Tryouts for the 2024 softball season will begin on Monday, February 5, 2024. All student-athletes are required to obtain their athletic clearance to be eligible. Completed packets must be submitted to the Cal High Athletic Department no later than the deadline in January, which will soon be provided by the Athletic Director. See Chad Ross (AD) or Erin Jadd, if you will not meet the deadline.
High school rules require a minimum of a 3-day tryout. However, to help us make the best decisions and give all participants every opportunity to display their skills, our tryouts generally take 1-2 weeks before final Varsity and JV rosters are determined. Importantly, rostered players and the position / role they play will be determined fresh every year, based on (a.) the relative competition from the pool of players trying out that year and (b.) the projected needs of each team for that upcoming season. Specifically, this means making a team one year is not a guarantee of making a team another year. Conversely, not making a team one year does not mean a player won’t make a team another year.
A tentative tryout schedule is below:
February 5-7, 2024: Individual Skills Assessment
– Base Running Evaluation (Monday)
– Pitchers & Catchers Evaluation (Monday)
– Infield & Outfield Evaluation (Tuesday)
– Hitting Evaluations (Wednesday)
After satisfactory completion of the individual skills evaluation, a “survivors list” will be posted online Wednesday night by 9:00PM, inviting selected players to return to split squad sessions on Thursday and continue their tryout in smaller groups, focusing on team / game skills.
February 8-9, 2024: Team / Game Skills Assessment — Split Squads
– Participants will be separated into smaller groups utilizing both Varsity and JV fields
– Split squad assignments will change each day, so participants can work with different groups of teammates
– Participants should check this site before each session to see which field they are assigned for that day
– NOTE: SPLIT-SQUAD FIELD ASSIGNMENTS ARE NOT AN INDICATION OF FUTURE ROSTER ASSIGNMENTS!
February 10, 2024: Saturday Jamboree at Castro Valley High
– 5 schools will scrimmage in a Varsity Jamboree (morning) and a JV Jamboree (afternoon)
– Some players may be asked to play in both Jamborees, depending on position need, player availability, and coaching needs
– All participants should plan to be available the entire day
February 12, 2024: Orange & Black Scrimmage
– Tentatively planned for Monday, provided both the individual and team / game skills assessments are completed
– Family and friends invited to scrimmage
– PRELIMINARY Varsity and JV rosters will be posted online Monday night by 9:00PM
February 13, 2024: Uniform Pick-Up & Team Meetings, including Snap!Raise Fundraiser Kick-off
– Uniforms will be distributed at the Softball Container, then dress for team meetings and videos
– All-player and individual team meetings will take place, even though rosters are still PRELIMINARY (i.e. NOT FINAL)
– Snap!Raise representative will be present to kick-off 2024 fundraiser
– No practice this day.
February 14, 2024: Pre-Scrimmage Practices
– First team practices on respective fields to prep for Thursday, February 15 scrimmages
– Some players may be asked to participate in both practices
February 15, 2024: Final Scrimmages
– Some players may be asked to participate in both scrimmages
Posting of Final Rosters
Once all prospective players have completed the tryout process, the coaches will then decide who will be offered a roster spot on one of the two teams — Varsity or JV. Our goal is to post these PRELIMINARY Varsity and JV teams online in the evening following the Orange & Black Scrimmage. Team rosters will be considered PRELIMINARY pending completion of (a.) the February 15 scrimmages and (b.) the supplemental tryout for winter sport athletes, who may not participate in the tryout until either their winter sport has ended or their coach has granted them clearance to attend. All winter sport athletes will be given a supplemental tryout of at least 3 days, per rule. Since the general tryout may have ended by the time winter sport athletes arrive, and the PRELIMINARY teams will likely have been announced, the supplemental tryout for the winter sport athletes may fully or partly occur by them taking part in joining the practices of the PRELIMINARY teams. Once these winter sport athletes have completed a tryout of at least 3 days, the coaches will then decide whether or not any or all will be offered a roster spot on one of the two PRELIMINARY teams. If any or all winter sport athletes are offered a roster spot, additional player adjustments may occur to either or both of the PRELIMINARY Varsity and JV team rosters, before officially considering the team rosters to be FINAL.
Important Notes
– Participants should bring all of their softball gear to every session, including appropriate shoes AND cleats for all surfaces.
– Any participant who has 3 unexcused absences will be considered as a voluntary withdrawal and will be unable to continue with the tryout.
– With the exception of the Orange & Black Scrimmage, all tryout sessions are closed. Only players and coaches should be in attendance.
– Check this site everyday for late-afternoon updates regarding changes based on field and weather conditions.
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