Every night at the USA Baseball 15U National Team Training Camp, something more than bragging rights is on the line. The Stars and the Stripes don’t just play to win – they play to win the flag.

A symbol of pride, unity, and the opportunity to represent something greater than themselves, the flag has become the heart of a tradition that defines what it means to be part of the 15U National Team program. Built by the players and coaches who came before them, the tradition lives on each year.

The tradition began in 2021, when the 15U program found itself in unfamiliar territory. With the COVID-19 pandemic halting all international competition for the age group, the national team would be selected, but have no tournament to compete in. Wanting to maintain a competitive edge and give players something meaningful to play for, the staff introduced a new idea to elevate Training Camp: a nightly battle to defend the flag.

“All the kids came in, and at the end of Training Camp, they were going to name a national team, but that team wasn’t going to compete in international competition,” said 15U Program Director Ben Kelley. “To supplement that, the idea of playing for the flag every day helped build that competitive nature into the guys, and it’s become a tradition since.”

Each night, the Stars and Stripes would face off, with the winning side taking the American flag home – a simple reward, but one that quickly took on deeper meaning.

“We’ve carried this every year since then,” said this year’s 15U National Team Manager Casey Scott. “It kind of became our staple — something we’ve decided to keep from year to year. We’re going to defend the flag each night during Training Camp.”

The following year, 2022, with international play back on the calendar, the tradition not only continued – it strengthened. Many of the same coaches returned in 2022, bringing the ritual with them. But this time, the flag wasn’t just a motivator. It was a reminder of the standard that had been set.

“It was a no-brainer to carry over the tradition of playing for the flag,” said assistant Coach Drew Briese and 2022 15U Team Manager. “It created such a competitive environment, because it gave the guys the idea that this is not a weekend tournament. We are representing something bigger, and there is something bigger on the line.”

Since then, “Defend the Flag” has become embedded in the 15U program. What began as a temporary solution has evolved into a core part of the program’s culture – one that shaped how the players compete, and more importantly, how they understand the responsibility that comes with representing Team USA.

“It’s really taken on that meaning in 15U Training Camp since then,” said Assistant Coach Steve Butler. “That’s what the Stars and Stripes play for every night — they play for that flag.”

And while it may appear on the surface to be a fun internal competition, the flag carries serious weight. It reflects what’s expected of the players both on and off the field.

“In a really unique way, it’s very symbolic of representing our country and our country’s game,” Butler added. “The ultimate goal is to see our flag raised higher than everybody else, so to instill that message in them during Training Camp helps emphasize how important what we’re trying to do really is.”

Now, in 2025, a new generation of players have embraced the challenge. Each evening, they take the field with the goal of claiming – or defending – the flag.

“I just felt grateful to get the opportunity to play for the flag against the best kids in the country. It just felt good to represent my team and the United States,” said Stripes pitcher Nolyn Nickles.

“I want to win that thing every day. Every morning, I wake up and want to win it,” said Stars third baseman Colin Anderson. “When I heard that we were going to try to win that flag, I wanted it just as bad as everyone else here.”

Four years later, what began as a substitute for international play has become a defining tradition — one that sets the 15U program apart. Defend the Flag is more than just a phrase; it’s a symbol of what makes this team experience truly unique.

“It’s an awesome tradition. It’s pretty unique to the 15U program, but I think it’s something that coaches who have been with the program for consecutive years really embrace and enjoy,” said Kelley. “It helps get the kids to buy in, and I think it’s one of the cooler traditions we have around the program and the organization.”

New athletes arrive each year, chasing the same goal. The tradition they inherit — and the flag they fight for — never wavers.