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Try-Out Checklist
How To Make The High School Team
I received this list from a high school baseball coach and thought it would be a great start to our "How To Make The High School Team" segment.
- Persistence is more important than talent
- There is a reason that the word STUDENT comes first in student/athletes
- Respect the game as much as you want to be respected
- Tuck in your shirt
- Don't wear your hat backwards
- Practice hard because you play the way you practice
- It doesn't take any talent to hustle
- Be a student in baseball. Learn the game - Study the history of baseball
- Help your team win whether you play or not
- Keep a daily diary of what you do at practice and keep notes of your observations. This will help you see the progress you have made
- Never argue with an umpire
- Agree to let your coaches train you
- Don't cut class
- Maintain the grades that keep you eligible
- Set high standards along with knowing the steps to attain them
- Don't tell people what you are worth, prove it to them
- Your girlfriend is not more important than your career
- Your parents love you, but they don't know more than your coach about baseball
- Don't let anyone make an excuse for you
- Maintain eye contact with all adults when they talk to you. Practice on your friends
- It is your coach's opinion of you that counts. He makes out the lineup. Fail to understand this point and you will soon be out of the game
- Life is not fair. Regardless of what some people want you to think
- Be passionate about your teammates
- Love the game
- Players are not the only people in the game. There are coaches, trainers, announcers, umpires, broadcasters and writers. All those jobs are honorable professions as well as keeping you young
- The only thing that coaches owe you is HONESTY
- Body language screams. It never whispers
- Balance makes champions. If you focus on hitting and ignore the defensive part of your game you will never be a complete player
- Be as diligent on defense as you are on offense
- Defense wins more games than offense
- Pitching sets the tone
- Games are lost not won. Mistakes lead to losses
- You can win a league with a few good pitchers. Well developed pitching staffs win the tournaments
- Work on your game every day of the year. The guy who beat you out for the starting job did and the team that always beats you
- Who you are today is a result of who you were in the past. Fill your past with smart work and good deeds and you will maximize your potential
- You don't have to be a great athlete to be a good baseball player
- Show off your talent to your current coach and your future coach by doing the following: (ALL THE TIME)
- When you jog to warm up finish first.
- When you stretch do it best.
- When you play catch, throw to a target and hit it every time.
- When you play catch, catch the ball or block the bad throw and keep it in front of you every time.
- When you are doing a drill, do it perfect, every time.
- Go hard all the time. Never walk on a baseball practice field.
- As a batter/runner run to first as though it matters that you are safe.
- Know the situation on defense and do the right thing.
- Baseball reveals character it doesn't build it.
- Character means doing the right thing when nobody's watching
Darrin McComas
Head Baseball Coach
Burroughs High School
Ridgecrest, California
Team Website
Baseball Checklist - Make The Team
Make The Team - Part 1
Make The Team - Part 2
Make The Team - Part 3
Make The Team - Part 4
Make The Team - Part 5
Make The Team - Part 6
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