Each spring, MLQ’s teams run series of tryouts in order to put together the strongest 30-player rosters possible. Rosters are announced publicly at the beginning of May. Written commitment from each drafted athlete stating they will play for the given team for the duration of the season will be required for a team to play an athlete during the season.
Each team’s roster will, as previously mentioned, be capped at 30 athletes, with 21 participating in each match series and the championship tournament. For a SuperSeries, teams may submit two 21-person rosters–one for each team they are matching up against. A minimum of six minority-gender players must be selected by each team to count toward their total active roster.
Players are selected based on their tryout performance.
Tryout Requirements
▢ Review the tryout radius for the desired franchise.
Radii are listed for each franchise under the “Franchise Contacts” on this page. Athletes must reside within a city’s radius at least 45 days between June 1 and August 19.
MLQ may request proof of summer residency. Athletes will be required to comply with providing documentation or risk losing their roster spot (i.e. active lease, gym membership, state ID, etc.). Athletes found to have submitted false information to the league may be subject to suspension or ban. Franchise leadership will face penalties, as well. If you are unclear on what constitutes proof of residency or have questions related to this policy, email us at info@mlquadball.com. If you do not have any forms of proof of residency, you are now required to fill out the MLQ Radius Waiver and be approved in order to try out for a team.
Exceptions can be made only through an appeal via the MLQ Radius Waiver to the Commissioners and Gameplay Director.
▢ Complete the MLQ Athlete Tryout Registration.
All athletes must fill out the registration form PRIOR to trying out. It collects information critical to determining whether an athlete is eligible for MLQ.
Athletes must abide by all MLQ policies and waivers while affiliated with MLQ.
▢ Try out in person or submit the required video footage.
In-person tryouts will be held for each franchise. Info on these tryouts will be announced via the franchise pages on mlquadball.com as the info is made available.
All video tryouts are due by April 25 at 11:59 pm ET.
All footage should be sent to the team emails with the subject “[FIRST NAME LAST NAME] YEAR Tryout”. The body of the email must include the player’s name, position, gender, USQ/Quadball Canada/IQA seasonal team (if applicable), and address of residence for the summer.
At their discretion, franchise coaching staff are permitted to request additional footage or fitness demonstrations.
If you have any issues contacting your desired franchise, you may reach out to MLQ via info@mlquadball.com.
Video Footage Requirements
If an athlete cannot make an in-person tryout, they are required to submit two full games that took place within the season’s prior year.
In the body of the email, the athlete should provide their team, jersey number, and position(s). They must also provide timestamps denoting when they are on pitch and a description of the play that takes place during each timestamp.
These are not highlight films. Please only send complete or nearly-complete game footage. If an athlete cannot meet the requirements outlined, they should contact the franchise for which they are trying out via email and ask for an alternative.
Each athlete will also be required to submit footage of the following depending upon their position(s). These are also not highlight reels. Submissions should not feature transitions, sound effects, music, etc. Ability of an athlete’s drill partner will be noted. Each individual item should be submitted as a single, continuous take. If an athlete cannot meet the requirements outlined, they should contact the franchise for which they are trying out via email and ask for an alternative.
BEATERS
▢ 10 beats at a stationary target 5, 10, 15 yards
▢ 10 beats at moving targets 5, 10, 15 yards
▢ 10 catches/blocks while backpedaling
▢ 10 throws on the run
KEEPERS
▢ 10 shots at 5, 10, and 15 yards no keeper
▢ 10 shots at keeper zone with keeper
▢ 10 passes to another player at 10, 15, and 20 yards
▢ 10 catches on the run (set up a cone, make a cut, and catch)
▢ 10 blocks with chaser shooting at keeper zone
▢ 10 closeouts (pass over the hoops, close the gap to a chaser/cone)
CHASERS
▢ 10 shots at 5, 10, and 15 yards no keeper
▢ 10 shots at keeper zone with keeper
▢ 10 passes to another player at 10, 15, and 20 yards
▢ 10 catches on the run (set up a cone, make a cut, and catch)
ALL POSITIONS
Given game footage is expected to be, at minimum, a year old. Athletes will need to film themselves completing the following fitness tests and submit their results:
▢ 40-yard dash
▢ Max pushups in one minute
▢ 40 consecutive body weight squats
▢ 1 minute 30 second plank
Submit the following time without a video recording:
▢ Time for a 1-mile run
Franchise Contacts
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Tryout Dates Coming Soon!
