I went to the website at http://web.usabaseball.com/index.jsp and there are various age groups of national teams.
Are there tryouts for these teams?
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Yes, they have local events called NTIS in each region, usually run by local travel orgs, I believe. Each region selects a team and sends it to a tournament in N.C. where they select the national team.
However, we know one kid who has been selected for USA and a couple more who went to N.C. These kids did not have to go to tryouts. Everybody already knows who they are.
Originally Posted by lionbaseball:
I went to the website at http://web.usabaseball.com/index.jsp and there are various age groups of national teams.
Are there tryouts for these teams?
Yes and no. There is a process called NTIS that involves tryouts for regional teams that get brought to Cary, NC for additional tryouts for the Team USAs. There are also the USA Team Championships (used to be called JOs) in AZ and FL and kids are selected during this tournament (not a tryout, but selections based on performance/observations in the tournament). This all happens in the summer months.
Hopefully your not in N Texas...the NTIS tryouts are run by one of the larger Dallas organizations & from the past couple of years unless your kid plays for that org you really don't stand a chance to make the regional team to travel to NC. My son went to a tryout and all the evaluating coaches & spectators(several well known HS coaches in DFW) were really impressed with him. We were told that we'd be notified if he made the roster & if not would get a written evaluation of his performance. He didn't make the roster & I'm still waiting on the evaluation. I emailed & called the facility for the evaluation & they had no clue what happen to them. They advised that i contact the NTX director(owner of the well known Dallas org)...He never returned phone calls, emails, or anything. I think it would be a great experience for your kid to get the USA opportunity, but like I said, don't count on the NTX NTIS, unless your kid plays for that organization. I really wish USA would reevaluate the person they have running NTX bc too many GOOD ball players miss out on the opportunity.
Thanks UtilityDad.
I've heard stories of TeamUSA tryouts using some parents as fund raising for teams that are already chosen.
Being from an east Texas small town I think a snowball's chance in hell would have a better shot than my son making Team USA. 