10 Tips to Make the High School Baseball Team

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By Jack Perconte

There is an obvious, easy answer to the question of how a ballplayer can make the high school baseball team and that is practice, practice, and more practice. There is no substitute for players working at their skills from a young age, especially in populated areas where competition for high school teams is acute. Of course, there are other tips that players should follow to "cover all their bases," so to speak, to have the best opportunity to make the team.

10 Tips for Making the High School Baseball Team:

1. Size and strength are crucial when players reach the high school level, so conditioning and strength training programs should be done.

2. When travel ball is an option for ballplayers, they should play it at least a year or two before entering high school. The generally advanced competition level makes it worth playing. Coaches usually look favorably on travel ball players because it shows coaches that players are serious about playing baseball.

3. Attending the "high school of choice" summer camps before reaching high school age can be fruitful for good ballplayers. This gives players a familiarity with the coaches and coaches with players.

4. Ballplayers may think that grades are not important but nothing is further from the truth. Coaches prefer players that maintain good grades because they feel like players who work off the field will work hard on it. Additionally, if two players have equal ability, the player with better grades may get the nod because the coach knows that player will remain eligible throughout the season.

5. Players who display a "coachable" attitude at tryouts, around school, and around the coach give themselves a good opportunity to have a fair review from the coaching staff. Coaches do not look favorably on players who give the attitude that they already know it all and are un-coachable.

6. Game knowledge can make the difference also. Coaches do not like "know it all" players but they do prefer players who know the finer details and strategy of baseball.

7. Punctuality can make a difference. Players who walk in late to tryouts and don't take tryouts seriously can be in for a rude awakening.

8. Team players. Coaches like players who are sociable with other players and who want to be part of the group. They are leery of kids who appear to be loners.

9. Be helpful. Players who pick up gear and perform other tasks that coaches expect will enhance their chances of making the high school baseball team.

10. Hustle and work hard. Players should not give coaches an excuse for cutting them because they are fooling around at tryouts or goofing off in the classroom.

Finally, players who enjoy other sports should try out for those too, at least for freshman year. Often, high school coaches work two different sports or talk among the other coaches and this familiarity could be an advantage for hard working players at decision making during baseball tryouts.

Former major league baseball player, Jack Perconte gives baseball hitting tips and batting practice advice for ballplayers of all ages. His baseball hitting lessons advice can be found at http://www.baseballhittinglessons.com/baseball.

Jack is the author of two books, The Making of a Hitter and Raising an Athlete - his parenting blog can be found at http://positiveparentinginsports.com.

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