austin@mlquadball.com
100 miles*
*For areas of overlap with San Antonio, Austin gets all areas Northeast of the Blanco River until its confluence with the San Marcos River; San Marcos River until it crosses I-10; and I-10, East of the San Marcos River. A full map with a rough border can be seen here. A map zoomed in on the border where it goes through San Marcos can be seen here. For areas of overlap between Austin and Houston, all area goes to Houston. -
boston@mlquadball.com
100 miles -
Tryouts Dates Coming Soon!
charlotte@mlquadball.com
States of North and South Carolina -
RSVP to Tryouts
chicago@mlquadball.com
States of Indiana and Illinois -
RSVP for Tryouts
cleveland@mlquadball.com
State of Ohio and western Pennsylvania, including Pittsburgh -
RSVP for tryouts
detroit@mlquadball.com
State of Michigan -
Tryout Dates Coming Soon!
kansascity@mlquadball.com
250 miles -
RSVP for Tryouts
houston@mlquadball.com
100 miles*
* For areas of overlap between Austin and Houston, all area goes to Houston. -
RSVP for Tryouts
minneapolis@mlquadball.com
150 miles -
RSVP for Tryouts
neworleans@mlquadball.com
140 miles -
RSVP for Tryouts
newyork@mlquadball.com
100 miles*
* All overlap between New York and Washington DC goes to New York. -
RSVP for Tryouts
ottawa@mlquadball.com
150 miles within Canada only*
* All overlap between Ottawa and Toronto goes to Toronto. -
RSVP for Tryouts
sanantonio@mlquadball.com
100 miles*
*For areas of overlap with San Antonio, Austin gets all areas Northeast of the Blanco River until its confluence with the San Marcos River; San Marcos River until it crosses I-10; and I-10, East of the San Marcos River. A full map with a rough border can be seen here. A map zoomed in on the border where it goes through San Marcos can be seen here. -
Tryout Dates Coming Soon!
toronto@mlquadball.com
100 miles within Canada only*
* All overlap between Ottawa and Toronto goes to Toronto. -
Tryout Dates Coming Soon!
washington@mlquadball.com
110 miles*
* All overlap between New York and Washington DC goes to New York.
FAQ
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No! Anyone 18 or older can try out for an MLQ team. While most franchise roster athletes are more experienced, some current MLQ players never played the sport before trying out and rostering for MLQ!
For those with MLQ aspirations that aren’t quite ready for the franchise roster, we also have practice squads.
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That’s OK! Contact your franchise at the email address listed on this page and let them know you will need an alternative tryout method.
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Chaser and keeper: Video camera, five cones, broom, volleyball, partner, quadball hoop
If you do not have access to a quadball hoop, create a target on a wall, tree or fence
Beater: Video camera, five cones, broom, dodgeball, partner
If you don’t have a partner available (your parent, roommate, sibling, anyone will do!), let your franchise coaching staff know and they can figure out an alternative to the drills requiring such.
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We encourage you to reach out to your desired franchise with this question! The commitment level varies from team-to-team, but you should expect to attend a weekly two- to four-hour practice beginning in May (or when it’s safe to do so), two to three series (four to five hours each) on three separate weekends and one weekend-long national championship. You should also expect to dedicate at least three additional hours per week to working out on your own.
If you are unable to make this level of commitment or you’ll be traveling and unavailable for part of the summer, we recommend you still tryout, just make the franchise leadership aware of these limitations.
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Franchise rosters are composed of 30 athletes that compete in MLQ series and the MLQ Championship.
Practice squads are composed of 18 athletes and do not participate in MLQ series. Practice squads do, however, complete in the MLQ Next Gen Showcase, held on the Sunday of MLQ Championship weekend, and possibly other practice squad-designated events (such as the East Next Gen SuperSeries). More info on practice squads can be found here.
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For the 2024 MLQ season, official MLQ team dues will be increasing from $1,290 ($1,740 CAD) to $1,950 ($2,630 CAD). These dues sum to a total of $65 ($88 CAD) per player for a full 30-person roster. This is only the second time since 2015 that MLQ has raised team dues.
When last surveyed, the average cost for an MLQ season (including travel to/from series and MLQ Championship, hotel costs, a kit and general dues) was $761.25/player. If that number is the difference between you competing in MLQ or not, check out our grant programs.
Some franchises may also have lower fees due to sponsorships.
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If your question is specific to tryouts, you should contact your desired franchise. If you do not receive a response within 48 hours or you have a league-specific question, contact our team at info@mlquadball.com.