THE SECOND ROUND OF SELECT TEAM TRYOUT SESSIONS FOR INTERESTED PLAYERS IN OUR ROOKIE BALL (2008-2009), MOSQUITO (2006-2007) AND PEEWEE (2004-2005) AGE CLASSIFICATIONS ARE SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE THIS WEEKEND AT CHRISTIE PITS
The Toronto Playgrounds House League Baseball Committee has finalized the schedules for its second session of outdoor 2017 TP Select team tryouts for interested players in its respective Rookie Ball (2008-2009), Mosquito (2006-2007) and Peewee (2004-2005) age classifications.
All Parents and Players partaking in this weekend’s tryouts are advised that all the outdoor sessions will be taking place at Christie Pits Diamond 2.
Here are the TP Select team tryout session schedules for October 15 and 16:
ROOKIE BALL [2008-2009]
Saturday, October 15
- Players born in 2009 > 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. [Christie Pits Diamond 2]
Sunday, October 16
- Players born in 2008 > 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. [Christie Pits Diamond 2]
MOSQUITO [2006-2007]
Saturday, October 15
- Players born in 2006 > 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon [Christie Pits Diamond 2]
- Players born in 2007 > 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. [Christie Pits Diamond 2]
PEEWEE [2004-2005]
- Players born in 2005 > 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon [Christie Pits Diamond 2]
- Players born in 2004 > 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. [Christie Pits Diamond 2]
On days of questionable weather, Parents and Players participating in the sessions are strongly advised to check the our Twitter feed [@TPbaseballnews], the Hotline [(416) 392-1914], or website [www.torontoplaygrounds.ca] for updates on the status of their outdoor tryout session. Updates will be posted 45-60 minutes prior to the start time of the tryout session.
The Select teams that Toronto Playgrounds House League Baseball has fielded in the past and will be fielding next season spring directly from our Toronto Playgrounds House League Baseball program. House League is open to all interested players (until a division is full)….Select teams have to be tried out for. Players do not have to attend any Select tryouts in order to register for our house league in 2017.
Select teams are organized by age groups as are our house league divisions…there can be Rookie Ball Select teams, Mosquito Select teams, Peewee Select teams, Bantam Select teams, and Midget Select teams. Different associations will tend to offer certain age groups but not others, and sometimes the specific teams offered will change from one year to the next based upon number of eligible and interested players. Players must be registered in our House League and try out for a Select team…decisions will be made through the tryout process as to which players have made the team.
The Select teams play once a week (always on the same day) in a Select “loop” against the Select teams from other associations. For the past number of years (and for next year), Toronto Playgrounds House League Baseball has participated in the Toronto West Loop, which is coordinated by people from the Etobicoke Baseball Association (EBA) and includes associations such as Royal York, Bloordale, and Martingrove…York Baseball, Weston Baseball and Annette Baseball also participate in the Toronto West Loop.
The Select teams also practice together each week as a Select team…the game and practice each week are in addition to a player’s participation in House League, not in place of it. Players taking part on a Select team must also be fully participating in House League…the Select program is designed as an opportunity for some players to play more baseball while still participating in their House League. We know that this may not be adhered to in the case of all of the other associations participating in select, but it is totally the “way of life” here in Toronto Playgrounds House League Baseball.
Another important feature of the Select program is that it requires that all players actually play…everyone in the line-up must play at least two of the first four defensive innings and everyone in the line-up goes up for a regular turn at bat. This is not the case with Rep baseball. Again, we want our Toronto Playgrounds House League Baseball Select teams to be “pushing the envelope” of everyone playing as far as possible, in keeping with our House League philosophy of full and equal participation.
Now, two of the “nicer” features of the Select program (for busy parents) are that the Select games are always on the same night each week, and the distance you have to travel to get to the “away” games is relatively short. Some weeks our Select teams play at home, so there isn’t even any extra travel in those cases. Our Select teams usually play in from one or three weekend tournaments over the summer as well, and travel is obviously involved at those times. The registration fee for Select, which is in addition to the House League registration fee, depends partly upon the number of tournaments a team will be entering.
The Committee is currently organizing outdoor Select sessions for players who will be in Rookie Ball, Mosquito, Peewee, or Bantam next season…these sessions are the start of the tryout process and are also an opportunity for us to get a handle on the levels of interest in Select at the various age groups so that we can properly prepare for next season in terms of the numbers of coaches and managers required. If the numbers of players and coaches in a division warrants two teams within that division, the teams will be organized on a major/minor basis (by year of birth).
Nobody will be “cut” during these outdoor fall sessions, and if a player misses a couple of sessions it won’t mean that they have lost the chance to tryout. The tryouts will pick up again in the winter with indoor sessions and continue through until early spring when the teams will be formally chosen.
The outdoor fall sessions are also an opportunity for players to get additional workout time and for parents to find out more about our league and program.
If you have any questions concerning the Select tryouts sessions, please contact us at tpbaseball@gmail.com.