When and Where are tryouts?
Tryouts will be three days long (February 27th, 28th, & March 1st). All three days will be at Magnuson at 4:00 PM. Tryouts will be held outside at Magnuson Rain or Shine.
  
Will there be cuts made after tryouts? 
Baseball is a cut sport (some athletes will be cut and not make the team). We typically carry 45-50 players between the three teams. Our goal is to have a 10 to 1 ratio, players to coaches, to ensure all players are getting quality coaching within our facilities' constraints, and coaches are not being overstretched. Cuts will be made after the 3rd day of tryouts.
 
Equipment athletes should bring to tryouts: Baseball clothes (baseball pants, hat), molded cleats, glove, jacket/sweatshirt depending on the weather, and any other baseball gear they need.

When does the season start and end? Baseball season will begin with three days of tryouts starting Feb 26th. Team Jamborees will be in early March, and the first games will be Mid-March. The season will run until the end of April for JVC & JV, and early May for Varsity depending on playoffs.

THE TEAM WILL PLAY GAMES DURING SPRING BREAK – These are Metro league games and cannot be rescheduled. V & JV will play M/W/F that week, and JVC will play T/TH.
 
What are the usual practice/game times and locations? Practices are every day after school 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM (Varsity 3:00 PM start Wednesday). Practice facilities include Magnuson, Green Lake, School Cages, School Weight Room, & NSB Cages. Due to rainouts, there will be day-of changes to locations if necessary.

Varsity and JV Games are typically M/W/F with a few exceptions. JVC games are typically played on T/Th/Sat. Practices will be held on every non-game day. Varsity and JV will also have weekend practices.

Is there transportation provided by the school for games played away from school?
Players will travel for away games by school bus on games days; 1) during the school week and 2) at locations that are 30+ minutes away. Players are required to ride the bus to and from games, unless the player and parents have coordinated with the coach(es) in advance.

Carpool coordination is encouraged at all levels to help get players to and from practices and games.
 
Will the athletes miss any class time due to away games? If so, how is that situation coordinated between teachers and the athletic department? Away game departure times and home game prep, often result in players leaving school early. With the later school start, school buses are shared among the school district for teams and students. Coaches submit team early dismissal lists through the school and the athletics office, but players MUST be responsible to get their work completed and be aware of what’s due.

Players must attend all classes on game days. Exceptions include periods missed when given an early dismissal and an excused absence that is approved by the school. Illness is not considered an excused absence.

How will athletes and parents receive communication about last-minute changes regarding game schedules, transportation, rainouts, etc.?
The biggest challenge during the spring season is rainouts, especially at Green Lake. Changes in Locations, Rainouts, Transportation, etc. will be communicated as soon as possible via multiple sources. 1) Instagram Page 2) Team Chat Messages 3) Email Blast 4) Individual Team Admin Email Blast

Patience and flexibility are key during the season when the weather is less than ideal. With limited facilities, we will make the best out of what we have. School batting cages are shared with the softball so practice time may be adjusted to accommodate both teams.

What equipment does the athlete need to provide? 
Players must provide:

• Protective Cup
• Glove
• Regular running shoes
• Cleats: Hard, molded rubber cleats -OR- turf shoes
  • (‘Suggest’ keeping both metal and rubber cleats in bag for the occasional dirt field; but not mandatory)
• (Optional) BBCOR high school or collegiate level bats. Players are not required to share their personal bats.
• Water Bottle
• All White Game Pants

What equipment will be provided to the athlete? 

• Practice baseball pants if needed (returned at the end of the year)
• Belt
• Game Jersey (returned at the end of the year)
• Green and Black hats

What are the school and district academic requirements for eligibility?

Eligibility/Grades:

• Must have a 2.0 GPA at grade checks
• Cannot have 2 E’s in one grade check
• Must have participated in a minimum of 10 practices before 1st game
• Must be in ALL classes on game day (please no doctor's appointments on game days if possible)
• No tobacco, drugs, or alcohol before, during, or after games or on school premises. Automatic 2-game suspension.

Player Eligibility/Game Suspensions: 5-week suspension if a player does not make grades.

Magnuson Baseball Field 4:00-6:00PM

Must Have the Following Completed:

1. Updated Physical Uploaded on Final Forms
2. Parent & Student Waivers Signed
3. ASB Fees Paid

Coach Josh LaRussa

Josh LaRussa was born and raised in Seattle, WA, graduating from Bishop Blanchet High School in 2012, where he played four years of baseball in the Seattle Metro League. Josh continued his playing career at Western Washington University. He will be entering his 10  year with of coaching, and his 4th with RHS Baseball.

Josh graduated the University of Washington’s College of Education, and now teaches Kindergarten through 8th grade Physical Education.

FUN FACT: Josh’s grandfather was also a teacher and baseball coach for 30 years in the Seattle Area.

Coach Cody Hopkins

Cody Hopkins comes from a small town in Eastern Washington called Davenport. There, he was a three sport athlete and earned four letters in varsity baseball. Afterwards, Cody earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry at Carroll College in Helena, MT. He then received his Masters in Teaching Math and Science (MTMS) from Seattle Pacific University and has been teaching and coaching multiple subjects and sports since 2014. 

Before coming to Roosevelt in 2020, he spent four years as the head freshman football and JV baseball coach at Bishop Blanchet High School.The opportunity to connect with his students outside of the classroom is one of the very best parts of Cody’s job. 

Fun Fact: Cody’s hometown, Davenport, has a population of about 1,700 – which is about 200 people fewer than Roosevelt’s current student enrollment (ca., 1900). 

Coach Jared Williams - JV

Jared Williams grew up in Seattle, WA, and graduated from Roosevelt in 2019. He played baseball all four years at Roosevelt and played club ball for the Seattle Braves, splitting time between outfield and catcher. Jared is in his second year of coaching and specializes as a catching coach. 

Jared graduated from UW, where he participated on the club baseball and rock climbing teams over the last three years. He is studied biochemistry and now works in the research field. 

FUN FACT: Jared's grandfather also played baseball for Roosevelt and attended the University of Washington

Coach Bobby Ogburn - JVC

Bobby Ogburn grew up in Seattle, Washington before moving just north of the City and attending Inglemoor High School. While there he played 4 years of baseball, including select up to 18U. He then attended Washington State University for 4 years, graduating with a B.A. in Journalism. After graduating he worked as a news reporter for local Seattle area newspapers. In 2013 he started work as an Instructional Assistant for Seattle Public Schools, eventually finding a permanent home at Roosevelt High School in the Special Education Department. He has helped out the Roughriders baseball team at the JV and C team levels.

Bobby currently lives just North of Seattle and works part time as a free lance journalist. He enjoys traveling, fly fishing, and playing the drums.

FUN FACT: Bobby’s Mother and Grandmother attended Roosevelt High School, making him a 3rd generation Roughrider.