On this page you will find a variety of tryout information for our organization. In 2008, the Tides plan on organizing 1 Elite 14U team, if you have question concerning this, just email us at rhodeislandtides@cox.net Thank you.

How to Register? Go to the "Register for Tryouts" link at the top of the web site and print out an application and follow the directions on where to mail the appropriate information too. Thanks!

08 Tryouts... The Tides will be holding tryouts to select 1 14U team for the 2008 season, these tryouts will take place during the early winter, please read the schedule posted on our home page.

Important note to think about as if you are checking out this web site you most likely have been approached about playing AAU baseball for other organizations which try to compete against the Tides. Well, think about this, none of the Tides teams will have parent coaches, all of the Tides coaching staffs are made up of individuals with either HS, College, and Pro experience, and this is what separates the Tides from the rest of the select and AAU teams in Southern New England. Are there some excellent parent coaches, yes, there are some, but all and all it is better for a player getting ready to compete at the HS level to play for someone whom they are not related too, or to play for someone who doesn't have someone related to them on the team, can it work, yes, it can, but it is much harder and when you play for individuals who hold no vested interest as to who plays or performs well or who doesn't, well, it just makes the experience all the more authentic and gives them a feel for what it will be like when they take the field at tryouts for their school team, as there will be no parents hitting ground balls and fly balls to them there, when they take the field for that tryout they will be performing for someone who doesn't care who makes the team, as they are just looking for ballplayers to win for their school. It brings a different feel and element to the dugout and this is an intangible that the players experience when playing for the Tides, it is something real and something to consider seriously when making a decision as to whom to tryout for.

Also, there are always rumors thrown out there that the Tides are pre-picked and that it isn't worth tryout for our organization, well, that is nonsense, Why do these rumors persist? Well, it is hard to compete against us, as we have a solid organization with the priorities of producing excellent ballplayers and winning teams, so the hope is that a player can be persuaded into not trying out as to protect their fragile ego, as it might get bruised if they don't make our program, it is really sad, but in the past people have bought into this and then the next year come to us wanting to tryout as they are looking for something better after playing for someone else. The lesson to be learned in that is it is better to take a chance and tryout, what do you have to lose? If you are an excellent player at the age of 12, 13, or 14, why would you not want to play for us? 9 of our players which have come through the organization have been drafted, 2 start in the Pros, and countless others have gone on to play college ball. If you look in the Providence Journal at the end of each season when the All Division and All State selections are made a good percentage of those players are former Tides, that is not by accident, they took a shot and paid off for them, and they took a shot when competition for spots was at even higher clip, as back then we had anywhere from 75 to 90 players trying out annually, now we usually get anywhere from 35 to 45 players per age group, which puts your chances at making the program around 35% to 40%, that isn't bad, of course, most of those players are quality players, but isn't that the type of team you want to play for? Why play for a team in which you are unquestionably the best player? Do you need an ego boost? If you are the best player in your town you should want to play for the Tides because you will be just as good as the player next to you, and you will have to compete and excel to gain playing time and to become a better player, that is how you get good, not by being the hero on a bad team, any town superstar can do that, you should want to compete, and those are the players we want.

To answer many questions, YES, the Tides will conduct tryouts for the 14U age group, we anticipate a quality core of players returning from our past season, however, there will be spots to fill as we are looking to better an already excellent team, I would anticipate anywhere from 6 to 7 new players, the team is looking for outstanding overall players and pitching, as you never have enough quality arms.