2025-26 Season and Premier Team Information

2025-26 Invites, Tryouts, Development, and Premier Team information

9U to 12U  Invites and Tryouts

  1. Invite Decisions for 2025-26 will be sent out first week of June. Expect three types:
    • Invited Back – This will be the case for the majority of players 9U to 12U.
    • Must Tryout –This is if coaches are on the fence and need to see players in a tryout situation with peers.
    • Not Invited Back – Sadly, a few players and families will not be invited back for next season. We hope letting those families know in June will give them time to find another team.

**Tryouts: If your player is invited back, we would still like them to go through the tryout process. This is to help them learn and understand what is expected of them when they go to their school tryouts or showcase team tryouts. We will deal with inability to make a tryout case by case.

13U to 15U  Tryouts

All players must tryout. We will have tryout dates early enough so if a player doesn’t make the team they will have time to find a new program.

Not Invited Back: Sadly, a few players and families will not be invited back for next season and will not be invited to tryout. We will let those families know around the time we set the tryout dates.

Development:

For younger age groups having Marucci teams will not change the development focus of our program. For older teams 13 and up there will be shift from development focus to HS Preparation, this will cause some of our team requirements to change.  

    1. 9U to 12U: Remains relatively the same with a strong focus on development.
    2. 13U to 14U will focus on high school prep, and going forward we will have stricter requirements for those we accept into the program. We will be considering commitment, skills, attitude, drive, team dynamics, and parents.
    3. 15U and up will focus on making JV and Varsity teams, showcases, and college prep. We will be considering commitment, skills, attitude, drive, team dynamics, and parents.

 

Cost for 2025-26 Season

Our goal is to keep the cost relatively the same and affordable. We are one of the lower-priced programs that offer paid trainers for all our teams and a facility.

Tournament Fees for next year.
This year, we thought asking for tournament fees separate from our regular dues would be cost-effective for families. However, getting payments from everyone has proven to be difficult. Anticipate tournament fees for next season to be added into overall dues.

 

Premier Teams 2025 Season

After speaking with families and coaches I have decided we will not be doing the premier team tournaments. Here are the following reasons:

  1. Many have raised issues with me about cost and added tournament fees. We are still waiting for many to pay their current tournament fees, so adding extra charges would be difficult for more families than we anticipated.
  2. There are also issues with players with injuries, and prior commitments that will not allow us to round out rosters in a competitive way.

Message from the Wolfpack

Hi there!

    I was able to say this to one of your coach’s this past weekend in Arizona, but I wanted to make sure your whole program was aware.

  This was our first big tournament and we played your team for our first game in the tournament and our team learned some things on the spot (lead offs and drop 3 strikes) but it was a decent game. Other games were brutal on our boys.  As our team was wrapping up their 3rd game and your 10’s were patiently waiting to see who they played next, they calmly sat behind home plate and cheered on our team. They took the initiative to look at our team banner, put numbers and names together and root for our boys like they had known them for years.  Our team needed all the encouragement they could get and this was such an amazing act of sportsmanship and class. Some of the moms, myself included, had happy tears witnessing such a strong act of kindness and respect.  The boys are still talking about how another team was rooting for them and knew their names  🙂     

You need to be extremely proud of this team for showing our new team a prime example of great sportsmanship. Thank you

We hope we will get another opportunity to see your team again. Best of luck to all of your teams this season!

Your friends on Caldera Wolfpack 10U

P.s. thanks for bringing the music!

Congratulations 12U and 13U on their championships wins

12U Ramirez (AKA TEAM)

Congratulations to 12U TEAM on their March Madness Championship Win 

Congratulations to 12U Ramirez (AKA TEAM) on their weekend championship win. 12U players have opted that their team name this year will simply be “TEAM”. In their championship win, every player either recorded a hit, scored a run, drove in a run, pitched, or made a play that helped secure their TEAM win. Great job boys! 

