tryouts for teams you aren't considering. etiquette

[fastpitch]

Just curious to the thoughts of those more experienced on this board. If you know you would never play for that team is it bad etiquette to attend their tryout?

A few days ago there was nothing going on so DD and four of her friends (with parents) went to a tryout of an org they probably would never join because they are happy with their current team. We didn't realize what the org was about until we got there and it turns out this was more of a "B" level team. There's nothing wrong with a "B" level team but basically these girls are well coached "A" players with a few travel seasons under their belt trying out for a "B" level team. I know it sounds a little boastful but since the other girls trying out seemed relatively inexperienced they ended up being by a large margin the best players there. It was also obvious they knew each other and were all friends. One nice thing that came out of it besides getting a little practice in was the girls met and made friends with some of the other girls trying out and seemed to have fun for the few hours they were there.

I started feeling guilty when the head coach and his assistants after the tryout basically put on the full court press after the tryout to myself and DD's friends parents in attendance asking what it would take to get our girls to join the team.

I also noticed that the "A" level girls presence made some girls who might legitimately be trying out look worse than they really were as the skill level was so different it looked to me the coaches evaluating started to ignore and pay less attention to some of the other players and just pay attention to the better players.

I always thought tryouts could be good practice for a player for "trying out". Sort of like the more you interview for jobs the better you get at being interviewed. At 12U my DD (still 10yo; next year 11) although she has 2 years of travel experience hasn't attended that many tryouts so in my mind she is relatively inexperienced at it and I would like her to get used to it. I think being experienced at "trying out" can only help her in the future for teams she really wants to make.

Thoughts on this? Is it bad etiquette to bring a player to tryouts of organizations that she really would never accept an offer from? Or can I look at it another way and see if the organization can change my mind about them?

 

[shockcoach]

Nope, not at all. I tell all my girls to go to other tryouts and get a feel for it and what else is out there. As a coach, if they're up front with me from the get go, I would have no problem. I may try to get them to switch over anyway, but I know what's going on up front.

 

[mudbug]

I dont think so either. Just be honest and up front and quickly and politely decline if you are not interested.

It is 50% a chance for them to see if they want you, and 50% for you to see if you want to be part of their organization.

Stumbling into a lower level tryout is unusual, most know the teams they are trying out for, but that doesnt change the reason we have tryouts.

 

[starsnuffer]

Nothing wrong with it, IMO, but you should try to make sure they challenge themselves. In your defense, it sounds like you didn't know they were a B level team at the time. In the future, encourage them to try out for teams where they would be among their peers or even players better then them. You always want to raise the bar. My 5 year old can do back to her preschool and beat the pants off the 4 year olds at kickball. That isn't necessarily a good thing.

-W

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I guess I am in the minority here. No, I do not want girls trying out that aren't wanting to play on the team.

I never had the time, nor the inclination to take my DD to other team's tryouts.

We were in Central IL., maybe it is different in other states.

 

[WinThemAll]

I agree with Amy.

I volunteer my time to coach and put a lot of preparation into what I do. It is not social time, nor is it a "free practice or clinic". If you have no interest at all, don't waste my time. ;-). Just think of how your players might have took the attention away from the players that truly wanted a spot on that team.

I have had kids that were maybe a little too young come just for the tryout experience, but that was well known before the tryout.

This is a good reason for teams to charge for tryouts.

 

[Coachmom]

It is BAD etiquette to go to a tryout with no plans on accepting a spot on that team if you are offered.
These coaches are not hosting a clinic, they're looking for players for a team.
What a rude thing to do.

 

[Hollyrockartist]

I'm with Amy. I wouldn't be too thrilled if I were a parent of a "B" level player trying out for that team and a strong "A" level girl came in and made my child's abilities look terrible. Also, when you noticed it was a "B" level team tryout, expecially when you said the coaches started "just pay attention to the better players", that should have been your cue to fill them in on what was happening. In that instance, they could have focused more on the girls who were really there working their tails off to gain a spot on the team.

DDs HS assistant coach suggested a couple of tb teams for her to tryout with for fall/summer. I talked to her about it and she is dead set on playing for one certain coach, who called a couple of weeks ago wanting her on his team. Although the assistant coach suggested these other teams, there is no reason for me to waste my time taking her to the tryouts when I know good and well she is not going to play for them - period. My time, as well as that of my DDs, is precious and I cannot see fiddle-farting around all afternoon on a weekend at a tryout for a team she would never join. Just my two cents.

 

[softball_chic_12]

I think it's bad etiquette. Those girls are wasting their time, the other girls' time, the coach's time, and your time. If they were never going to accept the offer, then they shouldn't be out there. And if some of the other girls there find out that the coach wants your daughter and her friends then they will feel like "oh, well I'm here just because those really good players wouldn't sign up". It would make them feel so much better about themselves if they knew they got on the team because they are good players and the coaches thought they deserved the spot. Not because they replaced your daughter and her friends.

 

[yoopergarce]

I cannot see fiddle-farting around all afternoon on a weekend

That's funny...at what age group do you get to do that?
Anyways, I agree that you don't participate if you know about the club and it's already preconceived that you would not play for them. However, the farther north you go, the less number of girls show up for tryouts and sometimes it's nice to have the extra bodies there for whatever reason be it drills, contrasting comparisons, etc. Kind of like having the better younger girls run through the tryouts even though you know they will be playing an age bracket down in the org.