I hate this time of the year!

[FP26]

This thread is 3 months too early. All of this stuff takes place after PGF

Although I am no longer involved, I have friends that still coach. Many are having tryouts late June and early July. Most have tournaments scheduled for late July and early August, but may end up cancelling them because some of the roster movement will occur before those tournaments are played. Personally, I don't think any of this should happen until after PGF, but that isn't how it works.

 

[Chris8]

The entire process is broken and creates stress for almost everyone involved...

Players -- where am I going to play? Who are my teammates going to be? I met several really nice girls at tryouts that I would love to team with, but how many of them will actually be part of the team? and how many will bolt to another team? The better players (top few on each team), are sitting pretty well. They know they are safe, but may not know what the rest of the team will look like. Will those top few players have any help? The middle players (let's say 5 through 9 on each team) are on the bubble. They may gain or lose playing time depending how the tryouts go. The bottom players (10 through 12+) are in limbo. Will I make the team? Will I get cut? How much will I play? When will I find out?

Parents -- where will my daughter play? how will the team be? how much drama? Will she get the necessary recruiting exposure (if that's a goal)? Hitting/pitching/fielding instruction... Etc. Lots of questions that are not answered easily without first making a commitment. Did I mention drama...

Coaches -- how may players are leaving? how do I replace them? Will other current players decide to leave after committing (snowball effect)? Do any of the incoming players/parents have "baggage"? how do I create the best possible roster in regards to talent, chemistry, growth potential, etc.? How long do I hold the limbo group before telling them yes or no?

Unfortunately it creates an environment where each party involved is forced to consider their own best interests instead of the interests of the team as a whole. Commitment from parents/players seem to be falling in general. Therefore commitment from coaches will fall. Therefore commitment from parents/players will fall more. Etc. Etc. What many don't realize is that the decisions they make have impacts on many others. So focused on their own needs that they fail to see beyond that.

I am extremely happy that I was able to get out of this process when I did. DD decided she wanted to join a higher level team entering 2nd year 16u. She was invited as a guest player for a fall tournament and asked to join the team afterwards. So no official "tryout" as that entire weekend was essentially a tryout for both her and the team. Somehow (still not sure how), I was elected to be the head coach the following year. We were only losing two players and I had contact with previous players that wanted to join the team. So no tryouts needed. Last year we decided to play at the 23u level. Much of the roster decided to stay and we supplemented it with other college players that we know. So again, no tryouts.

I found the entire tryout process to be painful no matter what role I was playing (parent or coach), and I am glad those days are over for me. Best of luck to all of you. Hopefully you are able to find a good team that meets the goals of your DDs and can avoid the drama that seems to continually grow...

FP 26, WELL STATED. As a parent, coach and having DD as a player...this summed up how we feel at times...and we still have 6-7 weeks left in our season.

"Unfortunately it creates an environment where each party involved is forced to consider their own best interests instead of the interests of the team as a whole. Commitment from parents/players seem to be falling in general. Therefore commitment from coaches will fall. Therefore commitment from parents/players will fall more. Etc. Etc. What many don't realize is that the decisions they make have impacts on many others. So focused on their own needs that they fail to see beyond that."

This part of your post resonated the most with me. I've started calling it conveniently committed. I hear from players and parents "WE ARE COMMITTED" right up until it's inconvenient, for what ever reason....

It's a conundrum at times looking out for DD's best interest and a teams best interest. We've adopted, for our team: TEAM>TEAMMATE>SELF as our approach during the season. I know there will be the detractors who believe always looking out for self is the top priority. Interestingly in this approach...SELF actually ends up working out well.

Back to the OP about the timing of tryouts....it seems to be creeping earlier and earlier when teams are posting tryout dates. There's always going to be lots of conversations towards the end of a season where players/parents are looking for other opportunities (teams disbanding, coaching changes etc).

 

[lancergriffin]

Depends on where you are...our local softball board...already is having postings for tryouts in Late June early July....AND the ensuing disucssion of when it's appropriate to have tryouts and post for tryouts. Not everyone is playing PGF.

