Don't be that team....

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Mar 23, 2010
2,019
38
Cafilornia
Went to some 14's and 16's tryouts this weekend, a few with very prominent org's and was more than a little surprised at some of the gaffe's they made.
We talk a lot about how parents should behave to avoid making a negative impression at tryouts, but the team/coach/org are being evaluated too and can easily make lasting negative impressions that can affect your ability to attract and retain talent.
IMHO, some things to avoid, YMMV:

Do not start late. So simple, and yet seemingly elusive.....

Do not have the person running tryouts be other than the person that was announced to be running tryouts.

Do not stare into space while a kid is performing for you.

Do not let your kids show up in team shirts, or at least don't call it an "open tryout". A LOT of teams do this, but at least try to pretend the team isn't already 90% formed.

Do not let your parents talk to coaches and players through the fence.

NEVER leave a girl that's been cut standing there waiting while you congratulate the survivors. It might be a nice idea to have the coach talk with all the cuts individually, but do it right or not at all.
 
Last edited:
Oct 30, 2014
292
18
Seattle
Wow, those are pretty bad.

Only one I slightly disagre with is the "open tryout." For us we'll have a group of returners come but the open part means anyone can show up without an explicit invite.
 
Aug 2, 2015
1
0
those are good tips. also what would be a acceptable amount of time to take letting your prospects know if they make your team or don't?
 
Mar 23, 2010
2,019
38
Cafilornia
Wow, those are pretty bad.

Only one I slightly disagre with is the "open tryout." For us we'll have a group of returners come but the open part means anyone can show up without an explicit invite.

IMHO that's an "open workout" because you know most of the kids are already on the team and you're welcome to workout with them, but I could just be splitting hairs.
 
Mar 23, 2010
2,019
38
Cafilornia
those are good tips. also what would be a acceptable amount of time to take letting your prospects know if they make your team or don't?

Tough question. "acceptable" in the sense of the thread is almost anything that I think is being said in good faith. Pragmatically, DD might not wait that long, but we wouldn't hold it against the org if they are clear about their time frame and seem honest and forthright.

In reality, if you're a new org, you had better lock down at least the key positions by the end of day 1, preferably before the players leave. Tough position for a team, but you'll have a hard time getting players to pass on other oppty's to come to your second,third dates.

For an established team/org., I think a second date in a week or less would be a pretty easy sell, but if DD doesn't have an answer at the end of the second date, I'd have a hard time keeping her interested after that. A golden opportunity on a big dog team might merit a third tryout for DD, but I doubt the team would ever need to stretch it that far.

I can't speak for anyone else, or other areas. It's probably less pressured (and saner) elsewhere.
 

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
Do not let your kids show up in team shirts, or at least don't call it an "open tryout". A LOT of teams do this, but at least try to pretend the team isn't already 90% formed.

"Open tryout" means it is open to anyone who is age eligible to attend. The opposite is a "closed tryout" that is invitation only. It has nothing to do with the positions that are available. If a team has a good SS, and a great SS shows up at tryouts, guess what? The good SS becomes a 2B or OF and the great SS becomes the starter....
 
Mar 23, 2010
2,019
38
Cafilornia
"Open tryout" means it is open to anyone who is age eligible to attend. The opposite is a "closed tryout" that is invitation only. It has nothing to do with the positions that are available. If a team has a good SS, and a great SS shows up at tryouts, guess what? The good SS becomes a 2B or OF and the great SS becomes the starter....

Well, the coach announced that all positions are up for grabs, but I may be tangled in semantics.
I still believe that having your girls in practice uni's will work against you if your goal is to get more girls from outside to come to tryouts. I may be wrong, and that may not be their goal.
 
Feb 3, 2011
1,880
48
Good advice.

As for wearing team gear, I think it can work in a team's favor when pursuing strong players who may not be all that familiar with the roster. The players (and parents) currently on the top teams know one another and there will be a little movement between them, but when recruiting prospects from lesser-known teams, my feeling is that it's good to let them see what they have the potential to become part of.
 
Jun 12, 2015
3,848
83
I also like the feeling of TEAM. We went to workout with a team in the same organization we ended up going with this year. At the practice (which was just a practice we were invited to, so there were not a lot of girls not on the team there, mine and one other) the girls all had on practice uniforms which included matching cleats. My husband pushed for our team last year to wear practice uniforms but nobody else cared. We like the feeling it gives the team though - even in practice, we work together. Plus my daughter thought the matching cleats were the Coolest Thing Ever. It's not why we chose them by any means but it was one little part of the big picture.
 
Oct 18, 2009
604
18
Good advice.

As for wearing team gear, I think it can work in a team's favor when pursuing strong players who may not be all that familiar with the roster. The players (and parents) currently on the top teams know one another and there will be a little movement between them, but when recruiting prospects from lesser-known teams, my feeling is that it's good to let them see what they have the potential to become part of.

I agree with this. I know some don't like it as it may give the impression the team is somewhat formed. But if that is the case, will not wearing team gear change that? At least potential new players/parents can see the level, personality, attitudes of current/past players and see if that is something they might want to be part of. One dad told me that it might be intimidating for new players... I was like I wouldn't want a kid who is intimidated by a team already wearing team gear at a tryout.
 

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