Baseball Tryouts

Question
I am trying out for my high school freshmann baseball team very soon. I just wanted to know what high school coaches look at and look for during tryouts. I really want to make the team and have worked really hard this winter. My biggest problem is nerves while playing the field. I can field well during practice and scrimmages but when it comes to the game, I have a hard time. When I'm up to bat, I am comfortable. I just get really nervous when the ball is hit to me in the field. Do you know of any way to get over that problem?

Thanks, Ray

Answer
Ray -

Thanks for writing. I see 2 parts in this question, so I will go ahead and split up my response.  

I cant really speak for "what coaches look at and look for during tryouts", because what I might be looking for isnt necessarily what your coaches are looking for. Often, it depends on what that coach wants or needs for this season. But there are a few things that are pretty much the exact same no matter who is coaching.  Obviously, your physical abilities would be up there.  Can you PLAY baseball, period.  Hitting, throwing, fielding, running, all that good stuff.  Also, what kind of person are you?  Can you play on a team, in a team sport?  Are you a good sport / bad sport?  Are you able to be coached, or are you a "know it all".  Grades - are you going to be eligible to play in the first place?  All of that stuff would be pretty standard stuff for a coach at the high school level.

For the second part, your "nerves" when in an actual game, that isnt as easy... Without knowing you, having been around you, its impossible for me to tell what the problem might be, or how to fix that.  Are you like that with anything else in life?  Are you uncomfortable when a teacher makes you stand up for a presentation in class?  Anything like that, where you can do well on lets say a written test, but not in front of a crowd, or what you think to be a crowd?  IF so, I would say that is the issue.  You might not be confident in yourself, and feel that others are seeing things about you that arent really there.  I will tell you what.. Make a deal with yourself that for a week, you WILL NOT CARE what the other kids in school think, good or bad.  See how it effects you, and go from there.  I believe that if you stick it out, and get a little confidence, this will go away.  Remember, no one LIKES to fail.. So if you arent a good hitter, and strikeout, it hurts your confidence.. So get as good at hitting as possible to limit your bad experiences... Make sense? This goes for everything, baseball or not.  "Success breeds confidence".. Ever heard that before?  It is very true in my opinion...

I hope this helps a little bit.  Dont be afraid to tell your coaches how you are feeling, and let them help you.  I promise that no matter what issues you bring up, it wont be the first or last time they have heard and dealt with that particular thing. And it might allow them to help you out more if they know what is wrong.

Best wishes

Coach Perl