By: Miya Braker 4/9/25
To swing off the season, softball Coaches Ayer and Schooling have picked the best to complete their team. For softball, they have 2 teams: the A team and the B team. The tryout will include many things to decide who's on the team. This article will consist of a walk-through of softball tryouts to prepare you for next year.
When all the players arrive, they huddle together while Coach Ayer and Schooling discuss what they are looking for in their team. After the huddle, they ease their way into stretches, standing in five different lines. The 8th graders stand on one side, and everyone else gets on the other side in lines. First, they do standing stretches like arm circles, then start doing stretches down the gym and back like running 100% sprints. ¨We are treating this as a practice.¨ Coach Ayer says.
After stretches, the players have a quick drink, huddle, and head back tryouts. The first activity they do is where they get a partner and throw the ball back and forth, but each time they step back further, until they are across the gym. The second activity is called a pickle throw to see how well you can throw and get then close in on the opponent. Coach Ayer Quotes, ¨Always hit the ball as if it was winning the game.¨ In the game, when you have a pickle ball close in on the opponent in between the two bases so they have to run further, and you have more time to tag them. When the first two activities are done, they end up having two more to go, including Knock-Out (the fun one) and Around the Horn. The Softball version of Knock-Out is where all the girls stand on the other side of the gym, and Coach Schooling or Ayer will hit a ball their way. The girls will catch the ball and throw it back. Around the Horn is the game/drill they did at the end. Ayer will bat to shortstop, and they will throw to first, who will throw to third, then second, and then back home.
Towards the end of tryouts and after all the drills, all the players will get drinks and then go home, waiting to see if they made the team. When you try out as the tryouts go on, Coaches slowly eliminate who they want for the A team and B team. When the tryouts are over, if you made the team, you will get an email, and you will come back the next day for a second round of tryouts.
To conclude, Coach Schooling and Coach Ayer picked the best ones to complete their team. During the tryouts, they do many fun drills that will reveal your weaknesses and strengths. So get ready for next year and prepare as the Colts Softball Girls hit off their season with a great start.