1) RELAX

Tryouts should be renamed "Evaluations." Nobody is getting cut on Saturday and nobody is getting a $400 MLB contract. Remembering this should lower the temperature for a lot of players (and parents).

And on top of that, the vast majority of kids trying out this weekend already know with absolute certainty which division they'll be playing in based on their age and experience so individual performances at tryouts only truly matters for a small number of players.

2) PLAY HARD

While the results of the tryout won't matter for most kids, whenever a player steps on the baseball field he wants to give his best effort. So parents, rather than saying things like "make sure you catch the flyballs," or "you gotta make good throws" encourage them to give their best effort and not to get caught up the results.

Ballplayers: one thing you always have total control over on the field is your effort so go out there on Saturday and set the tone for a great 2022 season!

Most players hitting the field on Saturday will not have played baseball in months so as parents and coaches we should expect to see some rusty skills out there - that's OK; getting back into the groove is what the pre-season is for.

Players: be kind to yourself if you make a mistake.

Parents: be patient and supportive while our kids start shaking off the rust from the off-season.

3) HAVE FUN!

Our Southern California kids might not realize it but most kids in America aren't having tryouts this weekend because their fields are buried in snow and ice! And we get to be on the field playing baseball, in a tee shirt, on January 8th?!?!? How lucky is that?!?!

Every minute on the baseball field, no matter what time of year it is, is a gift so let's remind our players to just HAVE FUN out there! Tryout, practice, scrimmage, game...whatever! If we're on the field, we're supposed to be having fun.

Not only will your ballplayer enjoy the tryout experience more if having fun is the goal, but they'll absolutely perform better with a mindset free of stress, worry, or pressure.

So let’s all Relax, Play Hard, and Have Fun on Saturday.

Remember, it’s not life and death; it’s just baseball!

Here’s to an awesome 2022 season!