CDS Baseball 2010 Season Faqs

CDS Baseball – 2010 Season FAQs

1. When is the first practice/tryout? The first allowable practice date by the FHSAA is Monday Jan. 18th. Therefore, our first practice will be on January 18th from 3:00-5:30pm. A mandatory parent/player meeting will immediately follow the conclusion of practice at 5:30pm.

2. If I’m participating in an overlapping winter sport (such as basketball or soccer) do I need to attend the first practice? Yes. This date and time has been selected specifically to accommodate athletes in winter sports. Based upon a check with other coaches this date and time has no conflicts with any existing CDS practice or game activities. While your full involvement in practices won’t be required until your winter sports commitments are satisfied it is mandatory that you attend the practice on Monday January 18 th. Please note that the 18th is MLK Day and school will not be in session. Please plan your logistics accordingly to attend this practice. Please also note that the parent/player meeting immediately following this first practice is mandatory for at least one parent per player to attend.

3. Where will we practice and host our home games? The vast majority of practices and all home games will be played at Ed Radice Sports Complex. For those of you unfamiliar with this complex it includes exceptional baseball facilities and is located close to Sickles High School on S. Mobley between Race Track Rd. and Gunn Hwy. The physical address is: 14720 Ed Radice Dr, Tampa, FL 33626.

4. How many games will we play and when is the first one? Our game schedule is already in place and we have a minimum of a 20 game schedule. We will be participating in a non-district tournament as well as the district playoff tournament so the exact number of games will vary based upon our success in those tournaments. In addition to the regular game schedule, we will also most likely have 2-3 preseason games (organized scrimmages). The complete regular season game schedule is listed at the end of this document. The first regular season game is Friday Feb. 19th at Seffner Christian.

5. What will a typical week be like in terms of games and practices? Once the regular season gets under full swing, a normal week will consist of 2 games and 3 practices. Typically Mon-Thurs will consist of 2 practices and 2 games with another practice on either Friday or Saturday. Occasionally (most likely during Jan and early Feb) we could have up to 6 practices in a week (Mon-Sat).

6. Is a practice schedule available yet? No. A full practice schedule will be made available during the first practice. However, for your planning purposes, here is the practice schedule for the first week of activities (all these practices are at Ed Radice): - Monday 1/18 3:00-5:30pm with parent/player meeting at 5:30pm - Tuesday 1/19 through Friday 1/22 4:00-6:00pm

7. Will CDS be providing transportation to practices? Yes. For those players requiring transportation, CDS will be providing bus transportation to Ed Radice for practices and home games. Return bus service to CDS will not be provided. For away games CDS will be providing round trip bus transportation. More detailed information on bus transportation to practices at Ed Radice will be provided during the first practice. Since there is no school on the date of the first practice no bus service from CDS will be available.

8. Will CDS be eligible to participate in state sanctioned post season play? Yes. During the 2010 baseball season CDS baseball is assigned to and participating in Class 1A, Region 3, District 9. 7 teams in total are in our district and we will be playing each district team twice during the regular season. All 12 games against district opponents will count towards our regular season district standings.

9. When will the season be finished? District playoffs begin Monday April 26th and are completed by Thursday April 29th. It will take a top two finish in the district playoffs to advance to regionals and play beyond the 29th.

10. My family is considering an out-of town vacation during spring break. Will I be able to go? Yes. We will be shutting the baseball program down for CDS spring break (3/27-4/4) and players are encouraged to enjoy this break away from the field.

11. Is this a formal tryout? Should I expect there is a good chance I won’t make the team? As you know, we are attempting to effectively build a new baseball program here at CDS. While not guaranteed, it is expected that all interested HS players will be able to be accommodated on the dress and/or practice teams. It is also possible that some MS players could participate. However, that would be based on need and the ability level of the individual MS players – with player safety being a major consideration.

12. I play AAU ball and/or Little League (Juniors/Seniors). Should I play with these teams during the high school season? My general rule is this - there is to be no outside baseball during the HS season. However, if there are some younger players who could end up with very limited playing time I can see individual exceptions being made so they can get some additional in season game experience. Of course a main caveat would be that no CDS practices or games be missed due to conflicts. This will be addressed on an individual basis and my express approval would be required.

13. What do I need to wear to practices? Unless specifically instructed otherwise before a planned practice, players will need to be attired in full baseball gear. This includes baseball pants (no shorts), sliding pants, protective cup, cleats, and hats. In addition, players will need to have turf shoes (or sneakers) available for all practices as metal cleats will not be allowed in the batting cages. All of the above applies to the first practice on January 18th as well.

14. Will CDS have bats available for use? Yes. CDS will be providing 1-2 bats for general team use. However, most players typically purchase and use their own bats to more precisely match their individual preferences in terms of length, weight, and flex. Please note that FHSAA rules require no greater than a drop 3 (-3) in bat weight vs. length specifications. Don’t hesitate to contact me if you’re not sure what this means. In addition, less expensive wooden bats are also recommended for a variety of hitting drills (tee and cage work) to lessen the wear and tear on your more expensive metal game bats. Wooden bat specifications should match your game bat to the extent possible.

I hope this information is helpful. Other information regarding expectations, accepted parental involvement, coaching philosophies, etc. will be shared during the mandatory player/parent meeting at the completion of practice on January 18th. Thank you for your interest in CDS baseball. With your help, I look forward to building an extremely successful baseball program at CDS. My contact information is:

David Clement – Head Coach CDS Baseball 727-804-4486 [email protected]

Go Patriots!

2010 CDS Baseball game schedule as of 12/16/09:

2/19 CDS @ Seffner Christian (4:00pm) *2/23 Tampa Bay Christian Academy @ CDS (3:30pm) *2/25 CDS @ Canterbury (5:00pm) *3/02 CDS @ Keswick Christian (4:15pm) *3/04 Cambridge Christian @ CDS (4:00pm) 3/09 Bayshore Christian @ CDS (3:30pm) *3/11 Canterbury @ CDS (4:00pm) *3/15 CDS @ Academy at the Lakes (4:00pm) *3/18 CDS @ Lakeside Christian (3:30pm) *3/22 CDS @ Tampa Bay Christian Academy (3:30pm) 3/25 CDS @ Bayshore Christian (3:30pm) *4/06 Lakeside Christian @ CDS (3:30pm) *4/08 Keswick Christian @ CDS (4:00pm) *4/13 CDS @ Cambridge Christian (4:00pm) *4/15 Academy at the Lakes @ CDS (4:00pm) 4/17-4/24 Citrus Park Tournament (3 game minimum) 4/26 District Playoffs (quarter finals) at Canterbury 4/27 District Playoffs (semi finals) at Canterbury 4/29 District Playoffs (finals) at Canterbury

* denotes district game