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Well Folks, my son will have his first highschool baseball try-out , this Friday. Weather is predicted to be bad, so the coach may hold it indoors. My son has been practicing 3-5 days a week. Played a little Fall ball (he's also on the swim team). We've been in the batting cage everyday and pitching BullPen three days a week, and doing some fielding work about twice a week. I think he's prepared, but still a little nervous. Any advice out there? Is there a standard system that most Highschool coaches go through(like the ones in showcases)?

C H Adams

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Be the first to arrive and the last to leave. On time means ready to take the field.

Never forget equipment.

Look like a ball player. Shirt tucked in, hat on correctly.

Act like a ball player. No screwing around.

Hustle. Never walk.

If you screw up don’t get flustered. Shake it off and focus on the next play. Don’t show negative emotion. Act like you love the game.

Always warmup with someone who throws accurately. If the ball is flying around it’s on both of you.

Don’t gossip. Focus on getting your job done.

Last edited by RJM

I'll go a different direction.  If he ends up on team that disappoints him, make sure he doesn't show it and certainly don't talk about it.  Suck it, roll up your sleeves and play/practice like you're a pro.  I say this because my son ran into a buzz saw no one saw coming.  His HS has a Reserve, JV and Varsity squad.  Due to my son's success throughout his little league "career," many projected he'd make varsity as a freshman, but no less than JV.  While we never assumed that, we were shocked when he made the Reserve team the spring of his freshman year.  The coaching and level of play was tough to swallow after playing Major-level travel ball his whole life.  But he stayed quiet and went to work.  A year later he was the starting SS for the varsity team.  Going into HS we had no idea there was a big logjam of talent in the 2 class ahead of him.  It was a special year watching him rise from the bottom to the top.  What we felt was sort of embarrassing is now a badge of honor of sorts.  He was close to going D1 out of HS, but Covid had other plans so he's going the Juco route.  VERY few kids from his HS play D1 ball, so if my son is able to make to it D1, I'll like his ascension story that much more.

These talks of tryouts always make me laugh a little.  I have no idea what that would even be like.   Quick story.......My son went to a smaller (D3 out of 4) HS....that is well known for basketball and football.  Baseball is an afterthought for most kids, even though our youth programs up thru 8th grade are typically very, very good in baseball.  Once they hit HS it seems like the "studs" decide that they will play 2 sports (Basketball and Football) and baseball gets left with the few true "baseball kids" and some others.  If this school could keep the baseball guys they have in 8th grade thru HS it could be a serious threat even at the state level almost every year...just as in basketball.   My son's grade had 40+ boys (out of maybe 75 total) playing baseball in 5th grade....and still had 20-ish in 8th grade.  Freshman year he had 4...and they all stayed thru their senior year.  Funny thing is their senior year, my son expected them to be horrible, but they set the school record for wins in a season and lost in the District finals.

Tryouts were essentially show up and you're on the team.  Never had enough kids for a freshman team....and sometimes struggled to play JV and Varsity on the same day due to lack of pitching.  Typically no more than 30 kids in the program total during any season.   The top school in our league (and one of the best in the state) would have 60-70 kids show up for tryouts as freshmen.   I can't imagine what a difference that would be for a kid lol.

Advise for Dad: If you are allowed at the tryout and can't resist going, don't speak.  Too many freshmen dads think a little coaching up on the on-deck area is good. Or encouragement after a mistake. Or WooHooing after a great play.  Just don't.  If you aren't allowed, don't ask questions about the other players. You don't want your son focused on them, so don't ask.  

Advise for both of you: If tryout is only one day coach has already penciled his list and is looking to confirm.  The fastest way off that list is to be an annoying parent or be a player who doesn't take success or failure well. Baseball is a game of failure, coaches look for players who lean in to that failure, be it a strikeout or missed ball, to get better.

Advise for your son: Have fun.  Be a good teammate, lift up those who struggle and congratulate those who don't. And never ever walk on a baseball field.

So, my 2025 had his first tryout Monday.  It is interesting how different school ball is to travel ball.  Since the beginning of school a constant discussion among his peer group has been how many freshmen will make JV. (Does not look like there will be a freshman team). The class ahead of them (2024) had almost 20 kids on JV last year.  Coach said at tryouts that he did not know how many total would be on JV this year but somewhere between 14-22.  The kids can do math and a lot of them are freaking out.  This is why kids play sports, they learn how to get it done even when the odds are against you.

@LousyLefty posted:

Advise for Dad: If you are allowed at the tryout and can't resist going, don't speak.  Too many freshmen dads think a little coaching up on the on-deck area is good. Or encouragement after a mistake. Or WooHooing after a great play.  Just don't.  If you aren't allowed, don't ask questions about the other players. You don't want your son focused on them, so don't ask.  

Advise for both of you: If tryout is only one day coach has already penciled his list and is looking to confirm.  The fastest way off that list is to be an annoying parent or be a player who doesn't take success or failure well. Baseball is a game of failure, coaches look for players who lean in to that failure, be it a strikeout or missed ball, to get better.

Advise for your son: Have fun.  Be a good teammate, lift up those who struggle and congratulate those who don't. And never ever walk on a baseball field.

Parents at a HS team tryout?   No, no, no, no!!!!  Even if they allow it no lol   I coached everything from T-ball thru Junior High.  Once we got to 5th grade I really couldn't even stand having parents at practice.  My son would have killed me if I had shown up at anything HS baseball related other than a game

Entirely just re-enforcing some of the things already said, really good advice already given...

1. Wear baseball clothes, pants and belt.  Anyone not wearing a cap, is an automatic crossed off for a lot of coaches.  The senior stud on the team can wear what he wants, you can't.

