Pay for a tryout?

I would not pay for a tryout, unless its the accepted practice by every team like it in the area. I think its a shame if thats the case though.

No Thank You!!!!!!
I don't know the cost of some of the other travel teams around the county, But I already pay between 500-1000 per season for my son to play Travel ball. I don't think I could justify paying for a tryout.

I agree slider. Why pay for a tryout? And whet if your son doesn't make it? You've lost all that money.
Sounds dumb to me.

East Cobb likes to put on try-out clinics for about $50.00. Supposedly, only kids attending these try-outs will be picked for the teams. It is true a majority is picked from this lot but they do have a good many walk-ons playing on teams who didn't attend. But supporting baseball is expensive and ECB has the best of facilities/programs and I don't know their budget so charges may be necessary.

Just to clarify, the team we were discussing was charging $15 is all.

But.....it still opens a bag of worms

While I don't like it - if its the team he really wants to be on, $15 isn't much. It might be what they need for field rental that day or weekend. Doesn't seem like they're going to make much money off it. Maybe my answer changes for that kind of money.

I expect there will be 50 (bare minimum), perhaps 100 players at those tryouts. I think $750 to $1500 will certainly cover the cost of the field rental (for three hours). Not bad for a few hours work.

"Show me a guy who can't pitch inside and I'll show you a loser." Sandy Koufax

We had an unpleasant experience with a team that charged for tryouts a couple years ago. They were charging $55 for the tryout, but if you made the team you would not have to pay anything additional for a showcase-type tournament. They then selected players for the team that did not attend the tryout. It appeared to us they were financing their team by inviting players to the tryout that they never had any intention of selecting, which seemed to me to be a pretty underhanded way of operating.

I would rather pay a higher amount after my kid made the team, than get a tryout invitation only because the team wanted to make money off him before selecting someone else they already had in mind. Kind of soured us on the whole "pay to try out" idea.

Anyone who pays ANYTHING for a high school baseball tryout should have their head examined!

Beenthere, I think it was a select team tryout not a HS team if thats what you meant. The select team my son played with had a minimal tryout fee, it covered overhead and included a tee shirt. The tryout had a few college and pro scouts in attendace and lasted all day. If he had not made the team I still think the entertainment cost was worth it. It was one of those costs you can live with.

Harbor Mom,
Is the team still around? I never heard about that !

_______________________
"People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring." Rogers Hornsby, Hall of Famer

Being from Florida, never heard of that one, ever.

MrandMrs,

Yes, the organization is still around. I sent you a PT.

I've heard of a few teams/organizations in the DFW area charging $10-$15 for a tryout, presumably as a tool to limit spots for more serious players. (ie, so players/parents don't just show up on a whim to tryout for a team just to see what happens) While I understand the concept, generally it's not something I'd support.

I suppose if the team's coaches are paid, some part of the tryout fees could compensate them for their time.

These teams charge you to try out for their teams for one reason, PROFIT!!!! Some may sugar coat it and give you reasons why they are charging you. But the bottom line is they hope to make a dollar or two of of you. Which is o.k. if they would just say that or at least give the player something for his money, perhaps an evaluation from the professional coach that the org. has hired. Something useful like that not just a T-shirt, which probably promotes the team.
I would NEVER EVER pay for the priveledge of trying out for one of these teams. I also would like to echo BeenThere's comments!!!!!

Coach Dubya,
Just wondering, why would a team want to limit the number of players coming to their tryout??? That sounds somewhat counter-productive to me. Don't you want as many players there as you can get, even the one's that come out "just looking"??

Sounds like a pretty good scam to me. First they charge to use a toilet...then they find a way to contain air at a gas station to charge us to inflate our tires. Then someone came up with the novel idea to bottle water and charge us for that. Now this! LOL

I wonder what's next? P.T. Barnum was right.

If there is a way to make a buck somebody will find it. Nothing wrong with that but being honest is another thing.

posted in wrong message.......