Playing for the Crystal Lake Ironmen is an opportunity to not only compete against teams in McHenry County, the Midwest, and, during MCYSA, from around the World, but also a chance for players age 9U to 13U to develop leadership skills at the in-house level. We believe this dual team concept is an integral aspect to player development and leadership and want the players and parents to understand the true value our league requires for each level of competition. NOTE: In 2021, 14U and 15U Ironmen players WILL NOT be required to play in-house.

In 2021 we will continue with our goal-based player development plan. The individual player’s plan will include their current strengths and weaknesses in three key areas. This will allow coaches to communicate with players about their progress and at the same time make each player more accountable for improving upon their specific goals. 

The plan is also designed to give a player a chance to succeed beyond the standard statistical method used by most teams. It will demonstrate a player’s readiness for the next level of play as well as give everyone a measure of a success that is more reliable than just using categories like wins and losses, batting average and fielding percentage.