Ugh. I hate this time of year. I hated it as a parent because taking DD to various tryouts was always nerve-wracking, but in the end, I always knew she would have a place to play. Now as a non-parent coach, I think I really hate tryouts more than when DD played. Lots of really good kids - I'm not just talking about skills. There are some kids you know aren't as talented, but know will work hard and get much better, and really want to play for your team, but won't be a big help to the team this year. How do you say no to these players?!
Who Hates Tryouts More - Coaches or Parents?
- Thread starter PA SB Dad
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It is all about my DD so it is obviously being a parent, no. Being a coach evaluating players and turning them away is the worst, I hate tryouts. Good news is, DD included, I know they will all have a place to play. Except for school ball which as a parent I feel for all the players that do not make the Team.
I vote for coach!
I vote for coach!
- May 17, 2012
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Large tryouts where you herd kids from station to station are worthless from a coaches perspective. It's done this way because it's the most efficient way to get a large number of kids evaluated. I know some teams charge money to keep the numbers down but that never sat well with me.
When they got older I just started inviting kids to practice with our team and that worked out much better for the coaches and the players.
Just my observations.
When they got older I just started inviting kids to practice with our team and that worked out much better for the coaches and the players.
Just my observations.
I think it depends on how well the coach knows the girls, but I have done both and being the coach is not fun.
Back when I coached all-stars, it was just about the worst thing ever to have to cut a girl. I lost sleep and got an upset stomach. Then it would literally take me hours to get up the nerve to call the parents and tell them their kid did not make the team. Yes, I called the parents of the kids I knew real well. I sent emails to the ones I barely knew.
Back when I coached all-stars, it was just about the worst thing ever to have to cut a girl. I lost sleep and got an upset stomach. Then it would literally take me hours to get up the nerve to call the parents and tell them their kid did not make the team. Yes, I called the parents of the kids I knew real well. I sent emails to the ones I barely knew.
That is what we do. We usually learn about players by word of mouth, invite them to practice, then guest at a tournament/showcase or two and if all goes well talk about a permanent spot. I hate the cattle calls. Seems as though you end with either Rec players or shoppers. We want the right kid with great parents, who really wants to be part of our program. It is not just the coaches that decide. We get input from some of the seasoned players and their parents. We are a perennial 18U team so when we pick up a new 14 or 15yo it is for the long term so we take our time and try to get it right.
FiveFrameSwing
Banned
Honesty goes a long way.
Pull them aside. Give them some individual attention. Explain to them that they are improving rapidly, that you note the improvement, and that you hope to see her at tryouts next year. At this time the team simply isn't a good fit because the amount of playing time wouldn't be sufficient, but you expect that to be a different story next year based on the improvement you are seeing in her skill level. Conclude by encouraging her to keep up the good work.
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- Feb 7, 2013
- 3,188
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I like the 2-3 hour tryouts that are run more like a practice (warm-ups, conditioning, throwing, catching, fielding, hitting, scrimmage, etc.) with the expectation that the players set-up and breakdown their stations, are hustling, working hard, showcasing their talent, and you can observe how they take instruction and how they interact with the other players.
I look at tryouts as DD is evaluating them to see if the team is a good fit for her, as much as they are evaluating her. This is why I think its important for every team to have tryouts each season and for players to attend several tryouts. We didn't do our due diligence last year (took the first offer after 1 tryout) and I think it was a mistake. This time, DD (1st Yr, 14U) will tryout for at least 3 teams over the next month.
One of the problems with a prospective player who only attends a practice with a well-established team is all of the key positions are likely already filled, so I unless your kid is a superstar the odds of her getting to play her preferred position and being a starter is very limited. The "tryout" may say "all positions open" but in reality the coaches already know who will play where and are just back-filling to round out the team. Not an ideal situation for most prospective players.
I look at tryouts as DD is evaluating them to see if the team is a good fit for her, as much as they are evaluating her. This is why I think its important for every team to have tryouts each season and for players to attend several tryouts. We didn't do our due diligence last year (took the first offer after 1 tryout) and I think it was a mistake. This time, DD (1st Yr, 14U) will tryout for at least 3 teams over the next month.
One of the problems with a prospective player who only attends a practice with a well-established team is all of the key positions are likely already filled, so I unless your kid is a superstar the odds of her getting to play her preferred position and being a starter is very limited. The "tryout" may say "all positions open" but in reality the coaches already know who will play where and are just back-filling to round out the team. Not an ideal situation for most prospective players.
I remember a couple of years ago we had a 12U team that needed one players. We actually were set at P and C but were looking for one more good player.
This kid came in and was a year younger than our team and we had her go through a practice. She hustled and was a decent player, but just wasn't going to make
it on our team. The problem was that this was the first night back from a couple of weeks off and our established players looked like they had never played before. Balls were bouncing off walls, girls were letting balls go under their gloves, throwing to wrong bases. etc. The coach didn't like to string kids along so he told her mother that she just wasn't
ready to play on our team. I don't know how he did that with a straight face.
This kid came in and was a year younger than our team and we had her go through a practice. She hustled and was a decent player, but just wasn't going to make
it on our team. The problem was that this was the first night back from a couple of weeks off and our established players looked like they had never played before. Balls were bouncing off walls, girls were letting balls go under their gloves, throwing to wrong bases. etc. The coach didn't like to string kids along so he told her mother that she just wasn't
ready to play on our team. I don't know how he did that with a straight face.
Coaches hate it worse than parents generally. As a parent, it really does not bother me but as a coach it was always something that I dreaded.
I found a happy medium between the herd tryout and the invite only tryout. I always had a herd tryout, being around a military base there was a significant turnover each year, so I really did not want to miss out on a hot shot player from a different region. Usually, we would have roughly (some more some less) 40 per age group show up for tryouts organization wide - all coaches within the organization helped with each age group's tryouts. After the herd tryout, we would invite up to twenty players to two, two hour practices the following week for further evaluation with the understanding that these practices were still a tryout. After the two practices, we would select 11 to 12 players we intended to fill the roster with. I always tried to have things wrapped up within a week so that I would not lose someone I really wanted to another tryout and provide enough time for those not selected to find more tryouts. I generally averaged two to three players that were top 12 in the herd tryouts, that ended up not making the team after the practices.
I found a happy medium between the herd tryout and the invite only tryout. I always had a herd tryout, being around a military base there was a significant turnover each year, so I really did not want to miss out on a hot shot player from a different region. Usually, we would have roughly (some more some less) 40 per age group show up for tryouts organization wide - all coaches within the organization helped with each age group's tryouts. After the herd tryout, we would invite up to twenty players to two, two hour practices the following week for further evaluation with the understanding that these practices were still a tryout. After the two practices, we would select 11 to 12 players we intended to fill the roster with. I always tried to have things wrapped up within a week so that I would not lose someone I really wanted to another tryout and provide enough time for those not selected to find more tryouts. I generally averaged two to three players that were top 12 in the herd tryouts, that ended up not making the team after the practices.
- Jan 25, 2011
- 2,278
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Daddyball coaches hate it more. The girls shows up to tryout and completely blows away daddy's superstar, better pitcher, fielder & batter .
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