13U Navy

Congratulations to 13U Navy on their Season Opener Championship Win 

If 12U is TEAM, 13U Navy should be SCRAPPY! Down but never out, 13U Navy walked off their semi-final game in dramatic fashion scoring 5 runs in the 7th. They never looked back, dominating their Championship game 12-5. 

Congratulations to our Freshman Boys (Class of 2028)!

Congratulations to all our Freshmen who made their high school teams. Many of them are our OG players from when we started Tacoma Select. Super proud of all the boys and looking forward to watching you guys play High School Ball.  

 

(If I missed anyone or got the team wrong, please let me know so I can update the list)

 

Carter C ……….(Bellarmine Prep – JV)

Harris D ……… (Bellarmine Prep – JV)

Kazu G  ………. (Bellarmine Prep – JV)

Jeremy H ……..(Bellarmine Prep – C)

Nate G …………(Bellarmine Prep – C)

Riley R………… (Bellarmine Prep – C)

Mac M…………. (Clover Park HS – Var)

Isaiah S ………..(Curtis HS – JV)

Jeremiah C ……(Decatur HS – JV)

Anderson B…. (Emerald Ridge – JV)

Griffin H ……….(Gig Harbor – JV)

Evan S …………(Gig Harbor – C)

Gus B …………..(Gig Harbor – C)

Brayden B……. (Lakes HS – Var)

James K………. (Lakes HS – Var)

Ian H…………… (Lincoln – JV)

Ty B……………. (Peninsula HS – C JV Swing)

Isaiah F……….. (Rogers HS – JV)

Anthony T……. (Silas HS – JV Swing)

Dylan H………. (Silas HS – JV)

Ryan F………… (Silas HS – JV)

Braxton W……. (Steilacoom HS – JV)

Nathon D……. (Steilacoom HS – JV)

Solomon I…….. (Steilacoom HS – JV Swing)

Tournament Expectations & Rules

Player Expectations & Rules

PLAYTIME

Players earn their right to play. Playtime is determined by: Skill, attitude, hustle, focus, IQ, attendance, punctuality, and hard work. While our program is different and we do try to get everyone playtime, be aware it may vary from game to game.

***24 HOUR RULE***

Any questions about playtime, team, coaches, etc must be done 24hours after the tournament. Reaching out before that will be ignored.

Safety issues are the exception and need to be reported immediately.

PLAYER ATTITUDES

There are only 2 things a player can control: Preparation and Attitude.

A positive attitude and the ability to move on from errors, bad plays, and adversity is key to being a good ball player.

Attitude and effort reflect leadership regardless of a player’s ability.  All the players will make errors or strike out, but how they respond to those situations is much more important. 

BEHAVIOUR

All players are expected to behave well on and off the field. Bad behavior will be dealt with by benching or suspension for the game. Some examples of bad behavior are horseplay (during and between games), throwing equipment, poor sportsmanship, bullying, cursing, etc. 

BULLYING is not tolerated and can lead to being removed from the program.

***REMEMBER TOURNAMENT OFFICIALS ARE ALWAYS AROUND AND WATCHING***

—–PARENTS ——

UMPIRES: Tournament Officials will not tolerate parents berating umpires. Yes, they will make bad calls, you will get angry, but remember, what they are doing is difficult. If you think you can do better, the Umpire Association is always looking for help, I’ll be more than happy to put you touch with them.

Also not tolerated by Tournament Officials: Chirping at your athlete, other athletes, umpires, or opponents is unacceptable.

CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL IS NOT ALLOWED AT GAMES. 

BE POSITIVE and DON’T COACH FROM THE STANDS: When a player makes a mistake on the field, they feel bad about it. Yelling at them doesn’t help or change the outcome. Keep the cheering positive, the faster a player can reset and shake it off the better. The last thing they want to hear is their parents yelling at them they should have caught the ball.

Please leave the coaching to the coaching staff. Hearing parents yell commands can get confusing especially if the parents don’t know what the play was.

