Just wondering what some of you do when having your tryouts, I have been coaching about a dozen years ages 10-18 gold players, now I am back to 12u again and loving it. We just completed our first season and I holding a series of tryouts over the next few weeks, wonder what some of you do to evaluate players during tryouts.
Tryout evaluations
- Thread starter stiksdad
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For me it is all about the basics, I don't know about everyone else but it does not take long to see what kind of talent level you are dealing with. Not sure if this is a league situation or individual/small group. If it is large group just a few quick easy drills fielding grounders and pop ups, hitting and maybe run to second base would tell me what I needed to know. If you are doing individual or smaller group tryouts it depends are you looking for a specific position? do you have a need? or you trying to get a whole team together?
If you are trying to put together a competitive team obviously your biggest need is quality pitching two solid pitchers is a must with at least a couple other girls that can get in there when needed and throw strikes. I can not emphasize how important a good catcher is at this age group you will get run on mercilessly if you do not have a catcher who can stop the ball and throw runners out. I can not tell you how many games we won and lost last season (12U) because we had a quality catcher and the other team did not
I have separate pitchers and catcher tryouts where you specifically had the pitchers throw for strikes, then spot (high,low,in,out), then different pitches. Use this opportunity to see how your catchers perform as well, no one on position and then runners on and throwing down. Unless your pitcher is perfect you will get the chance to see how they handle balls in the dirt, etc.
Again if this is very selective I would incorporate things that can differentiate between a bunch of really good players like bunting, timed base running, arm strength/accuracy (deep short or right field to third), catching on the run (side to side, angles, in front, back).
Also remember that as long as the player is coordinated and athletic you can teach almost anything so don't be too afraid to take on a project player or two especially if they display the right attitude and effort and their parents have realistic expectations and good attitudes. Although the attitude and effort things really applies across the board for me without it you had better be a stud and even then depending on your (and your parents) history/reputation it still might not be worth it.
If you are trying to put together a competitive team obviously your biggest need is quality pitching two solid pitchers is a must with at least a couple other girls that can get in there when needed and throw strikes. I can not emphasize how important a good catcher is at this age group you will get run on mercilessly if you do not have a catcher who can stop the ball and throw runners out. I can not tell you how many games we won and lost last season (12U) because we had a quality catcher and the other team did not
I have separate pitchers and catcher tryouts where you specifically had the pitchers throw for strikes, then spot (high,low,in,out), then different pitches. Use this opportunity to see how your catchers perform as well, no one on position and then runners on and throwing down. Unless your pitcher is perfect you will get the chance to see how they handle balls in the dirt, etc.
Again if this is very selective I would incorporate things that can differentiate between a bunch of really good players like bunting, timed base running, arm strength/accuracy (deep short or right field to third), catching on the run (side to side, angles, in front, back).
Also remember that as long as the player is coordinated and athletic you can teach almost anything so don't be too afraid to take on a project player or two especially if they display the right attitude and effort and their parents have realistic expectations and good attitudes. Although the attitude and effort things really applies across the board for me without it you had better be a stud and even then depending on your (and your parents) history/reputation it still might not be worth it.
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I actually have outside people (other coaches, HS coaching staff) do the evaluating. I am there watching and making notes but I leave the evaluation part to them. Then I start choosing the team I would like to have. If you have coached long enough you probably have seen most of the players in action already.