What about Sparkler, IDT, or any of the other season ending championship series other than PGF?
PGF generally marks the end of the season here and in the weeks following all of the organizations start having their organizational tryouts. But that's late August.
The DDs team has been in championship season mode with no friendlies or weekends off since early May and tournaments or showcases every weekend as the girls prepare for Colorado and then Huntington Beach.
When did the season end if you're having tryouts for next year already?

 

[Tatonka]

What about Sparkler, IDT, or any of the other season ending championship series other than PGF?
PGF generally marks the end of the season here and in the weeks following all of the organizations start having their organizational tryouts. But that's late August.
The DDs team has been in championship season mode with no friendlies or weekends off since early May and tournaments or showcases every weekend as the girls prepare for Colorado and then Huntington Beach.
When did the season end if you're having tryouts for next year already?

Go back and read the original post....that's the exact point, the season has not ended yet.

 

[Chris8]

What about Sparkler, IDT, or any of the other season ending championship series other than PGF?
PGF generally marks the end of the season here and in the weeks following all of the organizations start having their organizational tryouts. But that's late August.
The DDs team has been in championship season mode with no friendlies or weekends off since early May and tournaments or showcases every weekend as the girls prepare for Colorado and then Huntington Beach.
When did the season end if you're having tryouts for next year already?

I didn't say my season ended yet, our last game is July 30th. My team is having tryouts in August.

It depends on the level you're playing. A,B,C 10, 12, 14, 16, 18. And if your team is doing Sparkler, IDT, PGF etc. This year most teams in our area have their season end after their USA state tournament. This year those are either the end of June or first week in July.

Right or wrong many teams are wrapping up at that point. Some are playing on Sparkler or Nationals etc.

What that has created in our area is exactly what the OP mentioned. Teams posting tryouts at end of June and early July....while other teams are playing through July and into August.

That's a huge spread of time to be "trying out" for teams. We will be looking for a catcher since one of ours is aging out. Tryouts will be in early August. But between the end of June and all of July did we "miss out" on that player because we didn't have tryouts when other teams did and she committed to another club. Or does that player wait until early august...."Loses" out on a team she could have joined at the end of June/early July when she didn't make a club that had tryouts in August. It's a conundrum on both sides of the aisle. I really think FP26 summed it up nicely. There's a strong sense in our area of FOMO (fear of missing out).

 

[FP26]

FP 26, WELL STATED. As a parent, coach and having DD as a player...this summed up how we feel at times...and we still have 6-7 weeks left in our season.

"Unfortunately it creates an environment where each party involved is forced to consider their own best interests instead of the interests of the team as a whole. Commitment from parents/players seem to be falling in general. Therefore commitment from coaches will fall. Therefore commitment from parents/players will fall more. Etc. Etc. What many don't realize is that the decisions they make have impacts on many others. So focused on their own needs that they fail to see beyond that."

This part of your post resonated the most with me. I've started calling it conveniently committed. I hear from players and parents "WE ARE COMMITTED" right up until it's inconvenient, for what ever reason....

It's a conundrum at times looking out for DD's best interest and a teams best interest. We've adopted, for our team: TEAM>TEAMMATE>SELF as our approach during the season. I know there will be the detractors who believe always looking out for self is the top priority. Interestingly in this approach...SELF actually ends up working out well.

Back to the OP about the timing of tryouts....it seems to be creeping earlier and earlier when teams are posting tryout dates. There's always going to be lots of conversations towards the end of a season where players/parents are looking for other opportunities (teams disbanding, coaching changes etc).

As a coach that held tryouts a few years, the people I felt terrible for are those final few to be added to a roster. Our teams were typically solid. We would lose between 2 and 4 players each year, and would look for that many replacements. In many cases players showing up to our tryouts were there because they legitimately wanted to be part of our team. If they were the type of person (first) and player (second) that we were looking for, we would add them immediately. Some didn't even leave tryouts without joining the team first. Inevitably we always seemed to have one or two really good players that wanted to "play the tour". They would attend our tryouts as well as tryouts for 4 or 5 other teams. We would offer them a spot, but they would request more time to make their decision. We understood... They want to make the right choice... I get it... But we always had one or two girls "on hold" waiting for that phone call. We couldn't commit to them until the "stud" made up her mind. Stud says yes, fringe player is turned down. Stud says no, fringe player has a spot. After a year or two of dealing with this, we decided to draw a line in the sand. Either you want to play for our team or you don't. We would give each person one week to make up their minds. Once that week has passed, we hand out the spots. Ultimately, some of the best team players and hardest workers we had were those fringe players that just wanted the opportunity. I hated the idea of dragging them along while waiting for the studs to make their minds up.

