GORILLA BASEBALL CLUB
Vernon Hills, IL  ·  2027 Tryouts

Run Fast.
Throw Gas.
Hit Bombs.

Development-first travel baseball for serious players, ages 8U–15U. We train every kid like a shortstop and we make every player better — roster spot #1 through #12. No exceptions.

When: June 29 – Early July Where: Vernon Township Field · Buffalo Grove, IL Limited spots per age group

84 players · 7 teams · growing.  A spot is earned in practice — not bought.

Gorilla Baseball Club player
+5
MPH Avg Exit Velocity Gain · First Two Months Offseason Training
7
Travel Teams & Growing · Ages 8U–15U
2019
Building Players Since
6,000
Sq Ft Indoor Facility
Gorilla Baseball Club team on the field at sunset
Player swing analyzed with Pelotero AI motion tracking at the Gorilla facility
Why Gorilla

This Isn't About Trophies.

Plenty of programs chase wins on Saturday and let development take care of itself. We do it backwards — on purpose. Here's what that actually means for your kid.

Development Over Wins

Every decision points at one thing: a long-term trajectory toward high school varsity and college opportunities. We'd rather build the player than pad the record.

Trained Like Shortstops

Every player learns to field, throw, and move like a premium athlete. Positions and playing time are earned in practice — you don't learn a position by sitting it in a game.

The 10/10 Mindset

Master the easy things perfectly before we add game-like complexity. Boring? Sometimes. It's also how kids get noticeably better instead of just busy.

Spot #1 Through #12

Your kid develops whether they're our best player or our twelfth. Effort and attitude get held accountable. Baseball mistakes are teaching moments — never something we crush a kid over.

The Edge

Real Tools. Real Data.

We don't guess at development. We measure it — and the tech we run isn't something most travel programs in the area can match.

Pelotero AI

The only facility in Chicagoland running it. Player-specific development tracking and assigned drills your kid can work on at home.

HitTrax

Exit velocity, launch angle, and spray charts. Hitters see hard numbers improve — not just "looked better today."

Driveline Methods

Driveline-certified throwing instruction. Players don't just throw harder — they throw smarter and safer.

Diamond Kinetics

Sensor-based swing and bat-path feedback that turns "keep your hands inside" into something a kid can actually see.

Arm Health First

We follow Pitch Smart rest guidelines and never pitch a player twice in one day. Your kid's arm matters more than one inning.

Home Reps That Matter

50 ground balls, fly balls, or swings a day changes a kid. We give players exactly what to work on between practices.

Who We're Looking For

Serious Players, 8U to 15U.

If your player wants to get better — and is willing to put in work away from practice — we want to see them. New to travel ball or already playing somewhere, come show us.

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The Process

How Tryouts Work.

Straightforward, no mystery. A tryout isn't a cut — it's a conversation about fit.

1

Sign Up

Click the link and grab your tryout spot. No application, no waiting on a callback — you're in.

2

Show Up

Come compete on one of our tryout dates — June 29 through early July at Vernon Township Field. We watch how a kid moves, competes, and takes coaching — not just one swing.

3

Offer

We make offers as soon after your tryout as we can. When you get one, we'll need your answer within 48 hours. If a decision has to wait on our end, we'll tell you the timeline you can expect.

4

Join

Accept your spot, complete season registration, and start training toward spring/summer.

The Gorilla Experience

More Than a Travel Team.

We're development-first — but a year with Gorilla is also big trips, real traditions, and friendships your kid keeps. The baseball makes them better. The experience is what they'll remember.

Culture

Positive Coaching

Paid, experienced coaches who push players hard and pick them up. Kids get coached up — never torn down.

Compete

Tournaments Near & Far

Competitive local weekends close to home, plus signature road trips to iconic baseball destinations.

Road Trip

Field of Dreams

Teams travel to the Field of Dreams movie site in Dyersville, Iowa. The skills competition runs on the actual movie field — and teams that reach the championship get to play on it.

12U Road Trip

Cooperstown

Our 12U teams spend a week at Cooperstown All Star Village in New York — the mecca of youth baseball and a trip players never forget.

Traditions

Off-the-Field Fun

Team movie nights and riding our float in the 4th of July parade. The stuff that turns teammates into friends.

Their Moment

Signing Day & Photos

Every player gets their moment — a signing-day celebration and pro-style individual photos worth framing.

A Word From Coach Dolenga

I'll be straight with you. We're not the right fit for everyone — and that's the point. If you want a program that promises your kid a position and a trophy, that's not us. If you want your kid to hit the ball harder, throw the ball harder, and walk off the field a better, more confident athlete than they were in November — come try out. We'll figure the rest out together.

Go GorillaCoach Dolenga · Founder & Head Coach
From Gorilla Families

Don't Just Take Our Word.

★★★★★

"The program truly has an emphasis on development, not just winning. We've seen our son improve a great deal in both hitting and pitching — and he's made close friends he never knew before joining. Highly recommend it to anyone with a child who wants to get better."

— Gorilla Travel Parent · 2nd Season
★★★★★

"We very reluctantly decided to check out travel ball — and our experience has been awesome. In such a short time his swing speed, exit velo, and launch angle improved so much he's hitting bombs he was never able to before. I'm even more excited about how much his confidence has grown."

— 9U Travel Family
★★★★★

"I'm blown away by the time and dedication put into this program — multiple practices a week, free strength training, full equipment, private lessons. They're expected to show up ready to work, and there's a great balance of positive reinforcement and firm expectations."

— 9U Parent of Two
Straight Answers

Questions Parents Actually Ask.

Our kid has never played travel ball. Can they still try out? +

Yes. We care more about whether a kid wants to get better and will put in work than about where they're starting from. Come show us how you move and how you take coaching.

Are your teams good? +

Our teams get good when our players get better — and we get them better every day. We don't predict results on the field. That's up to what each player puts in.

What's the time commitment? +

In the offseason, up to a few practices a week (optional but encouraged early). In season, roughly two practices a week — one outdoor, one indoor — plus games. The real difference-maker is 20 minutes of "something baseball" most days at home.

How do you handle playing time and positions? +

Everyone trains like a shortstop, and every player gets game time to develop. Positions are earned in practice — we won't pigeonhole a kid, but we also won't put them somewhere they can't yet manage. Effort and attitude lapses are the only thing that costs innings; baseball mistakes never do.

Are you careful with young arms? +

Very. We follow Pitch Smart rest-day guidelines and we never pitch a player twice in the same day. Arm health is a genuine differentiator for us — not an afterthought.

What does it cost? +

We'll walk you through the full investment and exactly what's included — facility membership, free private lessons, coaching, uniforms, and more — when we talk. We don't hide the number, and we don't surprise you with fees later.

What if it's not the right fit? +

Then we'll tell you honestly. A tryout is a conversation, not a verdict on your kid as a ballplayer. We'd rather have the real conversation up front than have a family in the wrong place.

What does a waitlist mean? +

Sometimes we see more kids we want to bring in than we have roster spots for. If we need to waitlist you while we firm up numbers for another team, we'll let you know. We'd rather do that than make an offer we can't honor.

Register

Claim Your Tryout Spot.

No application, no waiting on a callback. Click the link, grab your spot, and show up ready to compete. Spots per age group are limited — first in, first seen.

Register for Tryouts →

Tryouts: June 29 – Early July  ·  Vernon Township Field, 3050 N. Main St, Buffalo Grove, IL

Questions first? Call or email Coach Dolenga — headgorilla@gorillaathletictraining.com