What if you were charged to tryout?

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Watching how an organization runs a tryout is part of "doing your homework"

That is absolutely true...if they can plan and execute a good try out, that tells you something about the organization. I hve been to some "elite" teams try outs and was appalled at the complete lack of organization....

 

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FWIW --my dd has never attended more than 1 tryout each year. you do your research, you know how an org runs there biz, you know what type of schedule they play, you even have a pretty darn good idea whether she can play at that given level. Then I ask them to pay my gas money to get her there. thats just the way we roll. LOLOLOL MD

 

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Yeah MD when I had her your negotiation fees were ridiculous.LOLOLOL

 

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Cmon Ringer chime in. LOL

 

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Ringer seems to be asleep, so I'll say it...

You only need to go to one tryout a year because she's been a "guest" player for every team in her age group in the state!

 

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My DD is pretty new to travel ball. Last year we just went on OFC and looked for tryouts...really had no clue what to do. We went to a few & found one to be way above her level & the others were at her level. One was a private tryout. She received 2 offers & took one (the private tryout). It was not a good choice. The team ended up folding & she found another team & had a really good experience.

This year we are a little wiser, but how would you all advise someone to "check out a team" first. I've gotten a lot of advise/ opinions about teams, but can only judge those I saw play. I thought that is what tryouts were for...to ask your questions. Do coaches really want everyone who is considering their team to call them before coming to a tryout? I would not want that many calls.

For all of us "rookies," would those w/ all the experience mind sharing?

 

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if memory is correct -- we guest played with the buckeye heat and Carol at Spano two years ago. thats about it. the official travel with MD play list

10u: Ky badcats (over an hour away with mandatory twice a week practices ) we left to go to :

11u :Wild Thangs (met scoob, Tim Harr , now with buckeye elite and John Koch) a match made in softball heaven
12u Wild Thangs , joined Stingrays AFTER Wild thangs completed their full season. Wild thangs disbanded. moved on to :

13u Stingrays (larry caton is one of the best guys in the ohio fastpitch scene)

14u Doomers . far as I'm concerned we will be doomer's til death do us part. or the kid says enough already. MD

now if I forgot some team she subbed on I'm sure I'll hear about it. MD

 

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if memory is correct -- we guest played with the buckeye heat and Carol at Spano two years ago. thats about it.

You're right, MD. I must be thinking about sbfamily's DD. ;&

 

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2 years ago, it seemed like it. She subbed on 4 that is when Dan's dd and mine got to play on the same team at least once! She had fun meeting so many kids, but this is one dad that I'm glad she isn't doing that anymore.
Most of it was subbing for Jim's Buckeye Heat team and she found a home with the Heat..

 

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MD you are right about a match made in softball heaven I absolutely love those guys especially you and Koch. The Wild Thang years seem so far away yet so close. Maybe one day all of us will be re-united for real instead of in passing at tourneys. And we can do it Wild Thang style one more time.=)

 

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Just for fun :

Pitcher : Tayrn Alvelo (laser black)

Catcher : Kaylin Corns starting freshman catcher for lucasville Valley varsity that went 26-2 or 28-2 (buckeye elite)

1st Base Kayla Koch (doom95)

2nd Base Alex Kuhn superb athlete from Oak Hill Oh. (buckeye elite)

SS Michael Cunningham (Laser Black)

3rd base Tori Harr ( Buckeye Elite)

CF Katie Stevenson ( Doom 95)

LF Maddie Phillips (Buckeye Elite)

RF Taylor Dempsey (TNT Explosion)

Think that team would be competitive ? who did I leave out ?

 

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If I remember correctly some PA teams charge for tryouts. It is a small amount but still a fee.

 

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We currently pay $120 a lesson for pitching and would not hesitate to pay Hitter this same amount. He has done a tremendous job with our daughter in regards to hitting. Thanks Hitter!!

120 who could possibly charge that much?

 

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2 years ago, it seemed like it. She subbed on 4 that is when Dan's dd and mine got to play on the same team at least once! She had fun meeting so many kids, but this is one dad that I'm glad she isn't doing that anymore.
Most of it was subbing for Jim's Buckeye Heat team and she found a home with the Heat..

