jr seawolves TRYOUTS for 8u to 12u

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Open Team Tryouts 

When: 

• August 9th and 16th 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. Specific times will be emailed closer to the tryout. Register now to sign up.
• Online registration will close August 8th at 4:00 PM.

Who: All 8 to 12U athlete that want to take their game to the next level including Erie city, county and all surrounding areas.

Where: To follow. Dependent on weather.

NOTE: Middle and High School age tryout information is here: https://eriesportscenterjrseawolves.com/2025-13-18u-tryouts

Our coaches look for athletes who love the game of baseball,  show potential to excel at the sport and are dedicated to practicing in a fun team environment with high level coaches that maximize their potential on and off the field.

All teams must have a well built leadership team. This consists of parent volunteers that coach or manage a team. The parent volunteers are required to work with our Jr SeaWolves leadership and must maintain our core values of positive development and professionalism. 

All coaches and team managers are required to apply and be approved by the JSW leadership.

Following is general for all ages but details can be found on the Jr SeaWolves team page https://eriejrseawolves.com/jr-seawolves-youth-8-12

• Independent directors that oversee and work with team coaches and team managers to create a consistent and cohesive team culture throughout the organization.
• Consistent practice time that does not depend on the weather. Our teams start practice shortly after tryouts and  depending on teams will practice multiple times per week all offseason in the new Erie Strike Academy cages and training facility.
• For in season practices we will practice outdoors or indoors consistently. 
• Strength and conditioning plan for all ages developed with AHN including former MLB strength and condition coach Frank Velasquez and Dr. Jeff Kim. 
• 4 travel tournaments  and 2 SeaWolves tournaments (minimum) depending on age and team. See team page for details.
• Technical guidance (8U and 9U once per month at dome practices) all other teams at one practice per week. This is provided as college players are available during their non-peak season. 
• Rawlings and Easton Brand game uniforms including: 4 button down jerseys, 3 pants and helmet and bag. 
• 2 hats (Richardson PTS 50 or equivalent). 1 primary design and 1 alternative design.
• Practice jersey and pants, 2 pairs of socks (red and black), 2 belts (red and black).
• 2 team banners. (1) hung at the Erie Strike Zone and (1) to travel with the team
• Pack attack team programs 
• 10 Erie SeaWolves 2026 vouchers (provided in spring 2026)
• Local billboard with team photo run during  July/August time frame 
• Organization end of the year team party 
• Organizational Christmas party

• Our teams provide homes for serious baseball athletes that love baseball, enjoy practicing and want to have fun by challenging themselves to compete in a high-level environment. 
• Each age is given a specific competition goal for their level. See https://eriejrseawolves.com/jr-seawolves-youth-8-12 for additional details.
• Our teams develop the players to be the best they can on and off the field.
• We only allow one team per age group because we are focused on quality over quantity. We prefer a smaller family of teams together (our wolf pack) because it provides the best experience possible for the athletes. This allows our teams to practice with each other which allows a mentorship between the experienced teams and younger teams.
• Our leadership makes sure we have the best indoor training facilities in the area and our outdoor facilities are under development to provide a training home for our teams.
• We have private instructors for high level instruction on technique, strength training, conditioning and mental management. Private instruction is not included.
• We partner ourselves with local organizations to provide the best baseball experience possible for our club teams.
• Our organization believes in player and parent development in a positive environment to get families ready for the next level of play including high school and college.
• Our teams and coaches work together as a family to help develop all of our baseball teams and the sport in our community.
• We only work with coaches and families that meet our culture of positive development for the athletes. This creates a winning culture for the athletes that promotes them to develop to the next level while having fun and eliminating player burn out
• We work to keep things simple for parents while offering a pathway to offset costs. We realize travel baseball is expensive but we provide monthly payment options, sponsorship opportunities, and other fundraising opportunities to allow motivated parents to offset costs and work with their team managers.

• Mitt
• Bat
• Helmet
• Cleats
• Proper baseball attire
• Positive attitude

• What is the age cutoff? Age cutoff is May 1st. For example 8U players turn 9 after May 1, 2025. If the player turns 9 before May 1, 2026 then they are not eligible for 8U.
• What if I cannot attend? A private tryout can be scheduled with the coaches by emailing us at info@eriejrseawolves.com
• What is "travel commitment" for Jr. SeaWolves? We believe in developing and competing locally as much as possible but also pushing our athletes to compete against equal or better competition. Please refer to the teams section of each page to review details.
• What happens if my player does not make the Jr. SeaWolves? Your athlete can still obtain offseason instruction and practice in a positive, fun environment by joining the Erie Strike Zone www.eriestrikezone.com or participating in our Howlers Training sessions that occur in the fall and winter. The Jr. SeaWolves coaches staff oversee and help direct these programs. We are committed to helping the growth of athletes in our area but we are limited to the amount of teams we can maintain.
• What happens after tryouts? The coach will email you roughly 1 week after tryouts are complete to let you know your athlete has made the team. You will be sent a link for registration and a copy of the handbook.
• What if I would like to be a coach? This will depend on culture fit. Interested coaches can contact us at info@eriejrseawolves.com to discuss opportunities.
• How can I offset my registration costs? We offer fundraising opportunities and team banner sponsors that will allow parents to work towards a full credit for their athletes registration fees.