2. Hustle appropriately.  This is hard for many teenagers as typically they often don't want to stand out, but this is the time to stand out.  Don't run full speed if the coach tells everyone to move 10 feet to their left- just don't loaf, but if outside do jog to your position at better than fake jog speed and probably less than full sprint (no eyewash).  Lead don't follow.

3. Pay attention, to coaches and watch what is going on.  If you didn't hear what was said, make sure you know what to do before it's your turn.

4. Don't overreact, baseball players make errors from time to time, if you act like you shouldn't have, their going to think you always do.  Like was said, just move on and make the next play.

5. Remember, it's not just about making the play, it's about making the play correctly.  Everyone there can field (catch) a ground ball, what stands out is if you do it with the correct footwork, etc.  So don't forget that and just stand still and field the ball.  Don't forget your prep step and hop. ;-)    Don't be afraid to dive!

Last edited by HSDad22

Too funny, but a few thoughts:

1. His brother was better than him but he did not look like a player. Had cap back with bangs out front etc.

2. His first time at states top travel team he was up to the shoulders of the rest . Looked like the mascot. But in 3 years of work passed them all for All state captain. So work hard.

3. As a HS freshman he was able to join varsity only because he agreed to catch if needed. But once he got the chance to play, he rotated SS/3b/pitcher. And never caught a game! Grab your chances.

@HSDad22 posted:


5. Remember, it's not just about making the play, it's about making the play correctly.  Everyone there can field (catch) a ground ball, what stands out is if you do it with the correct footwork, etc.  So don't forget that and just stand still and field the ball.  Don't forget your prep step and hop. ;-)    Don't be afraid to dive!

I remember watching this as the mom of an outfielder (where it's also a little more forgiving), during the two week tryouts with interschool scrimmages freshman year.  Kid making the catch, uninformed parents cheering.  But really all I saw was a kid turning the wrong way and taking 5 extra steps.  I assumed coaches saw it too, as this kid didn't make the team. Mom said to me "your son always seems to get easy balls".  I made sure to thank the OF coach of our TB program for drilling proper technique until it looked easy

@LousyLefty posted:

I remember watching this as the mom of an outfielder (where it's also a little more forgiving), during the two week tryouts with interschool scrimmages freshman year.  Kid making the catch, uninformed parents cheering.  But really all I saw was a kid turning the wrong way and taking 5 extra steps.  I assumed coaches saw it too, as this kid didn't make the team. Mom said to me "your son always seems to get easy balls".  I made sure to thank the OF coach of our TB program for drilling proper technique until it looked easy

Yup, kids don't make it for all kinds of reasons that aren't  based on fielding balls at tryouts..."but I made every play and "so and so" didn't, why was I cut".

My son was the last cut his freshman year,  coach called him into his office before posting the cut list, told him he had better mechanics than most his seniors, he just needed another year of growth and not to be discouraged (no freshman team).  Coach was right.  It lit a fire under son's butt and he got in the gym and made the team the next year. Growing many inches helped too.

In contrast, Our Middle School coach runs tryouts that consist of Pushups, 60 yd dash, how far you can throw a basketball from your knees, a round of 5 ground balls, and 5 swings at a weighted ball off a tee... No pitching, no catching.  Needless to say he could have just lined them up by size and picked the first 15.  Lot's of kids who make the team never play passed Middle school, many never see the field after practice starts, cause that's when he realizes they can't actually play.

Had a kid in town cut last year from JV.  He had not prepared for tryouts.  LHP, which I would never cut and conversation for another day.  Started coming to me 2 times a week while HS was playing.  Got him on a good travel ball team.  Played summer and fall ball.  He is now 75-77 with three solid pitches.  Will probably be #2 guy on varsity this year.  I told him the greatest gift the coaches ever game him was cutting him last year.  Lit a fire under him and now has a great chance to play college ball.  He is also hitting the ball well and became a good outfielder.

@PitchingFan posted:

Had a kid in town cut last year from JV.  He had not prepared for tryouts.  LHP, which I would never cut and conversation for another day.  Started coming to me 2 times a week while HS was playing.  Got him on a good travel ball team.  Played summer and fall ball.  He is now 75-77 with three solid pitches.  Will probably be #2 guy on varsity this year.  I told him the greatest gift the coaches ever game him was cutting him last year.  Lit a fire under him and now has a great chance to play college ball.  He is also hitting the ball well and became a good outfielder.

Isn't it sacrilegious to cut a lefty?

Parents at a HS team tryout?   No, no, no, no!!!!  Even if they allow it no lol   I coached everything from T-ball thru Junior High.  Once we got to 5th grade I really couldn't even stand having parents at practice.  My son would have killed me if I had shown up at anything HS baseball related other than a game

I was an unofficial consultant to the middle school baseball team. The coach loved baseball. But he didn’t know how to coach. He asked me to be an assistant. My son begged me not to do it. I was his travel coach. He asked for space.

I would occasionally watch practices from a distance and make suggestions via email. Sometimes my son came home telling me the coach asked for a drill on a certain aspect of the game.

One day I couldn’t find my son on the field. The coach walked over. He said my son was practicing with the high school varsity. I was already hearing the best shortstop in the district is the 8th grade kid. Can you imagine how badly I wanted to go over to the high school field to see how he was holding up against varsity players? I didn’t do it.

The (then) current varsity shortstop was a very good athlete. He wasn’t a good shortstop. The varsity coach was sending the kid a message about next year having an 8th grader working out at short. In college the shortstop played center at a mid major.

Before my son and his baseball teammates were driving he gave me dirty looks if I showed up at the end of high school practice too early. The coach had a “don’t walk past the parking lot rule” for parents.

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