Here are a few things that you need to consider when you try
out for your baseball team. Some of these items may seem
fairly minor, but remember that sometimes it's the little
things make the difference.
The essential elements can be narrowed down to seven items.
Do these seven things, and you're sure to stand out at your
try-out.
1) Dress like a baseball player (pants, cleats, hat). Wear
your hat properly! A backward or sideways hat can be a major
deduction.
2) Separate yourself from the pack. Place your equipment
away from everyone else's, warm-up by yourself, stretch by
yourself. Coaches will notice that you're a serious,
disciplined, and knowledgable player.
3) Throw sufficiently to warm-up completely, and keep
throwing, if necessary, to stay loose and warm. You may have
a lengthy wait before it's your turn to take the field.
4) Take it slow and smooth, focusing on proper mechanics
when showing your defensive skills. Focus on making an
accurate throw. If you try too hard, rush, and throw too
hard, you're more likely to boot the ball, or throw it over
your target. It's good to hustle and be aggressive, but even
more important is to stay under control. Your game is not
expected to be in midseason form.
5) When showing your hitting skills, take the first pitch
and get a feel for the timing and speed of the ball. Be
selective! Swing only at pitches that you can expect to hit
with a high degree of success. Your swing is not expected to
be in midseason form, either. Swing smoothly, don't
overswing, and focus on hitting
line drives and hard grounders.
6) Keep your parents away from the coaches. Lobbying will
not help.
7) Play well, a tryout is not a social event. You're there
to earn a spot on the team, instead of somebody else.
Playing well means using good fundamental skills, making
good accurate throws, and avoiding glaring mistakes.
Do these seven things, and you will stand out.