Total Baseball Development

2024 Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis American Legion

Spring Roster

(Numerical roster updated April 1)

2024 Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis American Legion

Spring Schedule

(Updated April 8)

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Iowa Great Lakes 'Okobojis' Baseball Club

2023 Fall College Prospects Team

What we do:

Fall of 2023 will be the rebirth of Total Baseball Development's fall College Prospects Team that will play now as the Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis.   This will be in the effort to provide extra baseball opportunities to high school baseball players in the greater and extended Siouxland area.  The Sioux City Bancrofts operated in this capacity in the fall in 2009, 2010, and 2011.  Here in 2023 the fall Okobojis will be comprised of 14-16 high school players that do not play football and are interested in getting better and playing college baseball. The team will play a 22 to 28 game developmental and competitive schedule in the immediate midwest on seven weekends, with all games being outside of the traditional TBD Fall League.  The Okobojis fall season will culminate in a trip to Peoria, Arizona from October 18 to 22 to play in the Arizona Fall Classic's Easton Classic.  Games will be held at the Major League Baseball complexes of the Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres.  The fall schedule for the Okobojis will be set by Friday, July 28 and posted right here below on this Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis baseball link.  The roster will be built from primarily players that have played in the TBD Fall League providing opportunities to our players here in northwest Iowa, southern Minnesota, southeast South Dakota, and the greater area of central and eastern Nebraska.  

2023 Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis Fall College Prospects Baseball Team

American Legion Baseball Team ~ Spencer, Iowa Post #1

Coaches & Staff

Updated October  4, 2023

www.totalbaseballdevelopment.com

2023 Schedule:

The Okobojis will play a 22-28 game schedule at tournaments and venues at scouted and college evaulated events on seven weekends. See working schedule below. 

Weekend of August 26-27 - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Saturday, August 26, 2023

Game 1:

1:30 PM vs.  MN Blizzard '24/'25 Black

Game 2:

3:45 PM vs.  P2P Millers-Trucke

AT:
Fire Hall Field
760-798 Walnut Street
Prescott, Wisconsin 54021

Sunday, August 27, 2023

Bracket play - Schedule announced after Saturday's games

Weekend of September 2-3 - Des Moines

September 1 to September 4

Prep Baseball Report Upper Midwest Labor Day Classic

Norwalk, Waukee, and Des Moines, Iowa

SCHEDULE AND TOURNAMENT INFORMATION LINK

https://tournaments.prepbaseballreport.com/events/pbr-upper-midwest-labor-day-classic-des-moines-ia-09-01-2023/18u-open

Weekend of September 9-10 - Spencer

September 9 Scrimmage with Spencer High School players

Weekend of September 16-17 - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

2023 WWBA Kernels Foundation Tournament

September 23-24 - Kansas City, Missouri

September 30 / October 1 - Briar Cliff University 18U Invitational Tournament - Sioux City, Iowa

October 7-8 - Omaha, Nebraska

2023 18U Nebraska Prospects Annual Tournament (OPEN)

October 14-15 - TBD FALL SUPER SERIES (As Played)

October 18-22 - Easton Fall Classic at the Arizona Fall Classic; Peoria, Arizona

Staff:

Bill Krejci - Special Advisor (Special Assigments with USA Baseball and retired Head Baseball Coach for Southwestern Community College in Creston, Iowa)

Bill Lee - Special Advisor (Pitcher for the Savannah Bananas and former MLB Left-Handed Pitcher for the Boston Red Sox and Montreal Expos)

Bob Protexter - General Manager (Owner & Operator of Total Baseball Development)

How you can be involved:

If you are a non-football player in high school in any grade, and have interest in playing college baseball, please call Bob Protexter at: 712-490-7199.

   

Who:

2023 Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis

Spencer Post #1

What:

American Legion

22 Game schedule

in March and April

Where:

Cardinal Field - Spencer, Iowa

Address: 1169 East Milwaukee

When:

2023 Schedule - Okobojis

Why:

How:

   

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American Legion Baseball Team ~ Milford, Iowa  Post #384

