Basic athleticism
Age makes a big difference. Catching and throwing would be the basics as far as softball skills go that you can see in a short time. Younger ages would not be expected to have as developed skills to compete as older players. The 'Diamond in the Rough' will come with the natural athlete. If the older player has not played softball before, have they played other sports (soccer, basketball) and how good were they? The basic indicator for athletic success that can be viewed and measured in a brief tryout is speed/quickness as measured by 1) running speed and 2) vertical jump. As long as they are motivated and coach-able, you can teach them a lot and they will have the natural tools to implement on the field. Vertical jump is a raw indicator of quickness that can be easily measured. Slower, less athletic players can be good but they are harder to judge in a short time frame.
Age makes a big difference. Catching and throwing would be the basics as far as softball skills go that you can see in a short time. Younger ages would not be expected to have as developed skills to compete as older players. The 'Diamond in the Rough' will come with the natural athlete. If the older player has not played softball before, have they played other sports (soccer, basketball) and how good were they? The basic indicator for athletic success that can be viewed and measured in a brief tryout is speed/quickness as measured by 1) running speed and 2) vertical jump. As long as they are motivated and coach-able, you can teach them a lot and they will have the natural tools to implement on the field. Vertical jump is a raw indicator of quickness that can be easily measured. Slower, less athletic players can be good but they are harder to judge in a short time frame.
