Plenty to consider before kids commit to select teams

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BY BRENT C. WAGNER / Lincoln Journal Star

It seems like some days your  minivan is the only one in the school parking lot without a bumper sticker pledging allegiance to the Lincoln Rebels, Lincoln Dodgers or Lincoln Hawks.

Young Billy says he's one of the only kids who didn't have to leave the January slumber party early for an indoor practice session with his select baseball team.

So, you're once again exploring getting your son on a select baseball team. You know, those teams that play 50 games a season, travel throughout the Midwest and help fill Saturdays from January to July.

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Head Coach Bob Bade explains a fielding drill to players during youth tryouts for the Dodgers baseball team at Elks Field recently. (Heidi Hoffman)

Now is the time of year when select programs begin to pick their teams for next season, and many will have tryouts in the next two weeks.

The thought of a select baseball team can evoke many questions for parents, especially those who grew up when a 16-game season and $25 fee were the norm, and most of the baseball was played in a sandlot.

Area coaches say you should get your questions answered during the tryout process and before you commit to the season.

"We want to make sure the parents understand how different select traveling teams are from Little League or the YMCA, just in terms of commitment of time," said Dan Little, who will coach the Lincoln Dominators’ team of 10-year-olds next season.

Ah, yes, time. You should expect to spend plenty of it. Most traveling teams will play between 40 and 70 games a season. At the peak of the season, you should expect a weekday game or practice, and a weekend tournament.

"It's usually pretty eye-opening for a new parent to come in and grasp what the commitment really is for these kids to get better and develop their skills," Little said.

The time commitment is one of the questions Chuck Kreikemeier gets most. He's been an assistant coach with the Lincoln Sox for several years, and will be coaching the 9-year-old team.

Kreikemeier says 50 games seem like a lot when you've been playing 12 games, but when stretched over four months it, "maybe isn't as crazy as it sounds."

“It is a commitment, no question. But I guess it's part of my lifestyle,” Kreikemeier said. "I don't play golf on the weekends, and I'm not boating. I'm spending time with my kids and helping other people's kids, and that's my enjoyment. My family is out there, and everybody enjoys it."

To keep players from spending most of their time on the bench, most teams have between 11 and 13 players. So it's important that parents decide if their child will be committed to attending practice and games throughout the season.

"Sometimes kids need to be pushed intro trying new things," Little said. "Select baseball is probably not a good thing to push a kid into, just because of the time commitment. Unless the kids are really interested in learning the fundamentals and getting better, it can be a long season. You really want the kids to have a love of the game and want to get better.”

Another factor parents need to consider is the financial commitment. Select teams fees can range from $400 to $900. Add to that the  cost for indoor practice time, clinics, and travel and hotel costs. Whether a team has volunteer or paid coaches also factors into players’ fees.

Fundraising opportunities do exist. The Dominators have a soup supper each season. Other organizations sell concessions or clean up after various sporting events.

Just like the organizations themselves, each tryout is different. While the core of select teams remain largely the same from year to year, Little says many players can still make the jump from another league to select baseball. 

Like most teams, the Dominators make players try out each season, and ask returning players to not wear any of their previous team gear. As many as 50 players will try out for some teams.

"One thing I think is important for parents to know for tryouts is that when they get out there to do groundballs or fly balls or hitting, it's not matter of which kids catch all the fly balls or field all the groundballs clearly," Little said. "But which kids are hustling after the ball, which kids look like they want to be out there and have a good attitude."

With the Sox, Kreikemeier plans a two-hour tryout that he will videotape. He'll be looking for thinks such as speed and agility, throwing ability, how players listen and their attitudes.

As the father of three, Kreikemeier understands that kids have bad days, and encourages parents to look at several organizations.

"I tell parents to plan on going to a few tryouts, just don't plan on going to one tryout," Kreikemeier said. "Just because you don't show your stuff at one tryout, you might at another."

Reach Brent C. Wagner at 473-7435 or bwagner@journalstar.com.