Tryout Process

Travel tryouts typically take place in the months of February and/or March each year. Tryout dates are determined considering: the availability of facilities, outside evaluators, High School, Legion and other coaching staff; to minimize conflicts with other sporting events to the best of our ability; and the goal of completing all Travel tryouts prior to Spring Break. The FAS Staff reevaluates the timing of tryouts every year as there are pros and cons to both fall and winter tryout schedules.

Fargo Area Sports may need to cut players to obtain the proper roster size and competitive balance. Players who try out for Travel Baseball and are cut will have the opportunity to play in the FAS’s Recreation Baseball Program

Tryout Schedule Notes

· Hitting tryout: Each player will participate in one hitting tryout session. Players will have a warm up area prior to their evaluation. Each player will receive 10 – 15 pitches. Depending on tryout numbers and times, players may receive more pitches for further evaluation. Players will be evaluated on mechanics, power, and contact.

· Skills tryout: The skills session, players will be evaluated on fielding, fly balls, footwork, throwing, and speed. For the older ages this tryout will be at a different facility other than the ATTIC.

· Pitching Tryout: The pitcher's tryout will be held at the ATTIC. Each pitcher will be evaluated on their mechanics, velocity, accuracy, and off-speed pitches (pending age)

· Catchers Tryout: A separate tryout will be conducted for all catchers. Catchers will be evaluated on mechanics, receiving, blocking, footwork and pop-time. Catchers are asked to wear their own equipment if they have it, otherwise equipment will be provided for them.

*** Players will also be evaluated on their character. This includes attitude, hustle, focus, and body language. ***

Tryout Attendance

All players are required to attend all tryout sessions unless an excuse is approved in advance through the Fargo Area Sports office. If a player has a conflict and will miss a tryout, parents or players must notify Fargo Area Sports of that age group. Players should attend the tryout session assigned to their current age.

If your player requires any special accommodations for tryouts please alert the Fargo Area Sport's staff in advance of the first tryout session at [email protected]

Team placement for players who are ill, injured or otherwise unavailable for grading will be handled by the Tryout and Team Selection Committee as described below.

· Injured Player: If a player is injured and is unable to take part in any of the tryout sessions (skills, hitting and final), a doctor’s note will be required. The team placement for a player that was injured for a portion of the tryouts, but then participates in any of remaining the tryout program, will be based upon the completed tryout results and a review of prior year coach reviews. In the situation of an injury that partially limits the player’s ability to perform certain tryout skills (e.g., a sore arm and can’t throw) that player is expected to participate in tryouts to the fullest extent possible and will be evaluated based upon skills they are able to demonstrate in tryouts and based on feedback from the player’s coach in the prior year. In all cases, an injury that is evidenced by a doctor’s note must be followed by a clearance note from the doctor prior to a player being allowed to participate in any FAS activities.

· Ill Player: If a player is ill on the scheduled day of the tryout, every effort should be made to notify the Fargo Area Sports and schedule an alternative date, it available. If a player is ill and is unable to take part in any of the tryout sessions, a doctor’s note will be required. A player that was ill for a portion of the tryouts, but then participates in any of the other tryout sessions, will have team placement based on the completed tryout results and the coach review from last season. In all cases, an illness that is evidenced by a doctor’s note must be followed by a clearance note from the doctor prior to a player being allowed to participate in any FAS activities.

· If Player Is Not Able to Make Tryouts: If a player is unable to make a scheduled tryout due to circumstances not related to injury or sickness, every effort should be made to notify Fargo Area Sports and schedule an alternative date, if available. If the player is still unable to attend an alternate date tryout for the missed evaluation, the skills that are not evaluated will be evaluated by the tryout committee based on prior year coach reviews. Every effort must be made by the player and his family to schedule around a conflict and find an alternate date. If a player misses all of the tryouts for reasons not related to an injury or illness, it will be the discretion of FAS (after review of prior year coach evaluation and available statistics) to assign the player to the appropriate level of Travel Baseball, or Recreation Baseball. 

Evaluators

Depending on the age group, evaluations are completed by an experienced, outside third-party, or the Fargo High School/Legion coaches. Every effort is made to ensure that the same evaluator grades all sessions for the same program and skill throughout the process. Grading sessions are coordinated by FAS Staff. FAS board members with FAS players are not permitted to be present during their respective players tryout sessions due to conflict of interest.

FAS invites prospective assistant coaches to attend as a clinician to the tryout. It is important to note that these coaches are not grading any of the players and will not provide any input about any player during the tryout process.

Grading Process

Players check in to each tryout session and receive an assigned a numbered; player names are not disclosed to the outside third-party, or the selection committee

Grades are based on player baseball mechanics, performance and athleticism in a series of drills that include infield, outfield and hitting drills. Additionally, evaluators will review a player’s communication, attitude, preparedness and positioning within the situational session.

Grading results are compiled for each player for all tryout sessions. Players are assigned a specific score and the averages of each skill group (e.g., hitting, infield and outfield) are added together; this is referred to the General Skills score. Since not all players are pitchers or catchers, pitching and catching scores are reviewed separately and these scores are viewed as supplemental information in team selection, but do not change player ranking from tryouts. Given that youth baseball players grow and develop at different rates over time, the prior season’s playing level or team does not influence the current season placement unless a player is absent for tryouts. Prior year coach feedback and playing statistics will be reviewed as appropriate to determine final player placement.

Parents of siblings at the same age (e.g., twins, etc.) will need to decide between two options before the travel tryouts: Option A: Treat each sibling independently; siblings could be placed on different teams. Option B: Place siblings on the same team; players will be placed on the same team at the appropriate level for the lowest ranked sibling. 

Grading players during try-outs is not a perfect science. Tryout grades are only a reflection of a player’s abilities on a that day. Players will be selected for Travel teams based upon tryout grades, team composition considerations, previously displayed commitment levels and prior season evaluations. Please keep in mind that the evaluators are doing their best to evaluate players on their current skills. As parents we may tend to evaluate our own son’s skills at a higher level than may be appropriate. Playing at the wrong level, particularly playing too high a level, is detrimental to your son’s baseball skill development and the longevity of his baseball interest. The FAS goal is to have every player have fun and be successful at playing the game of baseball. 

The Board continuously evaluates our tryout system with several other communities and uses best practices where practical. Please accept and support your player’s skills for what they are today and work hard with them to improve their skills.

Team Selection Process

Age groups 9U-15U typically have at least 1 team. If numbers allow a second team for that age group will be formed. FAS reserves the right to limit or expand the number of travel teams per age based on the number of players trying out, player talent and coaching resources.

After the completion of the tryouts, the rankings are compiled, FAS staff, tryout committee and selected board members meet to finalize the rosters for each team. Parent Coaches for each level are determined based the players ranking.

Players are assigned to a team based on the performance level as graded by tryout evaluators and the coach draft. All teams are reviewed by the Try-out and Team Selection Committee to ensure guidelines were followed. All decisions by the committee are final, and all team rosters are final once they are posted. Players trying out for a travel team who aren’t placed on a travel team will be moved to a Recreation team. Players that do make the travel roster will be required to pay additional fees to cover tournaments, coach’s salary, uniforms, and equipment. This cost can range between $100 – $400 depending on the team’s schedule.

For additional questions please contact the Fargo Area Sports office at 701-232-9225 or email [email protected]

Sincerely,
Fargo Area Sports