I have always had girls that played previously for me to wear their team shirt to tryouts. Our different age groups even got on their player group text and coordinated what color each team was wearing so that the new girls to tryouts could tell the age groups apart. I think in a sport where most people assume you have a core group that this should be expected of returners or girls that are hoping to return. Now I wouldn't send my DD in her team gear to another teams tryout, she would wear a tournament shirt from the bazillion she has in her room.
Don't be that team....
- Thread starter guero_gordo
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Having the core team wear their practice/team shirts shows the new talent (and their parents) who they would be playing with and the quality of player already in place versus trying to figure it out.
We also quickly separate the players who have no chance of making the team and integrate the players who might into the core group. We never stop anyone trying out, but there is going to be separation pretty early on.
I have seen teams lose quality players at tryouts because some other players at the tryout were not at the same level (and they thought this is who they might be playing with). This is also why is important that returning players come out so that it is clear you have numbers.
...and most good teams are just looking for 2 or so anyway... when we do have tryouts (and generally we don't need to - we can add talent outside tryouts) we are looking for 1) someone unexpected from another team we didn't know was leaving and 2) someone who moved into the area we were unaware of. That is about it.
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- Nov 3, 2012
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My dd went to a tryout this weekend for a well known team, and I was surprised that the tryout wasnt ran efficiently. They had approximately 45 girls, and they timed each one of them from home to first and from home to home. But while they were doing that they had 45 girls standing in line doing nothing. This took over a 1/2 hour to do. But considering they had 6 coaches watching, they could of split the groups up and got more evaluation of time of the girls
The team shirts or uniforms do not bother me at tryouts. As a parent, it gives me an idea of who DD needs to beat out for a slot on the team and an overall level of talent from the previous season. I do hate the inefficient or late starting tryouts though - if you say in your post/flyer to arrive 15 minutes early for sign up, do not start 15 minutes late. If a team lines up 45 girls to run the same drill, I am probably going to be ready to leave at the first available opportunity. If we arrive and it is obvious that there are not enough coaches to properly evaluate the girls in the allotted time, it sends up a red flag as well.
If a team cannot run a tryout, it really should tell everyone what they need to know about the team.
If a team cannot run a tryout, it really should tell everyone what they need to know about the team.
In re: team uniforms at tryouts, I think it helps the girls that are trying out...they know which players to watch or ask questions about the team. Also, it helps parents watch those players to see how they act around other players/new players as well as their coaches/parents. I see nothing wrong with it, and I see it all the time. DD usually just wears a tournament shirt from nationals. 
All positions are up for grabs because if a better player comes along at a position they may take her and move the current player to a different position - it is a "domino effect".
A lot of coaches like returning players to wear their jerseys so the new girls trying out for the team have a good measuring stick for how they stack up. Your DD may be better than 70% of the girls at tryouts, but if she is not as good as, or better than the returning players she might not be a fit.
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