New travel ball team established to ‘pump some life’ back into Citrus Heights

By Sara Beth Williams–
The Citrus Heights Sentinels travel ball teams are embarking on a second year of competitive baseball.

The new travel ball organization began its second year of competitive play on Aug. 1, according to co-founder Dan Gomez. The organization is also holding tryouts for this season, on Saturday, Aug. 10 at Madera Park.

Gomez said he and Robert Olivas founded the organization together to “pump some life” back into Citrus Heights.

“Other communities like Rocklin, Lincoln, Roseville, Elk Grove, offer travel ball opportunities,” said Gomez, adding that Citrus Heights loses players to those outlying areas.

According to Gomez, unlike the Citrus Heights and Sunrise Little League programs, there aren’t league boundary requirements for Citrus Heights Sentinels travel baseball.

According to Citrus Heights Little League’s website, any registered player that doesn’t live or go to school within the Little League boundaries will be ineligible for All Star Selections.

Gomez said, without boundary restrictions, more student athletes are eligible to play travel ball locally.

Travel ball is also more competitive, Gomez said, while the current little leagues offer a more relaxed, family-oriented atmosphere.

“Parents want to win,” Gomez said, adding that travel ball has “taken over everything.” Travel ball does require a higher level of talent, Gomez said, to ensure competitive play.

Gomez and Olivas see a lot of community benefits to establishing a travel ball organization in Citrus Heights, including increased income for the city from outside visitors.

“Our hope is that when they’re down here, they go spend money at our local businesses, and go to our local eateries,” Gomez said.

The Sentinels announced the new team rosters at the end of June on social media and indicated that they added a second team this year.

Gomez described the team’s first year as “really good” and said the boys spent time getting acclimated to the schedule. Many little league programs hold games on Saturdays. To accommodate, Gomez said travel ball games are held on Sundays and use the same fields as Citrus Heights Little League.

Currently, the Sentinels’ travel ball season spans from Aug. 1 to Nov. 15, and then another season will begin in January. The number of tryouts held per year was not immediately available, but Gomez said tryouts are planned for the spring.

The nonprofit organization is always looking for volunteers. Gomez said needs include coaches, advisors, game-day volunteers, and supplies that help with softball field maintenance, including chalk.

Anyone interested in becoming involved or participating in tryouts can visit the team’s Facebook page for more information.