Yes...some returning kids will make the team. Plenty of new kids will make the team too.
I guess they have to start somewhere, maybe if they are good enough they will have the 2026 play up to fill out the team. The parents better be happy with skill building ahead of winning, because that attendance sounds like the team will not be strong right out of the box.
Not sure what peoples expectations are for numbers at a tryout but at 2nd and 3rd grade in middle of august any club will be lucky to have enough there to fill a team. Also, too many clubs now so the pool gets diluted further. All of these clubs even the big ones will have another round of tryouts in fall or winter. At a minimum will be adding kids. Even the A teams.
Hey, are we talking about Express? In the past they would have been over run with kids! Even two years ago the tryouts were packed. They are planning two teams but don't even have enough for 1. Not a great omen for the future
I just think parents are thinking twice before getting their kid into travel sports as earlier as some are. Even in ice hockey, they have the mite division, but many kids still play house teams until 4th, 5th or 6th grade. Travel sports demand a lot of time and effort from the whole family. If you have older kids playing travel, often times families have to split up and go to tournaments separately. If it is your oldest, you may have to travel to full day tournaments or on the road with babies and toddlers in tow. I do not think this has anything to do with Express, but more about the amount of money, time and commitment that is required by travel sports. Just think about the time and money that will be spent if you start your kid this early in travel and they play through high school. I think that is what a lot of families are thinking before they sign up for the younger teams and choose to wait it out a bit.
there's also a population dip for kids around this age due to recession. plus admit it - we're all nuts for letting our kids do this in elementary school. maybe more parents are pushing baseball if the table stakes of lax is spending $1000+ and 3-4 summer weekends starting in 3rd grade
