Tryouts Aren’t Just About Making the Team — They’re About Growth

Last night at the D-BAT facility in Amarillo, we held tryouts for 806 Drive. And like every good baseball moment, it wasn’t just about the stats. It was about the reps, the nerves, the growth—and the kids.

Tryouts matter. Not just for who makes the team, but for what every kid learns about themselves in the process. As Derek Jeter once said in a message to young players, “You’re going to be told that you’re not good enough. You’re going to deal with adversity... But if you love it, if you truly love it, that’s when you’ll keep going.”

That’s what we saw last night.

The Stress Is the Point

There’s value in letting kids compete under pressure. That tension—standing in a cage, making a throw, fielding a hard ground ball with parents watching and coaches evaluating—is what helps a young athlete grow. It’s a muscle. Just like hitting or pitching, the ability to handle pressure has to be trained. You don’t magically learn it in high school. You don’t wake up in college knowing how to stay calm under stress. You build it now—at age 10, 11, or 12.

Even if your kid doesn’t make the team, they still walked away with something important: more reps, more coaching, more feedback. And that’s a win.

Realization Through Comparison

One of the most underrated parts of a tryout is seeing where you stack up. For some kids, the realization is, “Hey—I’m closer than I thought.” For others, it’s, “I’ve got work to do, but I know what it is now.”

That was the case with my own son. At his first tryout, he had raw talent—but it became clear he needed to understand the environment better. He had to learn how to be a more aware player, how to deal with stress, and how to support his teammates. That realization didn’t break him. It helped shape him.

Feedback > Ego

Every kid who came to our tryout—whether they make the roster or not—will receive a paragraph of feedback. We don’t take that lightly. We know it’s not easy to hear what your child needs to work on. I’ve been on the receiving end of those conversations myself. But this process isn’t about parental egos. It’s about serving the kids.

Being on a “winning” team at age 11 means nothing if your child isn’t getting meaningful reps. Playing time, quality coaching, and development matter far more. We’ve seen kids grow more on .500 teams with great coaches than on undefeated teams where they sit the bench.

806 Drive = Purpose Over Prestige

We created 806 Drive to help redefine how youth sports can work—by putting development before clout. A tryout should feel like a camp. It should feel like a challenge. And most importantly, it should feel like an opportunity to grow, whether or not a jersey comes with it.

So to every parent who showed up, to every kid who stepped on the turf last night—thank you. We see you. We respect the effort. And we hope this experience adds to your journey.

Let’s keep building.

Watch Derek Jeter’s talk on adversity and learning from challenges:

👉 Jeter talks to young players