The Whitefish Bay Jr. Dukes Baseball Club will be holding tryouts for the 2025-26 baseball season in July.  Players must attend only one of the two dates specific to their age group.  We added an All-Star Conflict Tryout Date for those players that have a conflict on either date due to All-Stars, or for any other reason.  If neither of these dates work, we can try to coordinate a private evaluation for you player, but we will need to arrange prior to July 23rd as we intend to send team invitations by no later than July 27th.  We’ve seen a few requests, already for this option.  Please reply to this email if your player falls into this category (no need to resend if you have already sent.  I’ll reply to those emails in the next week or so). 

 

PLAYER REGISTRATION
Each player must be registered in advance of tryouts by completing this form:   https://jrdukesbaseball.sportngin.com/register/form/898670654

There is no fee to try out.

 

COACHING INTEREST
All interested prospective coaches should complete the Coaches Interest Form:   https://jrdukesbaseball.sportngin.com/register/form/321057354

 

You can also view both links on the Home Page of our website, https://www.jrdukesbaseball.com/

 

ALL TRYOUTS WILL BE HELD AT CAHILL PARK AT THE FOLLOWING TIMES

Sat. July 20th

U8: 2p – 2:45p

U9: 3p – 3:45p

U10: 4p – 4:45p

U11: 5p – 5:45p

U12: 6p – 6:45p

U13: 6:45p – 7:30p

U14: 7:30p – 8:15p

 

All-Star Conflict Tryout Date – Wed, July 16th

U9 - U10: 4p – 5p

U11 - U12: 5:15p – 6:15p

U13 - U14: 6:30p – 7:30p

 

Please note that the times have been selected to minimize potential conflicts with players participating in the Little League Playoffs and All-Stars Tournaments. 

 

 

ABOUT JR. DUKES PROGRAM

The Jr. Dukes Baseball Club was formed as a feeder program for the State Champion Whitefish Bay High School baseball program, and to provide Whitefish Bay Little League players the opportunity for external competition in addition to little league. Jr. Dukes provides additional opportunities to develop and enhance each player’s individual skill level. The 3rd grade through 6th grade teams will participate in five tournaments. The 7th and 8th grade teams will participate in six tournaments as well as the Wisconsin State Youth Baseball League. In addition to tournaments, the players will have regularly scheduled practices throughout the year, including during winter at the Jr. Dukes indoor practice facility. 

 

IMPORTANT CHANGES FOR 2024-2025 REGARDING U9 AND U14 TEAMS

For the 2025 - 2026 season and for the first time in the program’s history, the Jr. Dukes intend to field (1) team at the U8 level, provided there is sufficient player interest and coaching volunteer(s).  In addition, we intend to field (2) teams per age group at the U9 - U14 age levels.  More specifically, a Blue (“A”) team, and a White (“B”) team at each of these age groups.  To be eligible to play Jr. Dukes baseball, each player must either live in Whitefish Bay or go to public or private school in Whitefish Bay. Each U8– U12 player must also play in Whitefish Bay Little League.

 

PLAYER EVALUATION AND TEAM SELECTIONS

Players must try out each year.  Placement on a team for one year does not qualify you for placement on the team for the next season.  We ask that parents not interfere with the tryouts. Evaluators are experienced and knowledgeable baseball coaches who do not have a child in the program.  Players are asked not to wear Jr. Dukes athletic gear or other travel baseball organization athletic gear to tryouts.

At the conclusion of each season, Jr. Dukes Baseball solicits each team’s statistics and feedback on all players from the Jr. Dukes Baseball coaching staff.  Additionally, we seek feedback and observations of player performance during the Whitefish Bay Little League season.  As we are a feeder program for the Whitefish Bay High School program, anticipated attendance at Whitefish Bay High School may be taken into consideration.  We keep the information confidential, but the prior year statistics, coaching staff observations and feedback, and Little League performance is taken into consideration during the player evaluation and team selection process.  Team selection will be conducted by the Evaluators and the Jr. Dukes Board Team Selection Subcommittee.

Players should take the tryouts seriously.  Jr. Dukes Baseball evaluates each player’s baseball abilities, listening, body language, focus, and attitude.  Not every player that tries out will be offered a spot on a Jr. Dukes Baseball team.  We wish to maximize participation of Whitefish Bay players by fielding as many quality teams as reasonably possible without compromising the competitive within any group. 

The Jr. Dukes Board reserves the right to increase the roster size or include practice squad players at each grade as circumstances warrant.  The Board further reserves the right to adjust or amend rosters as needed at any time due to unforeseen circumstances.

Roster decisions will be made and communicated by approx. July 25th.   Families will be asked to accept, or decline offers within 24 hours.