APRIL 30 - BASEBALL EVENT FOR LITTLE LEAGUERS AT CARDINAL FIELD IN SPENCER, IOWA

Little Leaguers from the extended Iowa Great Lakes area are invited to come practice with the O's on Saturday, April 30 from 12:00 noon to 2:00pm at Cardinal Field in Spencer, Iowa located at 1169 East Milwaukee on the east side of Spencer. The O's World Series will then begin at 2:00pm, and will be a one 7 inning inter-squad contest that will conclude the team's spring March and April season. This two hour pre-game session will put Little Leaguers right on the field with the Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis American Legion Baseball Team where they will play catch, take batting practice, and take infield with the big guys. The Okobojis are sponsored by Milford Post #384 and are comprised of 18 high school players from seven area high schools that tryout in February to make the team. The O's finished the regular season at 10-8. This also gets them ready for Official High School Baseball practice begins next Monday, May 2. So on Saturday, NO fee. NO registration. Just suit up and show up and practice with the big guys. Bring your own equipment and best attitude and see you at 12:00 noon on Saturday at Cardinal Field in Spencer!

2022 Okobojis Roster

2022 Okobojis Schedule

Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis American Legion Baseball Team

DAY                        DATE                     OPPONENT                         POST     LOCATION                                           TIME                      GAMES

Saturday              March 5                1^st Team Practice                              Spencer                                          11:00am

Sunday                 March 13             Red & Blue Game                             Spencer               Spencer H.S.        1:30pm                 1 * 9

Saturday              March 19             LeMars                                               LeMars                 Gehlen H.S.        12:00PM             2 * 7’s

Sunday                 March 20             Council Bluffs                                    Council Bluffs     St. Albert H.S.       1:00pm                 2 * 7’s

Friday                    March 25             Spaghetti Funds Dinner                   Post #384            Milford                Time TBA            

Saturday              March 26             Fargo (ND)                                         Spencer               Cardinal Field     1:00pm                 2 * 7’s

Sunday                 March 27             Fargo (ND)                                         Spencer               Cardinal Field     12:00pm               2 * 7’s

Saturday              April 2                   MMCRU                                            Spencer               Cardinal Field     2:00pm               2 * 7’s

Sunday                 April 3                   Sgt. Bluff                                           Spencer               Cardinal Field     1:00pm                 2 * 7’s

Saturday              April 9                   Council Bluffs                                    Spencer               Cardinal Field     1:00pm                 2 * 7’s

Sunday                 April 10                 LeMars                                              Spencer               Cardinal Field     1:00pm                 2 * 7’s

Thursday             April 14                 Total Skills Camp; Grades 2-6            Spencer               Cardinal Field     Time TBA            

Friday                    April 15                 Carroll                                              Carroll                  Merchants Park Time TBA             2 * 7’s

Saturday              April 16                 TBA                                                    TBA                      TBA                    Time TBA             2 * 7’s

Saturday              April 23                 Fort Dodge                                        Fort Dodge         Dodger Field       Time TBA             2 * 7’s

Sunday                 April 24                 Ames                                                 Spencer               Cardinal Field     1:00pm                 2 * 7’s

Saturday              April 30                 TBA                                                     TBA                     TBA                     TBA

Sunday                 May 1                    TBA                                                    TBA                     TBA                     TBA

*AREA & STATE TOURNAMENT INFORMATION TO BE POSTED SOON

*ALL TIMES, LOCATIONS, and OPPONENTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

*Please check website and Facebook for updates

2022 Okobojis Team Information

American Legion TRYOUTS for the 2022 Iowa Great Lakes "Okobojis" baseball team from Milford Post #384 have been set for February 20 and February 27. All players attending must register.  Please see below the schedule for the registration link.  The possibility exists for additional tryouts to finalize the team with a roster of 18 players, and or personal tryouts to accommodate players still in winter sports.  If you are interested in trying out but can not attend either one of the currently listed tryout dates and or want more information please contact Bob Protexter at protexter.tbd@gmail.com or 712-490-7199.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20; 4:30pm - 8:00pm - This is a two part tryout for all players in Spencer, Iowa

• 4:30pm - 6:00pm - Tiger Den Batting Cages located at: 210 West 8th Street; Spencer, Iowa
• 6:30pm - 8:00pm - Spencer High School Gym located at: 800 East 3rd Street; Spencer, Iowa
• HAVE DRY & CLEAN SHOES FOR BOTH LOCATIONS

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 27; 4:30pm - 8:00pm - This is a two part tryout for all players in Spencer, Iowa

• 4:30pm - 6:00pm - Tiger Den Batting Cages located at: 210 West 8th Street; Spencer, Iowa
• 6:30pm - 8:00pm - Spencer High School Gym located at: 800 East 3rd Street; Spencer, Iowa 
• HAVE DRY & CLEAN SHOES FOR BOTH LOCATIONS

REGISTER - PLEASE CLICK HERE TO REGISTER IN ADVANCE FOR ANY AND ALL TRYOUT DATES - REGISTER

TRYOUTS ARE FREE OF CHARGE

Players are asked to wear baseball pants and bring their own gear of gloves, bats, and protective equipment in regards to catchers gear and batting helmets.  Also players are asked to show up on team and to have dry and clean shoes, good attitudes, and lots of energy.

