| It is that time of year again. This is the time of | | | | the feelings of a son or having a need to |
| the year when select baseball seasons are ending | | | | promote their own son over another player by |
| and the players are jockeying for positions for | | | | virtue of the player's relationship with the coach. |
| next season. If the player had a good season and | | | | Families on the Team. I think it is important to get |
| if the team did well overall, there can be very | | | | a feel for the makeup of the team families. This |
| little shakeup on the team and most of the | | | | is a little tricky to do but you can tell right away |
| players will return. If your team suffered and you | | | | by simply talking to the parents of the returning |
| want to be on a contender or if you felt that you | | | | team members at the tryout. I am looking for |
| did not get to play enough it is time to get | | | | positive feedback about the team and the way |
| serious about tryouts for another team. Here are | | | | that the families get along. Baseball can be a long |
| a few items for you to consider as you think | | | | season if the families are not all pulling in the same |
| about what type of team might be good for you | | | | direction at our of town tournaments or even |
| and your family to consider. | | | | during game situations when stress can be very |
| Home Field Location. Where a team plays can | | | | high. |
| make a big difference to your next season in a | | | | Returning Players at Your Position. Try your |
| handful of different ways. Go to the field and be | | | | hardest to find a team who will really value your |
| sure that it is well kept, that it has a nice pitching | | | | presence on the squad. I hear constantly about |
| mound, that the dugout is decent and is a real | | | | players who make a great team and then up |
| dugout, make sure that the outfield is not filled | | | | being the backup shortstop on the squad, playing |
| with large ditches or anything that could cause an | | | | limited innings and batting lower in the batting |
| injury and finally, make sure the infield is in decent | | | | order than they would like. The trick is to find a |
| shape so you will not face an injury off of a hard | | | | team who can benefit from the skills you possess |
| ground ball or get a series of errors put on your | | | | today. The only way to get a feel for this is to |
| record when you get the final stats. Another | | | | directly ask the coach at the tryouts. If you play |
| factor is the location of the field. I call this the | | | | shortstop and the team already has a great |
| family factor. The more convenient it is for your | | | | shortstop, it will be hard for you to break into the |
| parents to get you to the ball field the better it | | | | spot over the returning player. Acknowledge that |
| will be for everyone. I have known families to | | | | fact and either move on to a different team or |
| have ballplayers make the best team in the city | | | | try to find another spot that you can fit into while |
| only to regret it when they spend most of the | | | | you wait for your turn at the spot. Be sure you |
| next spring and summer driving the family across | | | | can play regularly an on any team that you sign |
| town to see baseball games. | | | | with. |
| Coaching Knowledge and Philosophy. One of the | | | | Cost. Cost is always a consideration on any |
| best things teams have to offer is what they can | | | | baseball team. Some teams have fees in excess |
| teach you as a ballplayer. Be sure to ask about | | | | of $3,000 and having your family pay for that can |
| the background of the coaching staff, especially | | | | be a real stretch. Understand the fees and be |
| the head coach. Lots of competitive baseball | | | | prepared to help out through fundraising activities |
| summer teams have paid coaches who are also | | | | to make sure your family is not put in a bind to |
| high school coaches. These coaches have the | | | | help you pay to play the game you love. |
| advantage typically of not having a son on the | | | | By paying attention to these concepts you can |
| team so they can make decisions based on the | | | | get on the team that will allow you to bring out |
| talent of players and not worrying about hurting | | | | the best in your game. Good Luck in Tryouts. |