Disappointing Tryout!!!!

StrikeZone01

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I am not a person that ever posts on threads, however, I am feeling the need to rant right now!!! I took my daughter to a 14u tryout last night with what is supposed to be one of the better organizations in Ohio. I was so disappointed in the structure and organization of this tryout...it was totally NOT what we ever expected out of such a well known group. There was no way that the coaches could have had any idea of the talent they had before them because they didn't really get a good look at most of the players there...it was chaos most of the time!! My daughter, who can be a pretty powerful hitter, took a total of four swings with her bat from a live pitcher. She had a ball, two fouls, and was called out on strike three at her helmet! That was the extent of her hitting at this tryout!!! She is also a pitcher and was never given to opportunity to take her turn pitching live to batters as there was no order to how the pitchers were rotating. She never had the opportunity to rotate into the field to her secondary position because she stood in a line for 30 to 40 minutes waiting for her turn to bat along with about 20 other girls. Unfortunately, my daughter was not the only one that had this experience as I overheard many parents complaining of the same things!!! At the end of the tryout about 5 or 6 girls were asked to stay over and the rest were told they could go and they might get a phone call asking them to come back on Friday, which I couldn't imagine why anyone would want to!! Not to put any of the girls down that were asked to stay, because they were all talented, however, I personally saw other girls there that out-performed those selected. I don't know if they already knew who they wanted before the tryout even started or what...but WHAT A WASTE OF TIME!!!!! We are in no way new to travel ball, my daughter has been playing since 1st year 10u...but this was our first experience with this organization, and probably our last!!! We've gone to tryouts with much smaller, less recognized, and even first year organizations that had WAY better tryouts!!! We, like most travel ball families, can find something better to do with 2 1/2 hours of precious time!!
 

HITTER23

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Do we like shitty tryouts?????? NOOOOOOOOOO !

Name them.....NAME THEM !!!!!!! OH OOOOOOOOOOOH
 
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StrikeZone01

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Let's just say this...the tryout was held at the Spano Dome..enough said!!!
 

cobb_of_fury

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We had a similer experiance with a well known organization - It was clear they were going through the motions and had already decided on a team.
If they would have said 'we are only looking for this specific thing" in their posting we could have saved ours and their time.
After that experiance neither my wife and I nor my DD were disapointed she didn't make it.
 

StrikeZone01

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Completely agree!!! If they called her right now we would tell em we pass!! That's how much this tryout soured us...DD said before the tryout was over that she didn't WANT to make this team because of the format of the tryout!! Pretty bad when the kids can see it but the organization/coaches can't!! Also there was a last minute coaching change or something, because the coach that was originally listed was NOT the one that was announced last night!! Should have been another red flag!!
 

Irish196

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That sucks!
Sometimes I wonder if ego gets in the way. So instead of being truthful and saying "we only have one pitching position open, and maybe we'll make room if Crystl Bustos shows up", they like to see 150 girls with high hopes (and no real chance) of making their team show up just so they feel elite/exclusive. It would be sad if that were the case.
 

cobb_of_fury

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I can see having open tryouts even though you have 11 girls - because that ONE ot TWO special girls may show up and displace a couple you currently have but if thats the case conduct the tryout like your actualy looking - If you don't want to find them then don't bother.
 

coachjwb

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Organization of and the coaches' efforts at the tryout should be an important factor for sure. With that being said, I have to acknowledge that a team I was helping coach a few years ago probably looked pretty bad too at a tryout we had at the Spano Dome. We actually had it all planned out, but we had like 35 players show up when we were only expecting 15-20. I will say that we worked our butts off that night to try to do as good of a job as possible, but I know a few families were disappointed in the tryout, and I have no doubt we probably missed a player or two.
 

StrikeZone01

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I want to be clear...this is not a rant on the fact that my DD wasn't one of the "chosen" few...she has been to MANY tryouts and has not had offers at every single one!!! None of them have made me want to post about my experience before! I knew that my kid wouldn't get an offer from this team about an hour into the tryout because they had barely even looked at her!!! My post is about how disappointing it was to attend a tryout that people rave about and see it conducted in this manner!! Even when my kid doesn't make a team, I am happy that she at least got a good workout at the tryout...couldn't say that here. I am not the only one that felt this way, but I might be the only one willing to talk about it!!
 
