The Bellingham Bells are expanding beyond their summer collegiate baseball season with the launch of Bells Northwest Select, a competitive year-round youth travel baseball club serving players from 8U through 18U. Tryouts are wrapping up in July at Base by Pros in Mount Vernon, and teams will begin forming once that process is complete. The new program grows out of the Bells' existing Junior Bells Development Program and is designed to give young players a path to continue developing with the Bells organization year-round.

How the Club Came Together

The Junior Bells Development Program already serves about 400 children in the Whatcom County area through summer skill camps. That number proved large enough that the Bells' leadership recognized a next step was needed for players who were ready for more structured competition than a summer camp provides.

"Now that we have about 400 kids in our program, it's really important for us that kids can continue to grow with the program," said Bells general manager Stephanie Morrell. "We wanted to make sure it still aligned with what we do, but also give kids that next step when they were ready for it."

The partnership with Base by Pros in Mount Vernon was essential to making the year-round model work. Base by Pros is an indoor training facility with batting cages and pitching instruction infrastructure, giving the club a home for winter workouts when outdoor fields are not usable. Josh Berry, the general manager of Base by Pros and the designated 13U coach for Bells Northwest Select, has been involved in building the program structure from the beginning.

"Something like this has been a lifelong dream for me," Berry said. "Being able to build a program from the ground up with the Bells is a dream, and being able to impact at the youth level is something we are looking forward to."

What Players Get

Bells Northwest Select offers a structured two-season model. The winter season features two practices per week with indoor training at Base by Pros. The summer season transitions to outdoor competition, with 15 practices and four local tournaments. Players also receive weekly speed and agility training as part of the program, along with a certified team coach, equipment discounts, and unlimited access to public batting cages at Base by Pros in Mount Vernon.

The program spans eight age groups from 8U through 18U, meaning players can enter at a young age and potentially remain in the Bells' development ecosystem through high school. That continuity is one of the distinguishing features of the club. Travel baseball programs in the Pacific Northwest have historically been operated independently from professional or collegiate franchises, but the Bells' model ties youth development directly to an established brand with deep roots in the Bellingham baseball community.

The Bellingham Bells compete in the West Coast League, one of the premier summer collegiate wood bat leagues in the country, playing their home games at Joe Martin Field in Bellingham. The Bells have a strong track record of player development at the collegiate level, with alumni moving on to professional careers. Connecting that reputation to a youth feeder program gives Bells Northwest Select instant credibility in a competitive travel ball market.

h2>What Makes It Different from Other Travel Clubs

Morrell noted that Bells Northwest Select is designed to be distinct from the standard travel baseball model in the Pacific Northwest. Many travel clubs operate primarily as summer-only programs focused on tournament play, with less emphasis on the kind of structured skill development that the Bells bring through their coaching and training partnerships. The combination of indoor winter training, weekly athletic development work, and connection to a collegiate-level coaching culture is the intended differentiator.

Access to the Base by Pros facility is a tangible benefit that solo travel clubs rarely offer. Unlimited cage time during the season gives players opportunities to work on mechanics between team practices without paying extra, which reduces the overall cost burden compared to programs where families pay separately for facility access.

How to Get Involved

Tryouts for the initial Bells Northwest Select teams are taking place at Base by Pros in Mount Vernon through the end of July. Families interested in the program should contact the Bells organization for information about tryout schedules for specific age groups, since the 8U through 18U brackets operate on different timelines. Teams will begin to form once tryouts are complete, with the winter indoor training season expected to start after fall baseball winds down.

For families in Whatcom and Skagit counties looking for a year-round development program with a clear connection to high-level baseball, Bells Northwest Select represents a new option backed by one of the most recognized brands in Northwest collegiate summer ball. Keep an eye on the Bells' official channels for updates on team formations and registration details as August approaches.