When the Outcome Isn't Up to You: What Tryouts Teach About Mental Resilience
The email arrives. Ten spots. Two are real. Everyone shows up anyway.
This is where mental training actually matters—not in the highlight reel moment, but in the parking lot before you walk in knowing the deck is stacked.
Your kid will hit well. Or they won't. The coach's mind was made up in January. So what's the point of trying? This is the question that separates players who build mental toughness from those who build resentment.
The real test isn't the performance. It's what happens after a bad call in the second inning—when frustration could spiral into rushing, or when it becomes fuel for the next at-bat. It's the parent in the stands learning not to text advice after an error. It's the player understanding that effort and outcome aren't the same thing, and that's actually liberating.
Tryouts with predetermined rosters teach something valuable: you can't control the decision. You can only control your focus, your approach, and how you respond when things don't go your way.
That skill transfers everywhere.
Read the full story → https://wheretohit.com/dugout/tryouts-roster-already-set
Originally published at Mind & Muscle
Train your mind. Dominate your game.