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StrikeZone01

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Organization of and the coaches' efforts at the tryout should be an important factor for sure. With that being said, I have to acknowledge that a team I was helping coach a few years ago probably looked pretty bad too at a tryout we had at the Spano Dome. We actually had it all planned out, but we had like 35 players show up when we were only expecting 15-20. I will say that we worked our butts off that night to try to do as good of a job as possible, but I know a few families were disappointed in the tryout, and I have no doubt we probably missed a player or two.


I didn't expect perfection, but an organization that is well known should probably expect a big turn out. Might want to have more people available to help or move it outside where there's more room!!! To have girls stand around for a half hour...to have no system of rotating players to make sure everyone gets their fair share...to not have some kind of structured hitting...it's just not what you would expect!!
 

the cynic

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nice rant , well done . now name them . us central ohio people dont get up to the dome much .
 

travel gma

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I attendeded last night. It was a waste of not only my time but others as well. Very unorganized and chaotic. What a shame. Leaves a bad taste in your mouth so to speak.
 

mstat00

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Organization of and the coaches' efforts at the tryout should be an important factor for sure. With that being said, I have to acknowledge that a team I was helping coach a few years ago probably looked pretty bad too at a tryout we had at the Spano Dome. We actually had it all planned out, but we had like 35 players show up when we were only expecting 15-20. I will say that we worked our butts off that night to try to do as good of a job as possible, but I know a few families were disappointed in the tryout, and I have no doubt we probably missed a player or two.

Re: Disappointing Tryout!!!!
I would have to disagree with you on that!! Jeff..coachjwb..
We were there..( Trying out). And after the shock went away your coaches and your parents did a FANTASTIC job keeping every girl their hopping for the entire time we were there.
Best tryout we have ever been to!!
And by the way DD didn't make the team.
 

travel gma

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That is the great thing about opinions. If everyone agreed this would be a boring world.
I know I have attended at least 30 tryouts in the last few years as I have 2 that play and this was by far unorganized. Good luck to your softball player. I know we have definitely moved on.
 

mstat00

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That is the great thing about opinions. If everyone agreed this would be a boring world.
I know I have attended at least 30 tryouts in the last few years as I have 2 that play and this was by far unorganized. Good luck to your softball player. I know we have definitely moved on.

Just to be clear.
I hope you didn't think I disagreed with you experience !!! As I heard it was, as you have stated.
I was disagreeing with the comment that jwb made. That's all.
 

coachjwb

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First time I ever thumbed up a post that disagreed with me! Lol ... thanks, Mike.
 

Louuuuu

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We experienced the same thing many years ago. Tons of girls showing up - for what quickly became obvious - to fill 2 or 3 positions. Very few got an accurate evaluation. And, as a kicker, the players on last year's team who were being retained for next year were there. And, boy, did they let everybody know that they were rostered! Clique city! (Coincidentally, the same organization as mentioned above...)

We're not bitter. We soon realized that it would not have been a good fit anyhow. But... With everybody having tryouts that weekend, we wasted the afternoon when we could have been at a different team's tryouts - where someone else could have been getting an offer that Louuuuuise might have received, if she were there instead.
 

freddieball

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nice rant , well done . now name them . us central ohio people dont get up to the dome much .


Just a guess here but I am thinking its Ohio Ice Black since their tryout at Spano was Aug 5th for 14u

14u Ohio Ice-Black = We have a very athletic and talented group returning from a strong 2014 season. Two of our pitchers must move to 16U, so we are looking for strong pitchers to fill that void. All positions are open as we have great athletes that can play multiple positions and we will make room for more great athletes; great speed and outfield skills a plus. Our goal is to extensively develop and refine our players' softball skills to prepare them to play at the collegiate level, as well as to compete and win elite 14U tournaments in Ohio. To achieve these goals we need committed players willing to work hard for themselves as well as the team. We will play a highly competitive schedule that should include Lasers, Stingrays, GAPSS, ASA States, etc. as well as the high school indoor league at the Spano Dome.
Tuesday 5 Aug. 6:00pm - 8:00pm at Spano Dome 2565 Pressler Rd. Akron, Oh. 44312
Thursday 8 Aug. 6:00pm - 8:00pm at Spano Dome 2565 Pressler Rd. Akron, Oh. 44312
 
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