High School Tryouts: What Coaches Want

High School Tryouts: What Coaches Want

If there was one thing coaches practically begged me—a pitching coach—to help with, it was this. I hated to break it to them, but throwing strikes isn’t something I can magically fix overnight. It comes down to you. If you want to be accurate, you need to be throwing with your catcher 3 to 4 times per week, year-round. That’s where consistency is built.

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How to Fairly Evaluate Pitchers in a Tryout

How to Fairly Evaluate Pitchers in a Tryout

If you are coaching a team you know how hard it is to evaluate a big group of pitchers at tryouts. First, there's never enough time. Second, it's impossible to tell how a pitcher will perform in games. Third, it's difficult not to get swept up in the lure of a pitcher who seems fast and can throw strikes. Will fast and down the middle be enough at your level?

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Things to Consider Before You Try Out

Things to Consider Before You Try Out

Are you trying out for a travel ball team this summer? Most tryouts are within the next month or so, and you’ll have to be prepared with questions before you commit. Too many parents and players sign up for a year-long obligation are left feeling dissatisfied with their choice, only because they didn’t know what things to consider before they tried out.

The first thing to do is have a discussion with your daughter. Share ideas with each other about what her long-term softball goals are. As you know, pitching requires a parent/player partnership.  Your support and advice is imperative to your daughter's success. If you aren’t into it, she won’t have a chance of reaching her potential. You can get a good idea of her ambitions if she talks more about hanging out with friends than trying to get more playing time.

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