Tryout - Poor communication/professionalism?

[CoogansBluff]

What do you think of the communication skills/professionalism of coaches based on tryouts?

This tryout season, I've had one coach fail to call us back after raving about my DD in the tryout and saying 'I'll be in touch.' Had another send a very nice email invitation, which was met with an equally nice 'thanks but no thanks' email, which drew no response. Had another coach (someone I don't know) fail to return calls about future openings on his team. They're full at the moment, but as a former coach, I'd return any call like that.

None of this is a problem for my daughter. These are not teams that my daughter wants to play with, and she's pretty sure where she will find up this fall. And the examples I gave are not horror stories, just things that make you shrug.

I've just always been puzzled at the lack of communication/professionalism in the tryout process. Some of the more respected programs that get large numbers of players trying out won't contact you unless they want you back for a second look. Never quite understood that.

I'm sure others have more disturbing tales than I do.

 

[AndyS]

What do you think of the communication skills/professionalism of coaches based on tryouts?

This tryout season, I've had one coach fail to call us back after raving about my DD in the tryout and saying 'I'll be in touch.' Had another send a very nice email invitation, which was met with an equally nice 'thanks but no thanks' email, which drew no response. Had another coach (someone I don't know) fail to return calls about future openings on his team. They're full at the moment, but as a former coach, I'd return any call like that.

None of this is a problem for my daughter. These are not teams that my daughter wants to play with, and she's pretty sure where she will find up this fall. And the examples I gave are not horror stories, just things that make you shrug.

I've just always been puzzled at the lack of communication/professionalism in the tryout process. Some of the more respected programs that get large numbers of players trying out won't contact you unless they want you back for a second look. Never quite understood that.

I'm sure others have more disturbing tales than I do.

You make a great point. And back when I coached my oldest DD I learned a very valuable lesson about communication. As a 12u first year team we held tryouts on a Saturday. I promised all the girls we would get back to them by Sunday night. Well I did get to all of them except one and it was somebody we were going to make an offer. It was just getting late and I wanted some family time. So in reality I had NO GOOD excuse. The call would have taken just a few minutes.

Anyway, I called the next night and told them the good news and they were excited but they told me how the girl could not sleep all night, how she waited by the phone expecting my call because that is what I told them. Needless to say I felt about a millimeter tall. Even though she is 16 now and a great young lady. I still feel that moment in my stomach when I talk to her.

So I learned a very valuable lesson and I think that is really your point. These young ladies put in alot of work and they deserve the respect of prompt communication.

 

[Sparky Guy]

Some of the more respected programs that get large numbers of players trying out won't contact you unless they want you back for a second look. Never quite understood that.

It's tough to make 50 phone calls to families letting them know their DD did not make the team. Most times the parents want to have a conversation about why you did not select the player. What should be a short, courteous call can turn into a lengthy ordeal trying to get off the phone to make the next call. So telling everyone "If you don't hear from us you did not make the team." is easier. Is it right? Not in a perfect world. Unfortunately, in the real world you have to do things that make your mission easier.

I've been on both ends of the phone call.

 

[Bill S]

It actually starts before tryouts IMO. I especially appreciate the coaches that include "call or email if you have questions" in their tryout notices, and then never respond to your inquiry. So far this tryout season I had one guy that required three emails before he responded and another that has yet to respond. Really makes you want to be part of their team....

Apparently, some coaches feel that it's only the players that are being evaluated.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

50? Here, you are lucky to get 5 girls at a tryout. And people still are not hearing back.

 

[Westwind]

One of dd's teammates, a very good player, had a private tryout with the team. It went well. Coach wrote their number on a scrap of paper ant told them he would call.

A week went by, no call. Parents losing sleep. Didn't know what to do, decide to call coach back. Turns out, coach lost the number and did not know how to contact them. Turns out he was losing sleep too. He was out of his element because he usually has a one page printout in a color coded tabbed binder with all the info on it for every player and in this case he had a hotdog napkin with a phone number written on it....

Agree a lot of coaches don't handle communication well but it might be a gremlin in the machine too.

 

[starsnuffer]

Tryouts go both ways.

-W

 

[maksoftball]

I have dropped tryouts from our list just because the coach failed to return emails/phone calls before tryouts. They are dropped like hot potatoes. I do believe that the impression starts from the minute you try to contact them...and what happens after you contact them is huge. One coach finally replied after a second email, "just look at our website for info"...which didn't even begin to answer any questions I had already asked. Nice.

Also, as far as letting the girls know of the decision, the norm around here is "If you made the team, you will receive a phone call no later than {time} on {date}". I have a story on that one...last August, DD tried out again for a team she played with from April through first week of August...she REALLY wanted to be invited back to the team. She had an awesome tryout, and we were told that we would know no later than 4 p.m. on Sunday (tryout was the day before). Well, we waited anxiously all day Sunday. At 1:30 p.m., I missed a call from the coach on my cell (it was on SILENT grrr). I tried calling back, but he let it go to VM. 4 p.m. rolled around...and we never heard another word until the following Thursday where the coach called and left a VM saying that he inadvertently clicked on the wrong name in his phone and that's why I got that call then. Nice, huh? We've moved on since then obviously.

Communication is huge in my book...ESPECIALLY when we keep telling the girls to talk to each other on the field!!!

 

[joemcq51]

My DD went to a tryout a few years back as a 12U pitcher for a local team that was a pretty good team. Coaches never checked in players, took numbers or filled out anything. They were just putting on a show. They knew exactly what girls they wanted. She never threw a pitch at the tryout. 2 years later, they have tried multiple times to get her to play for them. She politely states she is happy where she is. That team fell apart this summer and didn't finish the season. Karma.

 

[guero_gordo]

What we say in the biz world, "How they treat you at the interview is how they'll treat you as an employee."