Parents keep note this is a small community and someone is always watching, from umpires to other teams to officials to parents, and we do hear about things.

DUGOUT: Parents are not allowed in the dugout. This includes talking to the kids from behind the dugout (or the side). Simple rule: if it’s game time, leave the kids alone.

BOUNDARIES

DO NOT TALK TO COACHES AND STAFF about playing time, positions, or game strategy during tournaments or games. Make an appointment, and we will be more than happy to talk to you during the week.

**If you see Staff at games, odds are they are at the game to watch the boys play and not there to talk to you about playtime. Friendly chit-chat is always welcome, but please respect boundaries.**

 

WINNING AND LOSING

Winning is always fun, but this is baseball, and everyones going to lose. This is a very difficult game and takes time, patience, and hard work to get good at it.

KEEP THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE.

For a lot of the boys this is the first year playing select ball and the competition is tough. Almost every team they play would mercy almost any Little League team out there. This is the competition we want to face. Remember teams and players will struggle, but I promise over time, and with hard work, they will improve.

Finally, This is a very emotional game, but at the end of the day, it is just that a game. Time goes by fast so have fun watching your kids play.

Tournament Tips

Tournament Tips

  1. POPUP TENTS – Make sure someone always has a popup tent on hand. 2 or 3 are great to help protect players and parents from the elements.
  2. BE EARLY – Early is always better than late. Umpires are known to start games early.
  3. EXTRA WATER & SUPPLIES – You are now the parent of 10 to 12 other kids, having extra supplies is always helpful. 
  4. BE FLEXIBLE – Times, locations, opponents can change at the last minute.
  5. CHECK ALL THE APPS FREQUENTLY FOR CHANGES.
  6. SUNDAY SCHEDULE DOESN’T COME OUT UNTIL LATE – Expect Sunday times to be out as late as 9pm Saturday night. 
  7. HEATERS CAN BE USED IN THE DUGOUT
  8. KNOW THE RULES – Because the umpires won’t always know them.
  9. INVEST IN A WAGON – You aren’t a true travel ball parent until you have a wagon.
  10. DON’T PLAN ANYTHING ELSE ON TOURNAMENT WEEKENDS. – You will not make your dinner reservation at 600pm.
  11. HEALTHY SNACKS – During tournaments it’s easy to live off fast food, but try to get the boys healthy snacks and lunches, they will play better and have more energy.
  12. LABEL EVERYTHING – Kids are going to lose stuff, make sure everything is labeled.
  13. DIRT OR TURF? Just bring both shoes.
  14. HAVE FUN!!! Time goes by fast. Have fun watching the boy play.

Honorable mentions of things to bring: Hand Warmers, Baby Wipes, First Aid kits, Ice packs. Sunscreen, Battery packs, Towels, Chairs

Thrilling Weekend for 9U and 10U

Congratulations to our youngest teams, TS 9U Wolverines & 10U Garcia (Ducks), on their thrilling weekend at the Top Tier Twin Cities Classic.

9U Wolverines

9U Wolverines got 2nd Place in the Gold Division in only their second tournament ever. It was a full team effort with some great defense and amazing hitting up down the lineup. Marc C #8 hit his first home run of the season, and Hudson L #88 pitched a complete game, only allowing a single run. 

10U Garcia (Ducks)

10U Garcia (Ducks) won the West Division at the Twin Cities Classic. The Ducks crushed the ball with 5 home runs. Kaleb G #3 led the hit parade with 6 hits and 2 homers. Jack S #34 took home the MVP for his clutch walk-off championship winning hit.

Message sent 1/3/25

Quick Message:

I apologize for any schedules moving, missed communications, etc. There are a lot of moving parts, and keeping everything organized isn’t always an easy task. I am the first to admit I do, on occasion, drop the ball on things. I know if I am not 100% perfect it can cause issues for players and parents.

