Varsity Traditions: Trojans’ dap-up routine builds brotherhood on baseball diamond

High school baseball players need to practice an array of things, from fielding to hitting, and at Wayzata High, even handshakes.

“At the end of every practice, instead of just breaking it down like, ‘One, two, three Trojans,’ you [have] to dap up each person,” senior shortstop Sam Mohs said. “It just gets people together more and helps build relationships with our teammates.”

In 2023, Wayzata’s baseball team started the tradition of making a personal connection with each team member after every practice or game. That could be a handshake, high-five, fist bump, or a creative dance.

It’s a concept Bobby DeWitt, in his 19th season as head coach, discovered while trying to reunite the Trojans following the canceled 2020 season during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“I found this video from Steve Nash from the Phoenix Suns. It was talking about making this physical connection with each and every player on the team and trying to pass that positive energy, and I wanted to bring a form of that to our team,” DeWitt said.

That positive energy has made lasting impacts on the program. Wayzata has earned a spot in Class 4A’s Section 6 championship every season since its implementation, including a third place finish at state in 2024.