North Idaho Lakers tryouts coming up

The North Idaho Lakers American Legion baseball program recently announced their tryouts for the 2025 summer season will be held Saturday, May 3, from 1 to 3 p.m. at War Memorial Field.

The club is hoping to run both a 19 and under team as well as a 16 and under team like last season. Players born between January 2006 and December 2012 are eligible to tryout. Registration fees for the season are $1,000 per player with plenty of fundraising opportunities to offset player fees. 

To register, visit https://forms.gle/7MpgtjvZ3TLthFcQ7 or contact info@nilakers.org with any questions and concerns. If athletes pre-register by Tuesday, April 15, they will receive a $50 credit towards the player registration fee.

The Lakers compete in both American Legion League and in non-league tournament play throughout the season, which runs from mid-May through early August and includes an average of 30-plus games.

The goals, as stated by the club, are to create an environment that will allow dedicated players to realize their capabilities as baseball players; to develop confidence, self-esteem and poise as athletes; to understand that their achievements are a direct result of their efforts; to cultivate lifelong friends among their teammates and to support each other in all situations; and to understand that sportsmanship, not showmanship, is an important ingredient in playing with class.

The program has been doing all of the above for many years in North Idaho and it was recently recognized by others.

A couple of months ago, coaches Ken Oler and Brian Riley were presented with the Samaritan Award at an Idaho American Legion Baseball meeting, which demonstrates their dedication to the sport. Oler said the honor belongs to the entire program, as it exemplifies what Laker Nation stands for.