throwing 93 MPH.  As a Freshman, he has pitched several shutouts, 1-2&3 hitters making his way to the conference championship game where he pitched a 1 hitter against Conference Rivals St. Joes in Indiana.  Chris and his fellow team mates went on to win regionals and made there way to the NCAA Div. II World Series in Montgomery Alabama.

By invitation only, Chris went on to play summer ball for the Twin City Stars in Normal Illinois.  The Twin City Stars is part of the Central Illinois Collegiate League.  CICL is a collegiate wooden bat league. It was composed of 5 teams from Illinois and Indiana.  The CICL was founded in 1963 as a charter member of the Natioanal Collegiate Athletic Association certified summer baseball.  Although the NCAA dropped summer baseball in 2005, the CICL is one of 10 summer collegiate baseball leagues associated with National Association of Summer Collegiate Baseball, which now takes over the duties of NCAA and follows all NCAA requirements.  The league also is one of four summer college baseball leagues supported by Major League Baseball.

Chris has had several tryouts with major league teams including the KC Royals, Pittsburg Pirates and the Florida Marlins where he made cuts. 

Chris Busse and his coaching staff takes great pride in teaching and developing young athletes how to play the game and are always looking for better ways to improve the skills of all athletes.

 Professional Hitting, Pitching and Catching instruction provided at every practice at no additional costs outside of fees .  We now have Brandon Magellones as our pitching instructor.  Brandon is a personal friend of mine and will be a great asset to the Badgers Organization.  Brandon played for Northwestern University for 4 years as a starter and upon graduation, Brandon was drafted in the 24th round by one of our favorite hometown teams (The Chicago White Sox).   Private lessons are also available. 

If you would like to coach at any level or you would like to play for the Badgers, feel free to send an email with your contact info. or fill out the Coaches resume form to the right and I will get back to you to set up an interview.  Thank you for your intrest and I hope you have a great day.