Tryouts? What is the #1 thing coaches look for?

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May 16, 2016
1,024
113
Illinois
With many of us heading into tryout season in a couple weeks. What do you think the #1 trait coaches are looking for in a tryout?

Here is my list, and it is in regards to a 10u team.


#1-Hitting- If you can hit you can probably find your way onto most teams.

#2-Speed- In the game of softball with short bases speed can cause a ton of havoc on the bases. Speed is also one of things that can be pretty difficult to teach. Sure you can improve on a persons speed but it is almost impossible to make a slow runner into a elite sprinter.

#3-Attitude- Who doesn't want to see a girl at a tryout cheering on girls she doesn't know very well. Coaches don't want to see a girl pouting after a missed ground ball. Hustle all the time.

#4-Defense- Certainly always looking for a girl with a good glove. A kid that can track a fly ball, or has good footwork fielding a ground ball, makes me think they are doing their fair share of practicing on their own.

#5-Aggressiveness/Hustle- Great to see a young player going hard the entire tryout. Hit a fly ball over a girls head and I want to see that girl get that ball as quickly as possible. What I don't want to see is a girl stand there and wonder why the ball was not hit directly to her.

#6-Knowledge of the game- At the 10u level I don't expect the girls to have a vast knowledge of the game yet.

#7-Coach-ability- This can be hard to determine in a couple of tryouts. I don't want to see a girl roll her eyes when i suggest doing something differently.

#8- Arm strength- A good arm is just kind of a bonus at 10u, many girls are still learning how to throw correctly.


I would like to see the other members of this forum make a list of most important to least important traits that you look for during a tryout. Feel free to add you own categories.

In a couple of weeks my daughter will be trying out for a couple 10u A teams. I will also be helping my buddy run a 11u/12u tryout.
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
#3 and #5 are kind of the same, #1 on my list. Give me 12 players like this, we will win.

#8 switching a little bit, they have to be able to throw. More work then I want to teaching player to throw if I do not need to. Takes a large commit for both parties.
 
Aug 26, 2011
1,285
0
Houston, Texas
Nothing to add but I find it amusing when tryouts start with all the fielding & base-running drills and end with hitting when we all know the bottom line is how they hit - why not just hit first and then watch the good hitters in fielding drills? And we all know that the players want to hit more than anything (except pitchers who don't). But I guess the hustle and attitude are most apparent in fielding/base-running than in hitting.
 
Jan 22, 2011
1,610
113
I semi-seriously suggest tryouts should be two stations-
1) Video taping of the Star drill (see throwing, catching, the footwork of same, and how much they hustle).
2) Hitting
 
Nov 26, 2010
4,784
113
Michigan
#1 is not even on your list.

Heated Pole Barn. If her parents own one that the team can use in the winter, she gets first choice of numbers.
 
Nov 26, 2010
4,784
113
Michigan
Nothing to add but I find it amusing when tryouts start with all the fielding & base-running drills and end with hitting when we all know the bottom line is how they hit - why not just hit first and then watch the good hitters in fielding drills? And we all know that the players want to hit more than anything (except pitchers who don't). But I guess the hustle and attitude are most apparent in fielding/base-running than in hitting.

fielding drill are often not about fielding at all, but seeing who can follow directions.
 
May 30, 2013
1,442
83
Binghamton, NY
#9 Parents. How do they behave during the tryout. Are they barking at their kid the entire time? Observing quietly from a distance? Offering to help with station drills? Diddling on their iphone? Socializing with other parents? Dropped off kid and went grocery shopping? etc. Not saying one of these scenarios is better/worse than the other (except the 1st one!) but it's definitely info to be considered.
 

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