For baseball players all across the country, there are always goals. No matter what. Whether it’s to break out of a slump at the plate, string together back-to-back quality outings, drive in that big run or do something simple like executing a bunt, there is always a goal and something to strive for.

Goals and objectives for each player vary, but somewhere deep down, there was once a young ballplayer that once dreamt of playing the highest levels of baseball that could possibly be offered.

The original motive may have been to make the elite travel team they now play for, with the next steps to compete at the collegiate level with sights set on something that can be much greater than that.

At USA Baseball’s National Team Championships, the opportunities to be seen, develop your baseball career and strive for your goals are unlike anything the nation has to offer from coast to coast.

USA Baseball Task Force member Rob Shabansky knows the opportunity to compete at these tournaments offer an edge that only Champs can.

“Whether it be East Champs or West Champs, not only are you being evaluated for a National Team, but we're going to give you opportunities to be evaluated by colleges and professional scouts. The congregate of talent that shows up in an area, then bringing in scouts from all over the country to evaluate you for the National Team Development Program, the national team, different colleges, professionally, whatever it may be… but just moving your baseball dreams along is one of the biggest separators about Champs,” said Shabansky.

Champs Arizona sees 64 teams in each 14U-17U age group competing under the grueling desert skies, with temperatures comfortably residing in the triple digits throughout the summer.

As much of a mental, physical, and emotional battle it may offer with a plethora of highs and lows throughout the ride, an environment like Champs Arizona serves as a stepping stone in the growth as a player. Maturation extends far beyond the diamond and aims to develop athletes as people while also showing scouts if you have what it takes to truly separate yourself from the pack.

“When you’re coming out to a backfield in Arizona, you’re gonna be in situations that make you uncomfortable, such as the heat. We have hot days out here, they're long days, and it's a tough environment. Being comfortable in an uncomfortable environment is crucial. Then if you move on to Cary and be a part of that process in the beautiful facility they have there, where it is a little bit more comfortable, that’s something that’s earned in an uncomfortable environment,” said Shabansky.

The road to Cary and the USA Baseball National Training Complex begins on the backfields in Arizona or on the grounds in Cary itself competing in Champs North Carolina. The spotlight awaits for each player with a dream opportunity lying ahead of them.

Of the hundreds of players that come in and out of the gates at each respective facility, only 88 will be invited to 18U National Team Training Camp, with an even smaller number walking out of those gates with more to desire.

Former national team coach and current Task Force member Steve Stone has seen the process through and through from the beginning. The stage at Champs is one of a kind, but it’s what you do in your time there that can earn you one of the 88 spots to National Team training camp.
“These Champs tournaments are a learning curve. You learn what to do and what not to do. As a Task Force guy, we're out trying to watch guys and see separators. There's so many talented players out here, but we’re looking for the separators. Those separators are how you approach the game, how you deal with failure and how you perform in high stressful situations,” said Stone.

“Tournaments like this teach you that you're not always going to succeed. We want to see how you react when you don't succeed. You only get better when you're around the best, and at an event like this, you're around the best, and you're around the best every single day,” Stone added.

The unique blend of talent and opportunity that crosses paths and merges along the way at Champs is something you don’t see at a typical tournament. Not only are you competing for gold in one of the most premier tournaments in the country, you're competing for a shot to represent your country.

But what more can you do to take the steps to represent your country?

Another huge opportunity resides in Champs’ skill development days.

Skill development days provide an opportunity to show off your metrics and fundamentals, with stations broken down into position groups and some of the highest level coaches running drills while they share wisdom and knowledge to take you to the next level.

“These skill days are not mandatory. The guys that come, you can tell they want it. It's more of a cerebral day, because it's a day off. We're trying to get them off their legs a little bit. We find out real quick which kids really are engaged and which kids are just kind of out here. They can learn so much here, because baseball is such a mental game. A day like skill day gives them little tidbits that they can take away from here, implement it in their game, and make themselves better, because if you ever get to the point where you think you know everything, you're going to stop getting better,” said Stone.

Just simply showing up to skill development day can help provide an edge on the pursuit to a National Team camp invite, but the game within the game still prevails. There will always be separators and ways to go the extra mile, even when you think you’ve done more than enough.

“I think the ability to interact with us is really important. As the scouts, we're the people that you try to avoid, right? Like we walk by you, you get quiet and things like that. But skill day gives us a chance to interact with players and how they care about themselves. The questions they ask, what do they want to know? Do they have a personality? Can they handle that with us, or do they get nervous around us?” said Shabansky.

The opportunity to represent your country with the ultimate goal of wearing gold around your neck has to start somewhere, and there’s truly no better starting point than Champs. The stage, the spotlight, the talent, the opportunity and the eyes on you are truly unparalleled.

Walking onto a baseball field there are always goals. No matter what. But walking onto a field at Champs those goals begin to grow a little bigger than previous ones.

“There is no better feeling in the world than standing on that foul line with your hand over your heart, USA across your chest, looking at that flag and representing your nation. You take pride in that, and it ought to be every kid's dream to do that at some level,” said Stone.

“Even if you don't make it to that spot, the journey at Champs is going to allow you to grow. At the end of this process, you're a better man, a better ball player, and it's going to help you longer, whether you ultimately reach that goal or not,” Stone closed with.

The memories will last a lifetime, but for many, the journey is only beginning. What starts as a week of baseball can become the first step toward dreams once thought impossible. At USA Baseball’s National Team Championships, it just means a little more with endless possibilities awaiting between the white lines.