Baseball tryouts: Making a good first impression

Are you getting ready for a baseball tryout?

Here are some tips from select team coaches on making a good first impression.

Preparation

- dress like a baseball player (baseball pants, jersey, cap, cleats)
- wear a shirt with your last name on the back
- show up 30 minutes early
- have a plan

Attitude
Coaches are looking for skilled players, with a positive attitude - who are coachable

- introduce yourself to the coaches, and shake hands
- pay attention and look the coach in the eye
- have a positive attitude
- hustle everywhere - all the time

Bonus Points
- be a leader
- support your teammates
- play with lots of energy

Make a Lasting Impression

- focus on one pitch at a time
- play hard and make the routine plays

- help the coaches carry equipment

- volunteer to play any position
- show your passion for the game

Communication

- listen carefully - look the coach in the eye when they are speaking
- ask questions - coaches love to teach
- answer questions - share your knowledge of the game
- shake the coaches hand and thank them after the tryout
- let the coaches know why you want to join the team

Recommended Reading

Youth Baseball: Select Tryouts - Tip For Coaches, Clubs and Players by Stats Dad
Is your son or daughter looking for a new select baseball or softball team? Here are some tips to get your kid on the team he or she wants.

Baseball Tryout Secrets (pdf)

Baseball Tryouts -- How to Impress the Coach -- Steven Ellis

Comments

Pitchers Glove Rules - Size and Color

What are the rules on a pitchers glove? According to the official baseball rules, a pitchers glove can be up to 12 inches in size , of any weight , and any color except white or gray as long as it is not distracting. The Akadema ABX-00 glove, pictured above, is 12 inches, solid black and is not distracting according to local umpires. Little League Rules Gray glove is not allowed for pitching White glove is not allowed for pitching Little League Rule 1.14: Each fielder, other than the first baseman and the catcher may wear a glove not more than 12 inches long nor more than 7 3/4 inches wide, measured from the base of the thumb crotch to the outer edge of the glove. The glove may be of any weight. Little League Rule 1.15 (a) : The pitcher's glove may not, exclusive of the piping, be white or light gray, nor, in the judgment of an umpire, distracting in any manner. (source: Little League Baseball Rules Regarding Bats and Gloves ...

Fastball Velocity - How fast do kids throw?

How fast does a Little League pitcher throw? The average fastball is between 50-60 mph for a pitcher in the Majors division of Little League (11-13 yo). Pitchers in the Little League World Series throw fastballs 60-70+ mph. Only a few pitchers touched 70+ mph in 2015 and 2016. One man-child hit 81 mph on the radar. This velocity is almost unhittable from 46 feet and extremely rare for a 13 year old. #18 RHP Carlos Gonzalez - Panama 79-81 mph fastball 105 mph MLB equivalent reaction time #18 RHP Jaekyeong Kim - South Korea 75-76 mph fastball #19 RHP Ryan Harlost - Mid-Atlantic, Endwell, NY 71-74 mph fastball Threw a complete game to win the 2016 Little League World Series Loreto Siniscalchi , a 6'1" pitcher from Canada, threw in the mid 70s and completely dominated the hitters from Japan. He led Team Canada to its first victory over Japan in 18 years. Big right-hander Isaiah Head from Kentucky threw 70-73 mph fastballs. His recor...

Baseball Glove Options for Switch Pitchers

Custom made Mizuno ambidextrous glove Looking for a glove for a switch pitcher? Before spending hundreds of dollars on a custom glove, please think about age of the player and how much time they will spend pitching. Here are glove options for ambidextrous pitchers, based on age: Age 3-5 Kids don't pitch at this age. They should be learning the proper way to throw. Young kids should try catching the ball with two hands. Use tennis balls or foam balls for throwing. Forget about the low quality plastic glove - it's in the landfill within a year. Gloves are awkward for young kids. If they learn two hand catch when they are young and continue with the skill, they will do well fielding balls when they are older. Learning to throw with both arms is easy at this stage. If a child can throw with either hand when they are three-years-old, it doesn't mean that they are talented or ambidextrous - it just means that they are a typical kid. Gloves: Buy a smal...

Switch Pitching 101

Search This Blog