To:Parents of Sun Prairie Youth Baseball (SPYB) players eligible for 9U-14U tournament play

Re: SPYB Baseball Tournament Teams 9U-14U – Comprehensive Information

Overview/Expectations:As a parent or legal guardian of a potential SPYB Tournament Team [TT] player, we ask that you set a good example of fan support and sportsmanship, be respectful in winning and losing, and support good play by all teams. As part of your child’s potential selection to a TT from a larger group of children who tried out, we also ask that you keep the following expectations in mind:

  • Attendance to games and practices is expected unless there are true conflicts, in which case such conflicts should be communicated to coaches immediately:

Examples would include the obvious (illnesses, injuries, emergencies), along with TT practices that conflict with SPYB regular season games. We do not intend TT practices to take priority over the SPYB regular season, and SPYB will work with TT coaches to minimize these conflicts.

SPYB hopes that other conflicts are also minimized – for example, conflicts with vacations or other sports not in season. SPYB recognizes it is Summerand it may be impossible to work around all conflicts (vacations, weddings, reunions, etc.), but asks that such conflicts be minimized, given selection to a TT. Please keep in mind that attendance at games and practices may be a component of coaches determining playing time and positions played.

  • With regards to playing time and positions, please just keep the following in mind:

SPYB guides TT coaches to aim to play all players in the field at least half of the game and to give kids chances at multiple positions within a game and/or over the course of the TT season – but those are guidelines, not a requirement, given the increased competitiveness of the TT play.

Player positions, playing time, and places in the batting order are completely up to the discretion of the TT coaches and will reflecta combination of coaches’ assessments of players’ abilities, development, attitudes, and attendance (games & practices). Play in certain positions in SPYB regular season games or in certain proportions of game innings in the SPYB regular season does not mean a player will play the same position or same proportion of innings on the TT.

  • 13U/14U tournaments, in particular, may be played under NFHS rules (not LL rules), such that subs are limited by the format used and are at the coach’s discretion – pitching & coaching requirements in those cases can be very different (players may sit much/all of one game and then play the entire next game; pitchers may pitch up to 5 innings, etc.).
  • We have complete trust in our coaches, parents, and players to set positive examples of sportsmanship and support. Please just note that repeated examples of poor sportsmanship, disrespectful behavior, etc. are subject to discipline by the SPYB Board, including potential suspension or removal from a team by the SPYB Board if such behavior persists.

Eligibility

  • All current SPYB players not also playing in the majority of games for a “Club/Select” team are eligible to tryout for an SPYB TT. Those who also play in the majority of a “Club/Select” team’s games are ineligible for SPYB TT participation.
  • Players not attending the tryouts should understand that they MAY be waiving the opportunity to play on an SPYB tourney team.
  • Players may only try out for one age group TT. Rookie players may try out for a team. Once a player participates in a specific age group tryout, they may nottryout for a different age group TT.
  • Injured players who want to be considered for a TT shall register for the tryout and attend the full tryout on the sidelines, in order to be considered for a TT by the selection committee.

Try-Out Format:Participants will be randomly divided into groups of equal number. Each group will move through a series of evaluationstations to include ground balls, fly balls, pitching, and hitting. All evaluators will see all players demonstrate all skills to be able to make a comprehensive evaluation.

Registration for Tryouts – Must be Completed On-Line:Registration will be on-line, at no charge and using your existing account infovia the league website. No walk-ups allowed the day of tryouts.

Player & Coach Selection Process:Players will be selected to teams based on the following:

  • Tryout performance/evals – regular season coaches will have a chance to be part of the tryout process.
  • SPYB regular season coaches’ evaluations of players on their own teams.

The SPYB Board will appoint selection committees for choosingteams.Selectors will not have a child involved in the tryout process for the teams those appointees are helping to select – so no parents of 9 year olds will be involved in the 9U team selection process, etc. (but such parents might be involved, if other volunteers are not available, in helping with things like hitting ground balls or fly balls to those trying out – such individuals just won’t be helping to select teams that their child is trying out for).

All players can make a TT through the tryout process.SPYB TTs will be posted to the website by 6pm the dayfollowing tryouts. No communication of any kind will take place prior to that e-mail being sent out.Specific players’ tryout scores or data related to where players ranked relative to others will not be made available. Coaches for each team will be selected by the SPYB Board based on the composition of the TTs, interest expressed by regular season coaches, and the judgment of SPYB Board members.

Team Distribution *

  • 9U:2 equal talent teams w/ at least 11 players per team (teams 1a & 1b intended to be equal)
  • 10U B/Gray:At least 11 players will be chosen for this team
  • 10UA/Red: At least 10 players will be chosen for this team
  • 11U& 12U:2 teams for each age – A/Redand B/Gray teams (at least 10 players per team)
  • 13U & 14U:1 team for each age (at least 10 players on each team)

* SPYB reserves the right to deviate from the # of players listed; the minimum # listed ensures sub[s] are available (10U A/Red and ages 11+ play 9 in the field); #’s on teams may vary by team according to discretion of team selection committees

Costs to Participants and Parental Volunteering

Payments will be made via the league website, with Credit Cards or Debit Cards the only payment methods accepted. The cost differences by age reflect the number and cost of tournaments entered. Cost includes a tourney team jersey. All players wear their League-issued hats and black socks, and gray pants with a black belt.Parents of players selectedmay be asked to volunteer to assist with the tournaments which SPYB hosts.

Team Commitment – Schedule/Dates:The# selected for each team will ensure that each player receives sufficient playing time.Given that a smaller # will be selected from the larger group trying out, it’s important that yourchild be able to commit to most, if not all, of the tournament dates listed. If you have conflicts with any of thetournament dates listed, please note this when registering for tryouts.