As previously indicated, for social distancing reasons, all Fall Tryout Program players have been assigned to one "pod."  Each 14U pod consists of six or seven players, and is named after an American League baseball team.  Each 13U pod consists of seven or eight players, and is named after a National League baseball team.  There are 8 14U and 12 13U pods in total.  Team names were picked randomly.   In putting together the 14U pods, we kept returning NTF players together with their 2020 teammates purely for social distancing reasons, while trying to give as many players as we could their preferred skills night.  Players were assigned to 13U pods essentially randomly, again trying to give as many players as we could their preferred skills night.  (We were more successful on skills night preferences at 14U; at 13U, the requests were wildly imbalanced towards Wednesday so we had to move a significant number of players from their chosen night, which we did randomly).  All team names at both levels were selected randomly.   Pod placement and team name mean absolutely nothing.

(Players--yes, really.  Please don't waste the mental energy trying to figure out why you were put in a specific pod or have a specific team name.  We just told you how we did it).

All 14U pods will travel together, as a group, through all skills sessions (as well as each of the four separate stations at those skills sessions), and through the first four weeks of scrimmages.  All 13U pods will travel together, as a group, through all skills sessions (as well as each of the four separate stations at those skills sessions), and through the first two scrimmages.  However, after the first four scrimmages for 14U players and the 8/20 scrimmage for 13U players, scrimmage groups will be adjusted, likely on a weekly basis, and posted on the website a few days in advance.

In addition to following state guidelines, for our Fall Tryout Program, dugouts may not be used at any skills session or scrimmage, other than for immediate entry or exit to the field.  During skills sessions and scrimmages, all players will be required to line up their equipment just outside the fences along the base lines, and to stand six feet apart from each other at all feasible times.  Finally, during scrimmages, all players must stay six feet apart behind the base line fences unless at bat, on deck, or in the field.

The 2020 Fall Tryout Program pod assignments are as follows:

13A1 exploded for 8 runs in the 2nd inning yesterday to cruise past the Park Ridge Jr. Hawks and win the LSFBL championship, 12-1.

As his been the case all season, it was a team effort for Coach Kosinski's squad.  Every single player reached base or knocked in a run, and 13A1 was paced by Ben Toft's 3-3 with 2 doubles, Sam Newlands's 2 hits and 3 RBI, and Chris Donaldson's huge 2nd inning bases loaded hit that broke the game wide open.  On the mound, C.J. Donnelly was terrific, pitching a complete game one-hitter.

In winning NTF's 10th title in the last four years, 13A1 Blue finished a spectacular 26-3 season, highlighted by a 168-40 run differential in league play, two thrashings of arch rival Mundelein, and tournament wins over Top Tier North, Rhino Baseball, Windy City Black, Stoppers Black, and Warriors Baseball Black.  Congrats to Coach Kosinski and all of his players on a job well done.

While we celebrate our champions today, to us success is about more than wins and losses, and so we would be remiss at not pointing out the successes of our other teams.  While 13A1 was the only victor on Sunday, 14A1 played top seeded Mundelein to a 2-2 tie until the bottom of the 6th before falling.  It looks to finish its season on a high note as it continues on as the #3 seed in the MSBL playoffs this week.  On Saturday, #2 seeded 14B had the tying and winning runs on base in the bottom of the 7th of its semifinal before coming up just short.  14A2 battled to a 6-8 season as our 2nd team in the division, a terrific accomplishment.  13A2 rallied from a difficult start to win four straight in mid-July.  And each of our split 13B teams won playoff games and led late in their second playoff games before ultimately falling to high seeds.

As is always the case, the most indelible memories of the week for those of us that run the program, however, are off the field. The number of kids who turned up to root their friends on other teams on was astounding.  When we said at the start of the year that this was a community, one in which all 101 of our players was equally important to us, we meant it--and all of us who run this program are so happy to see the kids, over and over again, support each other, both on and off the field.  To us, that's what community baseball is all about.  Particularly in these difficult times, we hope that we were able to provide at some joy and distraction in what has been a long, hard year in the world.

Once again, thanks for the honor of entrusting the development of your kids to us this season. We hope you are as proud of them as we are.

Drew Cardonick, President
New Trier Feeder Baseball

Due to unprecedented demand and the need to comply with social distancing guidelines, registration for the 2020 Fall Tryout Program is now closed, and, unfortunately, late registrations cannot be accepted.  We simply do not have the space necessary to add late registrants.

After highly successful runs in its first two years, NTF will again be running our 15U program in 2021.  Tryouts will take place on Monday, July 27, 2020 at 3:00 P.M. at Wilmette Jr. High School.  We are excited to see the teams on the field in the 2021 season.

Some additional details:

1. The tryout preparation part of the program, which will be run only for players in our program, will begin in January and conclude prior to New Trier High School baseball tryouts.  The program will involve two sessions per week, and is intended to progress week to week and get our players fully ready to try out for teams at New Trier High School.  We know we have many multi-sport athletes, and so all sessions will be voluntary—this is about the kids helping themselves get ready so it is up to them when they want to be there.  The program dates will be announced shortly.  The 2021 program cost is nonrefundable, UNLESS a player is chosen to play for Mike Napoleon's Wilmette Waves team, in which case we will refund all but the actual cost to us of the winter portion of the program.

2.   Based on turnout and skill level, we will select one or two tournament teams to play on weekends NEXT summer.  (We had two this season).   Each team will play 6 tournaments/showcases, giving them the chance to both play together and to play in front of college scouts, and each team will have one out of town tournament requiring an overnight stay.  (This year, one team was scheduled to go to Ohio, another to Northern Wisconsin). All tournaments are intended to COMPLIMENT summer New Trier High School baseball activities that take place during the week, and so there will be no (or, if any, extremely few) conflicts.  All tournament teams will be coached by senior instructors with significant ties to New Trier High School, and our coaches will coordinate with the New Trier coaches on a frequent basis to make sure we are playing the players at their NTHS positions and keeping arms healthy. 

TEAMS WILL BE ANNOUNCED AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THE LSFBL SEASON, AND ALL SPOTS MUST BE ACCEPTED WITHIN 48 HOURS OF THAT ANNOUNCEMENT.  WHILE THERE IS NO CHARGE TO TRY OUT, WE ASK THAT, IN FAIRNESS TO THOSE PLAYERS PARTICIPATING, YOU ONLY TRY OUT IF YOU INTEND TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM.

If you have any questions, please reach out to us at info@newtrierfeederbaseball.org.