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Information about Tryouts

General Information

Tryouts aid the association in placing players on skills-appropriate teams and registering teams for league play at appropriate levels of competition.

Equipment:

  • For girls with longer hair, please have it out of their face in a ponytail, braids, etc.

  • Players must provide their own glove.

  • Players may bring their own bat that meets the current regulations for USA Softball.  Bats will be available if needed. 

  • Players are strongly encouraged to bring a fielding mask (the protective headgear that players use while playing in the infield. The mask helps prevent injury from a hard hit ball or a bad hop).  None will be provided.  Our local Champion Sports normally has several in stock as well as many online retailers.

  • Players should wear shoes appropriate to the tryout location.  Plastic/molded cleats and turf shoes are okay for outdoors at Rock Fields and inside the Dome–and dry tennis shoes work great too!  Metal cleats are not allowed in the Dome (and are not allowed until 14U). 

  • Players should wear clothing they can be active in to practice softball. Long pants are strongly encouraged for sliding.  For an indoor tryout remember that it may be cool in the dome so a sweatshirt is a good idea! 

  • Catchers may use their own gear (helmet/mask, chest protector, shin guards, catcher's mitt). Catching gear will be available if needed.

  • Players may bring their own batting helmet. Batting helmets will be available if needed.

  • Players may bring their own batting glove(s) if desired.  None will be provided.

  • Players are not allowed to wear any clothing with their name on it or from a previous year's team. 

  • Remember, even the very best players are not perfect in the field nor at bat. Please encourage your athlete to do her best and have fun. Attitude and effort are very important! We also want to see how the athletes respond to errors; errors inevitably happen and the response to the error is just as important.

  • Parents will not be allowed to enter the field at the dome or stay at Rock Fields as tryouts are being conducted. This is a closed tryout.  Parents may wait in the lobby but are asked not to watch.


Try-Out Criteria

8U

PURPOSE:

8U tryouts are intended to help introduce young players to the tryout process and to allow participants to demonstrate their abilities from a beginner to an advanced level of play.  8U is an introduction to traveling softball and allows girls, from beginners to returning players, the ability to play league and tournament games during the summer. Tryout scores are used to group players of similar abilities and determine team placement for the Spring/Summer League.

WHAT TO BRING TO TRYOUTS:
Players should bring a glove, batting helmet (the association does have some extras), fielding mask, a fastpitch softball bat if they have one, a positive attitude, a water bottle, and tennis shoes (or molded/rubber cleats). Make sure to have the athlete’s hair pulled back if it is long.

INFIELD / OUTFIELD:
The fielder will field 5 ground balls in the infield:  one hit at them, one to their left, one to their right, one charging in (bunt), and one infield fly (in random order).  A player will field from the shortstop position and throw to first base.  The outfielder will also field 5 balls: one hit at them, one to their left, one to their right, one charging in, and field one ground ball with throw-in (in random order).  A player will field from left field and throw to home plate.  Each attempt will be scored on a 0-5 scale and judged on proper fundamentals, body positioning, glove positioning, strong/accurate throw, fielding in front of the ball, and footwork.

PITCHING MACHINE: 8U - 32-35mph (Blue Flame throwing machine)
The batter will get 10 swings off a blue flame pitching machine.  Speed for 8U will be set at 32-35mph.  Graded on a 0-5 format: 

    0 = poor mechanics/no contact                   
    1 = poor mechanics/some contact               
    2 = poor mechanics/good contact or good mechanics/poor or NO contact
    3 = good mechanics/some contact               
    4 = good mechanics/solid contact                
    5 = excellent mechanics/solid contact

8U Evaluation Form 

12U / 10U

PITCHING MACHINE:
10U - 40mph @ 35ft 

12U - 45mph @ 40ft 

HITTING: BUNTING/PITCHING MACHINE/FRONT TOSS
Girls will begin with 5 warmup pitches off the pitching machine (bunt or swing away).   Evaluation starts with 3 evaluated bunts, then 10 evaluated swings in the batting cage off the pitching machine, and concludes with 5 evaluated front toss swings.      

BUNTING: Has the following scale for score placement
    0 = poor mechanics/no contact           
    1 = poor mechanics/any contact made       
    2 = good mechanics/any contact made       
    3 = good mechanics/solid contact or bunt placed

HITTING: Pitching Machine & Front Toss has the following scale for score placement
    0 = poor mechanics/no contact                   
    1 = poor mechanics/some contact               
    2 = poor mechanics/good contact or good mechanics/poor or NO contact
    3 = good mechanics/some contact               
    4 = good mechanics/solid contact                
    5 = excellent mechanics/solid contact                

INFIELD:
Each attempt will be scored on a 0 - 5 scale based on proper mechanics, body positioning, glove position,        
strong/accurate throws, fielding in front of the ball, and footwork.  Throws are made to 1st base.                            
5 ground balls will be fielded from the shortstop position.  1 at the player, 1 to the right, 1 to the left, 1 random, and 1 short.

OUTFIELD:
Each attempt will be scored on a 0 - 5 scale based on proper mechanics, body positioning, glove position,    
strong/accurate throws, judgment, fielding in front of the ball, and footwork.  Throws are made to home plate.                     
The pitching machine will launch the fly balls to the center of a 4-cone configuration for the girls to catch the ball.

PITCHING & CATCHING: All players are invited and encouraged to tryout for pitching and/or catching.  This is options and in addition to the regular tryout.    

WHAT TO BRING TO TRYOUTS:
Players should bring a glove, batting helmet, fielding mask, a fastpitch softball bat, a positive attitude, a water bottle, and tennis shoes if indoors. Make sure to have the athlete’s hair pulled back if it is long.

10U/12U/14U Evaluation Forms: Fielding   Hitting