The Minnesota Bantam Elite League (BEL) announced its plans for their fourth season via a league release on Thursday. The league annually attracts the top 100 bantam-aged players to play a pre-season schedule of games.

In 2017 the league will continue to have six teams and play mostly weekend games throughout Minnesota. "Each year we always make a few changes to account for the demands of attracting the best players in Minnesota," said league director Todd Hauch. "Next year, we plan to end the season prior to the Labor Day and add some skill development sessions for the metro players."

The league will start its season in late July and be completed by August 27. The league plans to add weeknight skill training for players interested on both sides of the metro area. 

On Monday, the BEL will unveil its invited 60 metro players and 20 northern players. The remaining players will selected via a fall tryout held September 9-11, 2016 held in Bloomington.

"Invited players will have a few weeks to register," said Hauch. "Each year almost all players invited accept a spot in the league. In just two years we already have 17 players from our league who have committed to a division one school including Garrett Pinoniemi from Delano who committed to St. Cloud State. Garrett played in our league last year as an under-ager and will play again this year."

After fielding 160 players in 2015, the league shifted back to 120 for this season and next. "We moved to more teams in '15 because of how well the northern team did in '14," said Hauch. "Expansion was successful last season allowing 40 northern players to the league, but we saw the level of play drop - so we decided to go back to 120 kids to improve the level of play."

The league kicks off its season this weekend with practices all over the state Sunday - four teams in Burnsville, one in St. Cloud and one in Brainerd. Their season begins next weekend in Moorhead.