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The 2022 Iowa Great Lakes American Legion Baseball Team will be holding OPEN tryouts for any and all area high schoolers that are baseball players in the 8th through 12th grades, with the first date being February 20.  See full schedule above.

Multiple tryout dates are being held in an effort to accommodate all Winter Sport athletes and the completion of their seasons.  Additional and supplemental tryout dates may be held and may be needed to complete the roster, as well as private workouts to accommodate winter sports schedules that continue on into late February and March. 

Tryouts will continue until a team of 18 players is selected.

The Iowa Great Lakes American Legion tryouts are Free of Charge.

The Okobojis will play a 22 game schedule, primarily on the weekends, in March and April.  The full schedule will be released before the first tryout on February 20.

The second year American Legion ‘Okobojis’ is sponsored by Milford Post #384 and is also supported by the area posts of Estherville Post #91, Spirit Lake Post #123, and Lake Park Post #371.

The Iowa Great Lakes "Okobojis" baseball team from Milford Post #384 is looking forward to year #2!

Here in Iowa, it is a great way to be part of an American tradition, provide the opportunity to players to be involved in an exciting baseball environment, experience playoff baseball and even possibly championship baseball in Iowa and beyond our state, and walk into Day 1 of high school practice with over 20 games under your belt! 

American Legion nationwide boasts some 4,000 baseball teams and began in 1925.  Teams each year play a full schedule and winners advance to the Area, State, Regional Tournaments with the year culminating in the American Legion World Series in August in Shelby, North Carolina. 

TEAM DATES:

• Weekend tryouts in late February and as needed in early March
• Weekend games primarily on Saturdays and Sundays in March and April
• Weekday practices primarily on Mondays and Fridays, AS PLAYERS ARE ABLE TO ATTEND in regards to academic progress, spring sports participation, and travel
• Iowa American Legion Area Tournament on Saturday, April 23 and Sunday, April 24
• Iowa American Legion State Tournament, for the teams that qualify, to be held on Saturday, April 30 and Sunday, May 1
• May 2 is official practice start date for Iowa High School baseball teams 

PROCESS:

Players will be selected in accordance to American Legion Baseball Recruiting Plan B, which is what the state of Iowa follows.  Plan B allows American Legion Baseball teams to select players who attend nearby closest high schools. In Plan B, a player is to play for the team that is nearest to the player's parent’s 'domicile'.

The 'Okobojis' American Legion Baseball program will be for quality young men that take pride in being an American and are looking for extra baseball opportunities.  This program will be designed to push personal player development in a seasoned and experienced baseball environment.  We will work to create and foster a positive baseball atmosphere.  If you are interested in playing college baseball this is your program.  Simply put, this is for baseball guys.

We will be looking at helping to produce quality players, and as a team advance to the highest level of American Legion baseball nationwide.  In the last 25 years there have been three American Legion baseball teams based out of the Iowa Great Lakes.  We are looking to build on that history.

There will be public and civic opportunities for the players making the team, and there are scholarship possibilities as well.

Regarding team finances there will be player costs.  These costs will be seen as reasonable to all parties involved.  To do our best to properly support this team and offset these costs there will be American Legion fund raisers, fund raising efforts, and fund raising events.  Players will be directly involved in these events and participate hands on in the fund raising process.  In any area that we can defray player costs we will do so.  NO PLAYER WILL NOT PLAY IF HE CAN NOT PAY.

TEAM PARTICULARS:

Bob Protexter will serve as the team's Head Coach & General Manager.  He is the Owner and Operator of Total Baseball Development that began in 2004 and is out of Sioux City, Iowa and the Iowa Great Lakes.  Over the last 30 years, Protexter has coached internationally, been a professional scout, a head high school coach and an assistant college coach.  With American Legion in the past, Protexter started, ran, and served as the Head Coach for the Sioux City Bancrofts American Legion Baseball Team in 2010, 2011, and 2012; each year qualifying for the Iowa American Legion State Tournament.  He plans to work to provide the best baseball experience that he can for our young players here in the Iowa Great Lakes area!

