NDG LYNX
A-LEVEL
MINIMUM EXPECTATIONS FOR LYNX PLAYERS
- 2 games/week
- 2 practices/week
- Mandatory weekly pitching clinics on Saturday mornings
- 1-3 tournaments, possibly including a travel tournament
- 75% minimum participation in all activities
- Team fundraiser(s)
A-LEVEL REGIONAL BASEBALL
Formed in the 1990s, the Lynx are NDG’s A-level program that plays in the Lac St. Louis region.
Playing for the Lynx is a 4-5 day/week commitment during the season, with typically two practices and a pitching clinic + two games a week from mid-May until playoffs in mid-August. Lynx players are mandated to participate in a minimum of 75 per cent of all activities.
Lynx Selection Criteria
Players have to try out for the Lynx. Tryouts start indoors in mid-March and run until early May. All teams are finalized at latest two days before Uniform Day on the 2nd Saturday of May each year.
Development first, development always
The Lynx are not a win-first program; Rather, our organization focuses on the development of our players both on and off the field above all else. Wins are a byproduct of doing things the right way, and that means giving all of our players the opportunities they need to become better ballplayers and teammates.
Based on the Five Tools of Baseball+
The selection process for the competitive/A-level NDG Lynx program is rooted in a players’ abilities in the standard Five Tools of Baseball, as well as their attitude towards the game, the “coachability”, and their level of commitment. As the most competitive program for NDG Baseball, the player’s skill level is the first and foremost qualifier for the Lynx.Lynx rosters are made by the NDG Baseball Competition Committee in collaboration with each team’s Head Coach.
Development
The Five Tools of Baseball
1 | Running
How fast a player can run
Speed is one of the more underrated skills to have in baseball. It’s always the home runs and fancy catches that get all the glory, but when you’ve got a speedy runner on the base paths, they can affect the outcome of the game in 100 different ways.
2 | Arm Strength
Strength is power
Just like speed, arm strength is another often overlooked tool in a baseball player’s arsenal. As a position player, you may think that your arm strength “is what it is”. So long as your throws are accurate, you don’t give much extra thought into improving your velocity.
3 | Fielding
Fielding well is crucial
Fielding every position well is key to having success on the baseball field, and being on a team that has positive results. Players need to know how to get down on a ball and understand the play both before the ball hit and once it’s in play.
4 | Hitting for Average
Hitting for average in baseball means that you are doing a few things right. Things like:
- Hitting the ball hard
- Making contact often (not striking out)
- Hitting the ball on a line
- Using the whole field
- Getting on base
5 | Hitting for Power
Not just dingers
Some people say that you can’t teach power. But that’s not true. The more a player practices the right techniques, the harder they’ll hit the ball. It’s not just about home runs, but everyone digs the long ball.
The “6th Tool” & Other Factors
6. Commitment
In order to play for the Lynx, players must not be gone from Montreal for more than 2-3 consecutive weeks at a time and 4 weeks in total during the season. Parents should expect to travel to 1-2 tournaments, which may or may not include hotel stays.
Players must be present for at least 75 per cent of all team activities for the duration of the season and post-season, including practices and off-field activities. Players may not be absent unless for medical or otherwise extraordinary reasons for more than two weeks of activities for vacations, etc., and not in consecutive weeks unless an arrangement is made with the given team’s head coach and convener and approved by the board.
Any Lynx player who does not qualify for playoffs due to attendance without extraordinary reasons will be automatically excluded from the Lynx for the following season.
***Playing for the Lynx is a serious commitment and that should be considered when trying out.
⚾️ IMPORTANT NOTE: Per the terms & conditions agreed to by all parents of players whose kids try out for Lynx, there are no refunds if you decide to withdraw because your player was assigned to the B-level and did not make the Lynx. There is a limit on how many kids can sign up each year, and when you sign up for Lynx tryouts, your player is taking one of those spots. Out of fairness for kids who do not get to play because of that, there is no refund for players who do not make the A-level Lynx team but do not want to play with the Wildcats B-level teams. This policy is non-negotiable.
