The Select program is an extension of Baseball Oshawa’s House League, and is a bridge between the House League and Rep programs. The Select program offers skilled House League players additional opportunity to participate in competitive games and tournaments. 

Similar to our Rep program, players are selected to play for our Select teams on the basis of skill at specific Select tryouts.

What are the goals of Select?

• To have fun
• To build advanced individual skills
• To provide skilled House League players with additional and more competitive experience

Do Select players play in House League as well?

Yes. 2023 Select players must be registered with and play in Baseball Oshawa’s 2023 House League program. Select players will maintain a primary commitment to their House League teams during the season, while gaining additional experience and competitive play through their participation in Select. House League games come before Select; we do our best to minimize/eliminate any conflict.   

What teams will there be in 2023? 

We will be holding tryouts for the following age levels:

• 9U (Rookie) - 8 and 9 year-olds (born in 2014/2015)
• 11U (Mosquito) - 10 and 11 year-olds (born in 2012/2013)
• 13U (Peewee) - 12 and 13 year-olds (born in 2010/2011)
• 15U (Bantam) - 14 and 15 year-olds (born in 2008/2009)

Tryouts

Select team rosters are formed after two scheduled tryouts, which will take place for all ages (see details). Tryouts are open to all age-appropriate players with the understanding that players offered Select positions must register for the 2023 House League program.  

Who should attend Select tryouts?

Players with an interest in playing more competitive baseball and in further improving their skill level should attend.

For parents considering this opportunity, Select offers an opportunity to build advanced baseball skills without the full financial and time commitments of Rep baseball. 

How do I know if my child is skilled enough?

You don’t, and we don’t, until they come out and try. So don’t miss out on the opportunity! Coming out to a tryout is good experience for kids and we highly encourage they do. 

As a general guideline, if your child is new to baseball or still in the early stages of skill development for their age level, House League is a better fit. For those players who have advanced to an intermediate or high skill level for their age should strongly consider attending Select tryouts.

We know that tryouts can be stressful for children, so we endeavour to make Select tryouts a low-pressure environment where they can get some additional diamond time and feedback on how to improve their game. We encourage all those interested to come out for the experience. 

How many players make a team?

The number of players on a team is dependent on the age level and at the discretion of Baseball Oshawa and the coaching staff. For Select, larger teams are encouraged to ensure sufficient numbers for summer games, and as many as 18 players may make a Select team. 

Players that do not make the team may be asked to join a reserve list that may play in the event of unexpected team absences.

What does the season typically look like?

Note that this is subject to change, based on COVID-19 precautions and team-specific decisions:

• Fall /Winter - Players register and attend Select tryouts to determine the team for the 2023 season.
• Winter - Off-season at-home training at Team and Coach’s discretion
• May 2023 - Spring training at Coach’s discretion
• Mid-May - Early September 2023 - Season, ending with EOSBA playoffs and Provincials (if qualify)

Where do Select teams play?

Oshawa Select teams play in the EOSBA. The EOSBA includes teams from Pickering to the west and Belleville to the east. Some games may be outside of EOSBA (e.g. Toronto), but we will endeavour to ensure that at least half of games will fall within this range. Provincial playoffs--if teams qualify--may involve a weekend of travel farther abroad.

When do I find out if my child made the Select team?

Assuming a sufficient number of players have tried out to field a competitive team, coaches will notify parents of team decisions within 1 week of the final tryouts. 

What if there isn't sufficient interest to field a team?

Should there not be enough players to field a team during fall and winter Tryouts, additional tryouts may be held in spring at the beginning of the House League season to try to field a full team. If you are interested in playing, we strongly encourage you to attend fall and winter tryouts.

Are there playoffs?

In a regular year, the EOSBA playoffs occur in mid- to late-August, and if teams qualify, they move on to the provincial playoffs. This answer will be updated once Baseball Oshawa confirms the approach for 2023.

How much does it cost to play Select?

Select fees for 2023 are set at $300 and will be payable in the spring when practices start. Payment plans can be set up for those who wish to spread the cost out. Costs may be slightly higher if coaches and parents collectively decide to increase training frequency, or perhaps enter an additional tournament.

Costs typically cover:

> Fully sublimated OLMBA owned jerseys on loan for the 2023 league and tournament season. Coaches are responsible for distributing and collecting these jerseys.

> Player-owned grey pants.

> Player-owned Oshawa Select hat.

> 8 regular season games (played as doubleheaders on 4 Saturdays), plus EOSBA playoffs and Provincial Playdowns (if team qualifies)

> 1 weekly practise, as determined by Coaching Staff.

What is the time commitment?

Select players are required to place House League practice and play (typically 2 days per week) ahead of Select obligations.

Game frequency: Approx. 8 Select games + playoffs; 1 possible Select tournaments; Provincial playoffs (depending upon standings)

Practice frequency: 1 practice per week

Select team schedules may vary depending on their involvement in regular season and tournament play, and those formats, but a typical commitment of one practice per week and 2 back-to-back weekend games wouldn’t be out of the ordinary. Teams should expect to play 8-12 games per year from June to mid-August (played as doubleheaders, on Saturdays), followed by EOSBA playoffs, and if qualifying, Provincial playoffs.

Teams with high coach and parent interest may opt to start training earlier in the year or play an additional tournament, at additional cost.

What if my child can’t make it to every game?

We understand that baseball sometimes conflicts with other commitments. While we do expect families to make every effort to attend all practices and games, Select teams strive to carry more players than typical in order to cover absences.

Can my team fundraise to offset costs?

At the discretion of the team’s coach, Select families may fundraise to help offset costs that arise as part of participation on a Select team. All fundraising must be done in accordance with Baseball Oshawa fundraising rules.