All information and updates for the Iowa Great Lakes 'Okobojis' American Legion Baseball Team will be posted here on the Total Baseball Development website, and supplemental information, pics, and stories will be posted on TBD's Social Media sites listed at the top of our website here.

Providing a quality program for young people to be involved in will be the objective.

In regards to local Iowa Great Lakes history, Cody Ege and Matt Koch of Cherokee played American Legion baseball on the previous Iowa Lakes American Legion Baseball Team based out of Spirit Lake.  Both went on to play Major League Baseball.  This will be our hope for new players making the team and joining the program.

And lastly in regards to state history, Dubuque County American Legion Baseball Team advanced to the 2018 and 2021 American Legion World Series in Shelby, North Carolina.  This will be our goal for the Iowa Great Lakes 'Okobojis' American Legion Baseball Team here in 2022.

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The Iowa Great Lakes "Okobojis" American Legion Baseball Team greatly appreciates the service and support of our United States military veterans and Milford, Iowa American Legion Post #384.

2021

Iowa Great Lakes

'Okobojis'

American Legion Baseball Team

2021 Iowa AREA American Legion Tournament

• 7 inning games
• Round Robin with best record advancing
• No Championship Game
• Tie breaker is head to head, then fewest runs allowed, then runs scored
• Extra inning games are played Major League style
• Per day, per weekend pitch count will apply

2021 Iowa AREA American Legion Baseball Tournament - April 24-25 - Iowa Great Lakes

The new 2021 Iowa Great Lakes American Legion Baseball Team will be holding OPEN tryouts for any and all area high schoolers that are baseball players in the 8th through 12th grades, with the first date being February 21. 

The American Legion baseball tryout dates will be February 21, 24, 28, and March 7 in and around surrounding areas of the Iowa Great Lakes.  Multiple tryout dates are being held in an effort to accommodate all Winter Sport athletes and the completion of their seasons. 

The first tryout on February 21 will be held at the Okoboji High School and begins at 5:15pm.  Subsequent tryouts will held at the Spencer High School and at the Sioux Central High School.  Tryouts will continue until a team of 18 players is selected.

For all dates and details and online registration for the tryouts, please see below.

The new American Legion team will be known as the ‘Okobojis’, and is sponsored by Milford Post #384 and is supported by Estherville Post #91, Spirit Lake Post #123, and Lake Park Post #371.

The Okobojis will play a 20 game schedule, primarily on the weekends, in March and April with Opening Day on March 13.  May 1 and May 2 are the dates set for the Iowa American Legion State Tournament, which all teams must qualify for.  Iowa High School baseball official start date for practices is May 3.

American Legion nationwide boasts some 4,000 teams and began in 1925.  Here in Iowa, it is a great way to be part of an American tradition, provide the opportunity to players to be involved in an exciting baseball environment, experience playoff baseball and even possibly championship baseball in Iowa and beyond our state, and walk into Day 1 of high school practice with 20 games under your belt!  

The Iowa Great Lakes American Legion tryouts are Free of Charge.  For tryout registration and dates, team schedule, and more information please see below here on the website for Total Baseball Development, and or call, text, or email the Okobojis General Manager Bob Protexter at 712-490-7199 and protexter.tbd@gmail.com

I o w a   G r e a t   L a k e s   O k o b o j i s

2021 ~ American Legion Baseball Team ~ Milford Post #384

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The Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis American Legion Baseball Team would like to THANK

Milford Post #384 for sponsoring our NEW team this year!  Their roster includes:

Commander                       Kirby Walters                                    Adjutant                              Virgil Wahlman

Finance Officer                 Tom Arends                                       Sergeant of Arms             Tom Larson

Chaplin                                Merlin Wuebker                              Mayor of Milford             Steve Andersen

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The Iowa Great Lakes Okobojis American Legion Baseball Team would like to THANK the 50 northwest Iowa players that tried out for the team, and the Okoboji High School, the Spencer High School, the Sioux Central High School, the Tiger Den in Spencer, Spencer Head Baseball Coach Brian Dirkx, and the Boji Bomb Shelter in Milford for facilitating these tryouts, allowing practice spaces, and hosting games in our inaugural season!

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Facebook: Total Baseball Development - Iowa  ~~~  Twitter: @TBDOkoboji  ~~~  Instagram: totalbaseballdevelopment

www.totalbaseballdevelopment.com

2021 'Okobojis' SCHEDULE