Alright so yesterday I thought hey my cousin’s kid keeps asking about baseball camps near Texas and I remembered Texas A&M runs these programs. Figured I’d look into exactly who can actually join.
Started With Their Main Webpage
Went straight to the Aggie baseball site first thing in the morning. Easy enough to find their camp section but man that initial description was vague. Just said “open to motivated young athletes.” Had to dig deeper.
Age Confusion Was Real
Scrolled through three different pages looking for age requirements. Kept seeing “youth programs” but nothing specific. Their FAQ said:
- Summer programs for “grade school through high school”
- Winter clinics for “experienced middle school players”
Wait what? How old is “grade school”? And what makes someone “experienced”? Drank half my coffee trying to figure this out.
The Skill Breakdown Drama
This part got me clicking everywhere. Finally found their player handbook buried in the forms section. Divided kids like this:
- Little Sluggers: 1st-5th grade. They literally said “first time holding a bat or learning to throw counts.” Basically T-ball level welcome
- Development Group: 6th-8th grade. Need “basic understanding of positions and game flow.” So no total newbies here
- Elite Training: High school players only. Want “competitive travel ball or varsity experience”
Gotcha Moment For Parents
Almost closed the tab when I spotted the overlap! Kids currently in 5th grade can choose either Little Sluggers OR Development depending on their skills. They actually encourage bigger 5th graders to try Development group. That flexibility makes sense but man they sure don’t advertise it clearly.
What I’d Tell My Cousin Now
Based on what I uncovered:
- His 7-year-old? Little Sluggers no question
- That athletic 11-year-old niece playing rec ball? Could push for Development group if she’s confident
- Older nephew on JV team? Needs Elite training application yesterday
Kinda wild how much detective work this needed. Big schools like Texas A&M should really put the age ranges in huge font on page one.