Where do you practice and play?

We train year round on Thursdays at The 108, a purpose made for baseball indoor facility with pitching lanes and batting cages. We also have access to full speed pitching machines for batting. The 108 is located at Brent Terrace, Brent Cross, London NW2 1LT.

Our weekend winter training runs from November to March on Saturday afternoons at the Alec Reed Academy at Bengarth Rd, Northolt UB5 5LQ.

What age groups play for the London Monarchs?

We have players ranging from 9 for our U12 program through to 18 for our U18 program. The tournament brackets vary, with the most common being U12, U15 and U18, with some unique tournaments at U14 and U16. Players will likely have opportunities to play both in their age bracket and if capable, up one level. Age cutoffs also vary by tournament. As such, each tournament will often require a unique roster selection drawn from our extended rosters.

How do I get selected to play for the London Monarchs?

London Monarchs is a selective academy and travel club. Our coaches will evaluate players in a variety of playing venues and in dedicated try-out sessions which will be publicised in the winter. These evaluations would lead to an invite to the full winter training academy, which runs from November through March. We expect players to be added through this time period as we evaluate new players. Through winter training we will further evaluate and make final decisions on extended roster selections for the coming baseball season.

The head coaches will make the final roster determination on a tournament-by-tournament basis depending on the age brackets and cutoffs, player capabilities/attitude, injuries, pitching and catching needs, and time commitment. Some tournaments will be deemed more “development” in nature with different playing time expectations than those tournaments we enter with a very specific intent to win and advance to a potential World Series. We will be upfront with a player’s role for a given tournament.

What is the cost of playing for the London Monarchs?

There is a fixed price for winter training which changes year to year based on the number of players and venue costs. The price also includes the payment of specialist coaches where appropriate. Mid-week training is paid on a rolling quarterly basis. There is a further cost for training kit and the full uniform.

Once the travel season begins there is a yearly fee to cover registrations, insurance and other fixed costs for the year. Tournament travel and fees are done on a case by case basis and are separate from this yearly fee.

Can I play in other programs while being on the London Monarchs?

We encourage all players to join local leagues, whether Little League or otherwise. A player does not have to be in a specific Little League or local youth program to be selected and we draw from all parts of the UK.

However, we do ask for a travel tournament commitment to the academy and travel program once tournament extended roster invites are made. Players can ask for exemptions in unique circumstances (e.g. one-off tournament when traveling as a family abroad, selective all-star opportunities).

Playing for the London Monarchs has no bearing on participation or selection to any National Team program.

How do you handle safeguarding?

The club takes this aspect of the organisation very seriously. It is core to our ethos to lead teams and players in a supportive environment that puts their development first. To ensure we hold to these values and all aspects of safeguarding as outlined by the official safeguarding body for British Baseball, BSUK, we ensure our coaches are up to date on the latest requirements and encourage an open dialog with our safeguarding officer, Cormac McCarthy (LYBL Board Member and safeguarding lead for the London Monarchs). You can read our Safeguarding Policies and Procedures here.

Who runs the London Monarchs?

The London Monarchs Baseball Academy has been established as a Community Interest Company (CIC) and is registered with Companies House as London Baseball Academy CIC (16734043). The company directors are Alex Musil, Kent Boswell and Matt Kollhoff, longtime youth baseball volunteers. The club is registered with the British Baseball Federation.