 

[lancergriffin]

What are USA states and A, B, C? Not things I've heard of

 

[Chris8]

What are USA states and A, B, C? Not things I've heard of

USA SOFTBALL State Championship Tournaments. Classifications of play A, B, C.

 

[grcsftbll]

Unfortunately it creates an environment where each party involved is forced to consider their own best interests instead of the interests of the team as a whole. Commitment from parents/players seem to be falling in general. Therefore commitment from coaches will fall. Therefore commitment from parents/players will fall more. Etc. Etc. What many don't realize is that the decisions they make have impacts on many others. So focused on their own needs that they fail to see beyond that.

 

[NBECoach]

As a coach that held tryouts a few years, the people I felt terrible for are those final few to be added to a roster. Our teams were typically solid. We would lose between 2 and 4 players each year, and would look for that many replacements. In many cases players showing up to our tryouts were there because they legitimately wanted to be part of our team. If they were the type of person (first) and player (second) that we were looking for, we would add them immediately. Some didn't even leave tryouts without joining the team first. Inevitably we always seemed to have one or two really good players that wanted to "play the tour". They would attend our tryouts as well as tryouts for 4 or 5 other teams. We would offer them a spot, but they would request more time to make their decision. We understood... They want to make the right choice... I get it... But we always had one or two girls "on hold" waiting for that phone call. We couldn't commit to them until the "stud" made up her mind. Stud says yes, fringe player is turned down. Stud says no, fringe player has a spot. After a year or two of dealing with this, we decided to draw a line in the sand. Either you want to play for our team or you don't. We would give each person one week to make up their minds. Once that week has passed, we hand out the spots. Ultimately, some of the best team players and hardest workers we had were those fringe players that just wanted the opportunity. I hated the idea of dragging them along while waiting for the studs to make their minds up.

Before I moved to HS coaching 7 years ago I coached TB for 12 years and I couldn't agree more. The organization I coached for still requires graded tryouts each year for all players and back then they were held the 3rd week of August. It is now the first week of August. Prior to the tryouts, the organization usually holds 2 consecutive nights of "optional workouts" for all interested parties as a way of acclimating potential new players and parents to the organization. Questions are answered regarding the decision time to join, fees, fund raising expectation time, winter practices, coaches background, and summer commitment to softball. That last one is highly important for U16 and U18 because many have jobs. The players go through offensive and defensive drills along with pitchers and catchers individual work so they get a feel for what they tryout will include. The tryouts were held the 3rd night. Yes the tryouts are subjective, but there are also 2 coaches doing the evaluations, and any large discrepancies in grades are discussed and noted and available to the parents should there be any questions. It should be noted that at the coaches discretion private tryouts can be held for those who may be returning players that have been invited back. That is however a two edged sword though as while it may fell good to have a full or nearly full roster you never know the talent that will come to tryout. And here's a point that we ran into that I had not seen mentioned. As the TB season came closer to the conclusion, we would be approached at the end of games/tournaments by parents/players of the opposition asking us when and where our tryouts will be held as they were looking to move. Remember this was before the internet was as accessable as it is now.

At the end of the tryout night the players and parents were told that they could expect a phone call in the next 48 hours regarding the status of their daughter and if they are invited and accept a deposit is required within 2 days to hold the spot. If a coach made a decision at the conclusion of the tryouts regarding a player or players making the team and the players/parents wanted more time that became the individual coach's responsibility to decide on extending the deadline with the understanding that he must contact the other within 48 hours with their status.

As decisions were made and time passed you will see advertisements on league and team websites for "additional tryouts" by specific teams for 1 or 2 players. So you know that a player or players may have gotten what they consider a better offer.

Don't downplay this second round of tryouts if you need a player. At 2nd year U10 we had a player move out of the state and advertised for a replacement in September. We got replies that included an athletic girl who needed some skills work but had loads of potential and a strong arm. We chose her over kids who had previous experience elsewhere. She worked hard and by U12 became an outstanding player for us.