Great home sbfamily, congrats with your heat's finish at nationals..

 

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Finally heard from Pam. . .

Sorry it's taken me so long to respond, crazy day. Yes is the short answer. There are organizations that have been around since the beginning of time and since before girls softball was as big as it is now with the colleges that feel compelled to charge outrageous up front fees. The Corona Angels, the Bat Busters, the Firecrackers and so on do charge anywhere from 500 to 1,000 up front if you make the team. I have not heard of anyone charging for the tryout but certainly if you make the team they get you. Now maybe they get the money at the time of the try out and refund it if you don't make the team and keep it if you do. These teams also charge anywhere from 150-250 a month for dues on top of fundraiser's because they all pay their coaches and cover coaches travel expenses so the budgets are quite large. Even our buddy Bob Shults who ran one of the Firecracker 18U teams here in SCV charged $500 up front and required every girl to participate in a couple fundraiser's that raised over 10k in the first month. And this is a team that did NOTHING all year and got the girls little to no exposure. So yes it is happening and there are parents out there that are chasing the dream so hard that they will pay it.

​

I removed the last part of the e-mail that has nothing to do with softball, but just chit chat between friends.

So there you have it . . .her daughter's best friend on her high school team is on the Corona Angels and the above e-mail was from the girls father to Pam.

 

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As I read her response, "there you have it" is that the fees are extremely high for playing on an elite team in California, but your friend really doesn't think there is a nonrefundable tryout fee approaching the likes of $500?

 

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CGS, this was actually an e-mail Pam sent on to her daughters best friends father. His daughter plays for the Corona Angels. He says there they might require the monies upfront for the initial installment if offered a position, is what I got out of the e-mail, but no charging for the tryout.


There was also someone that had mentioned a lawsuit being filed for refund for said monies required at tryouts for those not making the team. . . That would make me very leary as an organization.

Personally my thought is no charge, but as much as people want to say it's ok, or doesn't happen, there are players from top teams that do travel to tryouts to use them as a semi work out. Doesn't matter how organized or focused your organization is, it's a reality.

 

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MD, Thats some WILD THANG roster you got going.....That would be fun!!!!!

 

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Lets go a little deeper... just for fun.

Pitchers- Taran Alvelo, Tori Harr, And Kayla Koch (in no particular order)
Catchers- Michal Cunningham, Kaylin Corns, Taylor Dempsey
1st- Taran Alvelo, Kayla Koch, Kaylin Corns
2nd- Alex Kuhn, Lindsay Ward, Megan Lynn
SS- Alex Kuhn, Michal Cunningham
3rd- Tori Harr, Lindsay Ward, Michal Cunningham
CF- The one and Only Manitou Katie
Rf- Megan Lynn, Maddie Phillips, Taylor Dempsey
Lf- """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

what is really neat about this roster is that these kids are all still playing on pretty competitive teams. Way to get the juices flowing MD.

 

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As I read her response, "there you have it" is that the fees are extremely high for playing on an elite team in California, but your friend really doesn't think there is a nonrefundable tryout fee approaching the likes of $500?

My friend from San Fran echoed similar thoughts and said Northern California does not practice this as much as Southern California and it was worse a few years ago.

Apparently they also require you to go to specific hitting coaches and pitching coaches as they are on full time staff and it helps fund the coaches and teams and the fees are fairly high.

His thoughts were if not committed to using the hitting and pitching coaches you would not be invited to join the team.

However he pointed out there are girls who do not live in California and do not practice with the team and just fly in for game day. They may get together 4 times during the season to work out and other wise show up and play at the games.

Maybe the levels are rec ball B, A, Gold and California "Gold Plus"

Depending on the schedule you play around here with whatever team you are with the low end dollar amount for traveling as a family is maybe $2,500 and the high end around $5,000 plus team fees and add lessons fees in there.

Then reality sets in as to is this following your daughters dream or do you really think you will get a return on your investment as an athlete?

I have had a few on full academic rides that have walked on and several that are 60 to 80 athletic and the rest academic.