FAQ: REP AND SELECT TRYOUTS
Tryouts for the NYBA Blues Elite, Rep and Select Teams are conducted in a safe and supportive environment.
NYBA Coaches and Executive Members attend tryouts to assist with player placement. Parents and players will be encouraged to become part of teams that suit their skill and commitment level.
While every effort is made to field a team for every age group and level of play, team composition is based on the players that tryout and the number of volunteer coaches.
The NYBA Rep & Select committee has compiled a list of FAQs covering topics such as what to bring to tryouts to how much are rep fees. Any questions not addressed here can be asked at tryouts or by email to the coach.
Tryout Dates and Times have been posted here.
NOTE: Players outside of the TBA wanting to tryout at NYBA or NYBA players interested in tryouts outside of the TBA, should familiarize themselves with release requirements.
Registration for rep tryouts will open mid-August for all series in the A, AA, and AAA. Tryouts for our select division will be later in September.
NYBA has elected to follow a 'waterfall' approach to tryouts. All players regardless of their level will attend the first week of tryouts. Once the AAA players are chosen, players will be invited back to additional tryouts for the AA, A teams.
This allows the coaches to see all players together.
Baseball Ontario (OBA) and the Toronto Baseball Association (TBA) allow players to try out for Rep programs outside of their home and affiliate associations.
Within the Toronto Baseball Association:
- All players living within the Toronto Baseball Association can tryout for a team outside of their local association, without a release.
- When an NYBA player is given an offer to play in another local association, a signed release from NYBA is required. Parents need to download, complete and sign the TBA Release Form, and email it to Matthew Lethbridge. Once signed, the release needs to be submitted to the new association.
- Players from other associations joining NYBA, need to provide NYBA with a TBA Release signed by their local association.
Outside of the Toronto Baseball Association.
- Players outside of the Toronto Baseball Association (Such as Mississauga, Simcoe or York) who want to tryout for North York must obtain a release from their local associations and their affiliate association before trying out for NYBA. The release must be brought to the tryout.
- North York Players interested in attending tryouts outside of the TBA need to complete the TBA release which is signed by both NYBA and the TBA. Parents need to download, complete and sign a TBA Release Form and email it to Matthew Lethbridge. Matthew will complete the Local Association section on behalf of NYBA. All signed forms will be returned to the parent, to be emailed to the Toronto Baseball Association for signing.
Players trying out for AAAA or Elite teams do not require a release.
- Click here for the TBA rules and regulations
- 2024-5- TBA Player Release Form (Click to download) This a single-form with two parts. NYBA signs under Local Association, TBA signs under Regional Association.
All release forms requiring a signature from NYBA should be emailed to Matthew Lethbridge | matthewl@rogers.com.
All release forms requiring a signature from TBA should be emailed to Howie Birnie | hwbirnie@rogers.com
The NYBA recommends that players with no prior baseball experience above House League, and no supplemental training (such as baseball camp) register for Rep A, AA or Select tryout. Experienced players, unsure of their level of play should start at the AAA level.
All players will attend the first week of tryouts for that age group. Coaches along with parents and players can determine their comfort level and assess if they should continue with AAA tryout, or transition to AA or Select tryout.
The following items are required to be brought to/worn at each tryout:
- Ball Glove (required)
- Batting Helmet (required)
- Jock/Jill (required)
- Long Pants (required)
- Closed lace-up running shoes (required) – open-toed or slip-on shoes are not permitted. Baseball shoes with cleats are permitted where age-appropriate.
- Batting gloves (optional)
Recommended: A bat that meets age requirements for the age level at which you are trying out (CLICK HERE for Baseball Ontario bat rules). If you do not have a bat, you may be able to borrow one at tryouts.
Not all players that try out will make a NYBA Rep or Select team. In the week following a team’s final tryout the head coach will send an email to the player’s family indicating that the player has made the team, has not made the team, or has not yet made the team but is still being considered.
Players who did not make a rep or select team are invited to participate in the NYBA House League in the spring (registration starts November) and to attend any one of our baseball camps, which have proven to be a highly effective training environment for Rep and Select players.
NYBA partners with True North Sports Camps that offer a number of Fall and Winter indoor baseball workshops and camps.
All Rep teams train in the winter at The Toronto Mets Performance facility in Richmond Hill. At the discretion of the head coach,informal training can start in November. In all cases regular weekly (or twice weekly) training starts at the beginning of January.
Select teams training in the winter is typically determined on a team-by-team basis but generally starts on a weekly schedule in early January.
We understand that high performing athletes are often involved in other sports. In fact, we encourage participation in other sports as it provides cross-training benefits. Through the winter, we ask that players attend as many of the baseball practices as they can.
However, starting April 1, we ask that baseball becomes the priority sport. If players are absent from many games or practices they are letting the team down, they are not developing as baseball players and they are filling a spot on the team that could have been given to another player. So we ask that only players and families that can make the commitment join these teams.
Generally, starting April 1, coaches expect players to attend at least 80% of all games and practices. Coaches will set their own guidelines for attendance in the winter based on team philosophy and individual player circumstances.
Most teams at the AAA level do not take a break during the season. It will be up to the coach’s discretion at other levels as to whether or not there will be a short break during the season.
We do ask that players and families avoid travelling in the two weeks leading up to the major end-of-season’s playoffs (i.e. TBA championships, OBA championships, and the Elimination tournament).
While most coaches are unpaid volunteers, some teams at the AA and AAA level – especially in the Peewee and Bantam age groups – will have paid coaches.
Rep and Select coaches must be qualified through the National Coach Certification Program (NCCP) and typically have considerable coaching experience.
Coaches are announced well in advance of tryouts, which take place in September.
The North York Blues’ practices and home games are held at Bond Park in North York. Rep teams also participate in the Toronto Baseball Association (“TBA”) or an interlocked league with the TBA and the Eastern Ontario Baseball Association (“EOBA”) and York Simcoe Baseball Association (“YSBA”), depending on the age group and level.
Rep players should be prepared to play away games as far north as Barrie and as far east as Oshawa. Rep teams will also typically play 2-4 out of town weekend tournaments throughout the season.
Select teams play within the Toronto Baseball Association interlocked league, have a shortened season and no games on long weekends.
Team fees can vary considerably based on: the frequency of winter training selected by the team; additional professional or semi-professional coaching or instruction; weekend tournaments. In most cases the fee ranges are as follows:
- Rep teams: $2,000 to $3,500
- Select teams: $1,000 to $1,500
These fees do not include the cost of player’s individual equipment (e.g. baseball glove, cleats), player uniforms and cost of travel.
Every player pays a deposit when signing-up and the balance of the fees are pro-rated in installments during the year. NYBA uses TeamSnap as its registration system.
Refunds: There are no fee refunds for players who have signed the NYBA commitment letter and elect to stop playing rep or select half-way through the season. In the case of extraordinary circumstances, the NYBA will review the merits of a requested refund on a case-by-case basis.