I understand the chat boards can get messy with information and not everything we put out is read. So I do try to keep important information on the website under “Team Board” and schedules under the “Schedule” section of the website. Please always check there for information.

Being under the microscope of 150-plus families isn’t always fun. When I do make a mistake, please message me in private before you take it to the public chat boards. As many of you know, I will always talk to you one-on-one and try to figure things out.

******************************

Additional Fees & Fundraising

Before this current season started, at tryouts, and during the season I put information out about additional fees being invoiced Oct 24 and Feb 25. Those fees are to be used to cover additional expenses (ie tournaments and league fees). 

Yes, the last 2 seasons, we did cover those out of dues and our operating budget, but because of the sheer increase in cost, that would not have been possible at the current rate of dues. 

We had 2 choices at the begin of the season. Raise dues to cover those costs, not knowing what those costs were going to be; that number would have been a high estimate, costing you more. The second choice was to not include those fees in the dues and bill everyone once we knew the exact cost. We chose the latter.  

The original dates were set back in July but those dates had to be moved to Feb 2025 and April 2025. There were two main factors: the nonprofit not being ready and not knowing league fees. Our nonprofit did not have tax-exempt status until Nov 2024, and this precluded us from fundraising prior to that. League Fees were not released to us until this past weekend.  

Fundraising: 

Fundraising funds explanation was sent out in Nov you can find detailed information here.

Here is a quick explainer that we sent out in Nov:

If the total fee is $600 per player

Example 1: Player A raises $500 dollars from their individual fundraising efforts. Player A’s total owed will be $100 ($600 – $500). The invoice being sent this month would be for $100.

Example 2: Player A raises $900 dollars from their individual efforts. Totaled owed will be $0. The remaining balance raised will be available for Player A to use as needed for approved purposes: Gear, Uniform, Dues, Travel etc.

Those invoices will be going out this week.

Funds from the 100x fundraiser will not be included. Once we get those I will either add it to your invoice in April or find a way to pay it out. Please remember this is coming from the nonprofit arm, and I can’t just hand out cash.

Marucci Prospects Merger

Marucci Prospects Merger

We want to share some exciting news! Starting August 1, 2025, Tacoma Select will merge with Marucci  Baseball and become Marucci Prospects. This does not have any affect on current teams this season. This will not affect ownership or management structure.

From the conception of Tacoma Select, our mission has been to build a baseball program that prepares players for High School and College ball. Partnering with Marucci continues that mission but accelerates the development of some crucial aspects that would have taken us years to create and implement. This merger gives us access to a program and network that consistently churns out countless players of all collegiate levels (D1 to JUCO) and high-level high school athletes.

Coach Gabe and his trainers will receive additional support and training from Marucci. This will vary from access to training plans, in-person training sessions with Marucci staff, and access to a network of high-level coaches and trainers nationwide.

For those players aspiring to play college ball, we will have access to some of the largest scouting events in the country. This year, we will be sending a class of 2028 Marucci Prospects Scout Team to the Marucci World Series. In 2026 we have invites to send more teams 14U to 17U. For individual players interested, you will have the ability to showcase your talent in Marucci-hosted scouting events hosted at various Marucci facility throughout the country.

The program for our younger players will also have some changes. The core philosophy of development first will remain the same. However,  for those players seeking additional competition, we will be adding a Marucci Prospects National Teams (various age groups) that will showcase their talents at PG’s and tournaments outside of Washington. In addition to our training, all players will have the option to participate in an extensive year-round remote training program with Marucci.

Those who have been with us from the start know how much we have put into building this program and brand. While not an easy decision, it is the correct move to enhance our program for our current and future athletes. By merging with Marucci, we are giving players the resources to go as far as they can in their baseball journey.

I want to thank everyone for their support with this upcoming transition. I know there will be lots of questions and I will answer those in time.

Please Follow On Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/people/Marucci-Prospects-Washington/61572537330227/

Sincerely, 
Thomas Griffin
Tacoma Select | Owner – Director of Operations