Tryout Policy

HCYA's tryouts are open to all eligible players who are skilled enough at baseball to participate in the tryout activities and ultimately to play safely at the high school level. Contact us if you'd like to be put on our interest list for the next upcoming season's tryout dates.

In addition to safety, our philosophy on player selection is based on current ability level, team needs, and perceived future potential of a player. Our overarching goals every season are to build the best roster for the current and future success of the Varsity team and to arrive at reasonable roster sizes, allowing each player to have meaningful playing time throughout the season.

Depending on the total number of players who try out for a given season, our tryouts may be handled as an informal assessment of each player's skills as they practice with the team, or as a more formal, organized process, working the players through various stations or drills. Previous membership on the HCYA roster is not a guarantee of making the roster or a particular squad in future years, although participating in the HCYA program is helpful in advancing a player's abilities.

Many of our practices are combined with both Varsity and Junior Varsity (V/JV) players practicing together. We strive to think of HCYA Baseball as "one team." However, game/league roster limits and playing time considerations require us to operate two different squads for game situations, both in fall and spring. Two squads will be formed for that purpose once the coaches have evaluated the level of each player's skill and how it fits into the needs of each squad.

Note: Even if your son enters our program having been a Varsity player at the high school level on another team, he will be evaluated in this process and may be slotted to JV, or as a "swing player" participating on both Varsity and JV. Even if this happens initially, do not be concerned that this is a once-and-done decision. Evaluations are continually made at each game and practice. More often than not, players move up or down to and from Varsity as the season progresses, as their skills and team needs change. New players trying out as a senior will need to make the Varsity squad to join the program.

Playing Time

Every effort is made to provide ample playing time for all players on the JV squad, as its purpose is to develop players who will contribute to Varsity's future success. Depending on the size of the Varsity roster, however, there will be some limitations to available playing time.

Varsity participation is by invitation only, and playing time on that squad is earned and allocated in our best efforts to play our best baseball every game (Col. 3:23).