Summer Tryout Policy and Proceedures

All 8u, 10u, and 12u players must participate in skill evaluations every year.

• Before a player can try out, their registration and volunteer fees must be paid. (They will not be placed on a team until these are turned in.)
• Elk River Youth Softball strives to make the tryout process as impartial and fair as possible. All players will be given two days to do their best with the best score taken for team placement. 

Tryout Attendance

Players are required to attend the full tryout process.

• Illness, injury, or extraordinary personal circumstances may cause players to request different tryout process.
• Requests to miss tryouts must be made prior to the start of tryouts unless an injury or illness occurs during the tryouts.
• Submission of supporting documents, including doctor’s reports, etc. are highly recommended and should be submitted prior to the end of tryouts for anyone requesting an alternative tryout.
• Players that do not attend tryouts or have prior approval for an alternative tryout date will be place on lowest team.
• Anyone who cannot make the tryout date and/or the call back date can arrange for other accommodations PRIOR to try outs.
• These parents can reach out with an emailed request. A detailed description must be provided, the board will then review the request, and then you will be directed on how to schedule an alternative tryout date with the evaluators.
• Players that do not attend call backs will be placed per their try out score. 

Placement Priority

All players attending school or living in the Elk River School District.

• Exceptions given on a case-by-case basis.

Individuals who do not meet the eligibility requirements outlined above are still encouraged to register, as it is the policy of Elk River Youth Softball to make every reasonable effort to place all registrants on a team. However, if registration numbers require roster cuts, participants who meet the eligibility criteria will be placed first. Any remaining roster openings may then be filled by registrants residing outside the association, based on evaluation scores and coach selection.

Elk River Youth Softball recognizes that it has an obligation to our players and to our opponents to form teams with skill levels commensurate to age and competitive ability.

• Therefore, different tiered teams at all age levels will be formed on the basis of tryout evaluations.
• The highest tier level team at each age level will include at least 7 of the top players determined through the tryout scores. The remaining players shall be selected by the team coach from the remaining pool of eligible players, taking into account years of experience, tryout evaluations, and participation in Elk River Youth Softball clinics.
• In addition, the highest tier level team at each age level will include the #1 rated pitcher, as determined though tryout evaluations, "B" & "C" teams will be formed with remaining ball players as the number of kids allow.
• The Elk River Youth Softball Association Board and the coaches at that age level will approve final decisions. Appropriate level of play is essential for each girl to compete and learn as much as possible at each age level.

Players may request to play down to a lower tier team, subject to approval by the association Board. Specifically, this allows a pitcher or catcher not rated high enough to play that position on the higher-level team an opportunity to play down in order to pitch/catch on a lower tier team.

Team Formation

6U, 8U, 10U, 12U, 14U, HS (16&18U) age brackets defined by USA Softball: https://mnsoftball.com/pages/cms/age-calculator

Playing Up

USA Softball generally dictates age groupings. The association exists to provide opportunities for girls to perform at the best of their ability and the board recognizes that there may be athletes with exceptional ability who are best served by playing at a more competitive level.

• Players wishing to play up must make it known as part of the registration before tryouts.
• Determination for allowing a player to try out at a higher age group will be done by the Elk River Youth Softball board based on a number of factors.
• If a player is eligible to tryout for a higher age group, she may play at that level if she scores in the top 3 at the higher age level based on the results of the tryouts for that age group.
• The player cannot be a coach's selection player.
• If that player does not make the top 3 in the higher age group, that player will be placed on a team in their age group at the discretion of the board based on the best fit.

No player may play up if it causes another player to be cut from playing on a traveling fastpitch team. The Elk River Youth Softball Board must approve all exceptions. The Elk River Youth Softball Board also reserves the right to request a player to move up to a higher age level to fill out rosters in order to maintain the best interests of the program.

Players will be evaluated by independent judges who are not affiliated with the organization.

• Parents and coaches are not permitted in the tryout area on the first day of tryouts.
• Following the first day of tryouts, the top (7) players based on evaluation scores will be locked onto the No. 1 team, and a head coach for that team will be selected.
• Any daughter of the selected head coach must have an evaluation score placing her within the top seven (7) players to be rostered on the No. 1 team.
• Coaches will be permitted in the tryout area on the second day of tryouts to assist in selecting the remaining players.

Players will be evaluated on the following skills:

Hitting

• Pitching Machine and Front Toss and Bunting
• Machine Settings: 14U 50mph, 12U 45mph, 10U 38mph
• Evaluated on contact, power, form.

Grounders

• 8 grounders total, 2 right at them, 2 slow rollers, 2 to the right side, 2 to the left side
• Evaluated on Position/stance, Fielding, throwing accuracy

Flyballs

• 8 Flyballs total: 2 right at them, 2 to the right side, 2 to the left side, 2 behind
• Evaluated on Position/stand, catching, throw accuracy.

Throwing

• Throw velocity

Running (speed)

• 60 feet sprint
• Evaluated on time.

Pitching (Optional)

• 8 fastball pitches
• 4 of each secondary pitches
• 3 velocity pitches

Catching (Optional)

• Catching/blocking 5 each
• Throw down to second
• Pop time
• Framing