How To Make The High School Team -- This is the third segment in our multi-part series on advice to help you make the high school team. The info and advice in these articles comes from the "experts." High
school coaches from all over the country.
How To Make The High School Team
Some Tips:
- Play as much baseball as you can prior to entering high school ... try to play against the better competition.
- Throw, throw, throw ..... Most kids don't throw enough these days, therefore, their arms are not strong. There are two things that all coaches look for: Running speed and arm strength. We think that we can teach the rest, so throw and run.
- Hustle - do something "different" like hustle all the time. ** Catch the coaches eye with your hustle, your attitude, your desire, etc.
- Learn the proper fundamentals: Read books, watch videos, go to camps, get private instruction, etc.
Coach David Ray
McMinn County High School
Athens, Tennessee
Web Site
The two things that kids need to make our team here at Canyon High School is talent and a good attitude. However, most coaches I know (myself included) can see right through a 14 year old kid trying to butter me up.
We tell our kids that trying out for our freshman team is like interviewing for a job. "You have to do something to separate yourself from the others players that you are competing against!"
Whether that just letting your abilities do all the talking, or showing continuous hustle, how are the coaches going to remember you?
Believe it or not I once kept a less than talented freshman kid because he learned all the bunt coverage, for every position. He did not have to do this, because he was an outfielder. This left an impression on me, because I said, "Here is a kid that wants to learn. Making this team obviously means a lot to him because he is willing to do something beyond his call to duty."
If he had not done that he wouldn't have made the team on his talent alone. As fate would have it, he graduated after playing four years in our program. Now he returns this year as a coach. He is the freshman team assistant and will help us with try-outs this season.
Coach Kevin Lavalle
Canyon High School
Anaheim Hills, California
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
|