Opinion on Tryouts

[CMMom1740]

You keep the girls who want to return. They've been foundational for you, and it's just kind of crappy to tun them loose. You let everyone know you're expand your roster another couple of spots, and you find the girls you like.

Then you have team tryouts on a very regular basis. You give girls the chance to compete for positions. Make it as empirical as you can -- you hit this many grounders to girl A, this many to girl B. Whoever fields the most clearly gets the start that week. Same thing with pop flies for OFs -- what err criteria you want to use, use it and give any girl who wants to compete for that spot the chance. The girls who don't win will have a reason why, and they can decide to try harder or they can understand. You're not creating a culture of shoving people out when they aren't useful to you anymore, and everyone can feel as though they have a real chance to play.

One of the things that has been missing on a lot of teams I've been around is accountability. A coach designates someone a shortstop, or an outfielder and other players don't get a real chance to compete for the position. The coach's eye may be right, but it's better for everyone if the anointed one has to prove it week in and week out. Plus, because you've got others vying for the position, you've got someone who's been working at it when you need to sub. And if the two girls you're questionable about are given the chance/shown they have to compete for their positions, they may take things a lot more seriously next year.

How about the girl who doesn't come to practice and gets the start anyway? Or the girls who miss the first game and a half to take the ACT and immediately get put in when they arrive midway through a game? Why is accountability only discussed in terms of the player's responsibility? Does the coach have no accountability in terms of playing the girls he CHOSE for his team? I'm not directing that at you in particular, just trying to illustrate another viewpoint.

 

[whiporee]

How about the girl who doesn't come to practice and gets the start anyway? Or the girls who miss the first game and a half to take the ACT and immediately get put in when they arrive midway through a game? Why is accountability only discussed in terms of the player's responsibility? Does the coach have no accountability in terms of playing the girls he CHOSE for his team? I'm not directing that at you in particular, just trying to illustrate another viewpoint.

I think you're making the same point I am. If you make tryouts a part of your practice, then the coaches start developing accountability to the team, because the team can see who is performing the best in the tryouts and the coaches end up obligated to start the players who do the best, and it keeps the coaches accountable to the players to give anyone who earns it a chance. By having frequent tryouts, the coaches show the team who has earned what, as opposed to it just being his/her decision.

 

[NBECoach]

In the end the coach should be judged on #1 player development, #2 record and #3 the level of competition. The younger the team the more emphasis should be placed on player development. Likewise in the end the player should be judged on #1 how they performed, #2 how they improved, #3 versatility, #4 attendance, and #5 attitude. How much emphasis is placed on each catagory is up to the organization. The issue I see is who judges the coach? Haven't figured that out yet.

If the coach can hold open tryouts the players have every right to attend other tryouts.

 

[BT3100]

I've seen it both ways.
Kids who are told they won't play much...
Some just leave angry...
Others stay and very rarely they get that much better but I give them credit for fighting. Then there's the kids who stay and try but end up quitting when they dont make up the ground they'd hope they would have.

 

[625ender]

The girls previously on your team are a reflection of your coaching. If they fail at tryouts the blame lies in only one spot

 

[625ender]

How about the girl who doesn't come to practice and gets the start anyway? Or the girls who miss the first game and a half to take the ACT and immediately get put in when they arrive midway through a game? Why is accountability only discussed in terms of the player's responsibility? Does the coach have no accountability in terms of playing the girls he CHOSE for his team? I'm not directing that at you in particular, just trying to illustrate another viewpoint.

Personally I can give grace to someone taking a test or something thats family related . If they miss practice its another situation. That said I would never swap players mid game unless a jam arises

 

[_MIA_]

The girls previously on your team are a reflection of your coaching.

Partly, especially non-skill aspects of the game but answer this question for me. What percentage of skill improvement do you think comes from team practice vs. practice outside of the team environment?

 

[625ender]

Partly, especially non-skill aspects of the game but answer this question for me. What percentage of skill improvement do you think comes from team practice vs. practice outside of the team environment?

That an easy answer for me. I'm a coach in every sense of the word. Practices should be used to teach and to build a team. Im a team guy through and through. If a player likes the message they will take it home, if not nothing will happen

This game desperately needs real coaches in a bad way. Theres a huge void especially at older ages. Baseball is no different

 

[_MIA_]

That an easy answer for me. I'm a coach in every sense of the word. Practices should be used to teach and to build a team. Im a team guy through and through. If a player likes the message they will take it home, if not nothing will happen

So 100% on the coach in your opinion? I have a "study" where N=1 which disproves that but ok..

 

[625ender]

So 100% on the coach in your opinion? I have a "study" where N=1 which disproves that but ok..

No idea what n= 1 is but I firmly believe that everything on a team points to the top

A coach should pick players that best suits their team, their ability to coach, and their ability to manage

I see it all the time when a "coach" grabs up a powerful player because they're good, but has nothing to bring to the table regarding player development. Organizations are the worst for this. They put the organization at the top while doing a major disservice to the player. Another is these "coaching" facilities that hire former players and pitch them as great teachers because they were a middle infielder at Ohio military state junior college.

This is a skill game based on fundamentals. I see great 18 yo players in fastpitch and baseball that can't throw properly. Theyve been used up and never taught