Saskatoon Lasers Spring Tryout Evaluations 2023 - 

Hello U13/U15/U17 parents.

The following is the breakdown for the tryout weekends February 25th-26th, March 4th-5th. .  
Please ask everyone to come 30 minutes prior to their sessions for registration.
Registration includes:  Receiving Tryout T-shirt/numbering, Jersey Sizing and Filling out the A Team commitment form. 
 

PLEASE REMEMBER TO BRING A COMPLETED COMMITMENT LETTER FOR YOUR AGE GROUP.  LETTERS CAN BE FOUND UNDER THE COMMITMENT LETTER TAB ON THE HOME PAGE

A reminder to please make sure your daughter brings her batting helmet, fielding mask, ball glove and bat. If they don't have a bat, one will be provided. Also please make sure they are wearing proper ball attire, please no shorts. Leggings, sweatpants or ball pants are acceptable. As well as indoor shoes, cleats are not allowed. 

Gordie Howe Sports Complex

1303 Avenue P S

All female junior players (U13 / U15 / U17) must be evaluated, as per Saskatoon Minor Softball League (SMSL) regulations. If you choose not to be evaluated please know your child will NOT be eligible to be placed on an A Division team.

Junior evaluations are conducted over one weekend Feb 25-26, 2023.  The zone has made provisions for March 4 and 5 for those who cannot attend the first weekend but you MUST have approval by the JR Coordinator (juniorcoordinator@saskatoonlasers.com).  Additional fees may be applied to cover this extra cost.   

If your daughter does not wish to play on an A Division team, evaluations are not mandatory but encouraged.  This will help us make all the teams competitive.

The 222’s Fastpitch program will be running the skills evaluations again this year. The tryout will be held at the new Gordie Howe Sports Complex.  Some of the drills used by Team Canada for their evaluations will be used.  The drills will be posted on the Laser’s website closer to the tryout dates.

Equipment needed for evaluations: ball glove, helmet, non-marking indoor running shoes (not cleats), water bottle, short sleeved T-shirt, gym shorts/capris. Batting gloves are optional.

There are no evaluations for the Tim Bit Softball age groups.

Boys at the U13 level and above do not attend Lasers evaluations, those are handled by the Saskatoon Selects.

The tryouts will be run as a testing protocol circuit. The circuit is comprised of 4 testing stations; Hitting, Infield, Outfield and Arm Strength Velocity/Exit Speed. The players in each age division will be split into 4 groups with each group moving through the circuit to complete all the testing. The four testing stations will be running simultaneously to maximize efficiency of facility space and 222’s staff.  The pitcher and catcher testing will be done separately and will not be a part of the circuit as these tests would not include everyone and would require more warmup time for the pitchers and more space.  If interested in a pitching or catching evaluation please use the registration tab to sign up.

Fielding and Hitting Testing 

Hitting
Each athlete will get 10 pitches from the machine and 10 soft toss pitches. The athletes will be scored on contact, swing mechanics and power.

Infield
Athletes will field a rolled ground ball 75ft from 1st base at the short stop position. The test is glove to glove time. Time starts when the rolled ball hits the athlete’s glove and stops when it reaches the coaches glove at first base. Points are also given for accuracy and these points are combined to give a total score for the attempt. Each athlete will get 4 attempts.  Each Athlete will also get 5 ground balls hit to them that they must field and throw to first base from the short stop position. The evaluator will give a score based on mechanics and skill proficiency. This score will be added to the time testing score for an overall Infield score.

Outfield
Athletes will catch a pop up thrown to them and then throw the ball 120ft to home plate. The test is glove to glove time. Time starts once the tossed ball hits the athlete’s glove and time stops once the ball reaches the coaches glove at home plate. Point are also given for accuracy and these points are combined to give a total score for the attempt. Each athlete will get 4 attempts.  Each athlete will also get 5 fly balls thrown to them that they must attempt to catch and throw ball back to the coach. The evaluator will give a score based on mechanics and skill proficiency. This score will be added to the time testing score for an overall Infield score.

Arm Strength Velocity and Exit Velocity 

Each athlete will throw a ball into a bow net from 10ft away.  The speed of the throw will be recorded, and athletes will be given points based on their ranking. Exit velocity will be measured from hitting the ball of the tee. Each athlete will be given 5 attempts.

Pitcher Catcher Testing 

Pitching – Each pitcher will be asked to throw a set number of pitches. The evaluator will record speed, location and spin.   Pitching mechanics will also be evaluated.
Number of pitches by age division
U13 – 3 attempts of each pitch that they throw or a combined total of 9 pitches
U15 – 3 attempts of each pitch that they throw or a combined total of 12 pitches
U17 – 3 attempts of each pitch that they throw or a combined total of 15 pitches

Catching – Test 1 - Each catcher will be tested on 3 attempted bunt throws to first base on a movement to glove time. The catcher will start 4ft behind home plate in the squat position and field a bunt in three different locations in front of home plate and throw the ball to first base. The bunts are timed as three separate attempts with time starting on the catchers first movement and stopping when the ball reaches the coaches glove at first base. Accuracy points will also be awarded for each attempted.
Catching Test 2 – Pop Time – Glove to glove test on a throw from behind home plate to second base. The catcher will receive a pitched ball from a coach and then make a throw to second base. Time will start when the ball hits the catcher’s glove and stops when the ball reaches the coaches glove at 2nd base. Accuracy points will be awarded to complete the overall attempt score. Each catcher will get 3 attempts.