Coaches what the top 10 tips you would give players attending tryouts?

[Rerun]

Ok Coaches what the top 10 tips you would give players attending tryouts? Here a top ten list I found do you agree?

1. Dress like a ball player. Wear softball pants; not shorts. Wear a shirt with your last name on it; not a nickname. If you don't have a shirt with your name, where something bright and/or as unique as possible. Wear cleats; not tennis shoes.

2. Smile. Act like there's no place in the world you would rather be.

3. Talk. Talk with the coaches, other players, on the field and encourage those around you. Look everybody you talk with in the eyes and be a good listener as well.

4. Hustle. Whether running onto the field, getting ready to hit or going through drills, hustle and give 100% (with a smile and while talking).

5. Leader. Be up front and center. Don't stand in the back or be the last player in the group to go through your drills/stations.

6. Take risks. Tryouts are not a place to play it safe. Dive, layout for balls, make off-balanced and hurried throws if you must, swing hard; no wimpy swings. Go big or go home!

7. Be self-sufficient. Have everything you might need in your bag. Stay away from your parents. Don't talk with or even look at your parents during tryouts. They're being evaluated too and coaches do not want helicopter parents or parent coaches.

8. Look good failing. When you make an error, strikeout or mental mistake, forget about it immediately. Do not have a pity party. Build a bridge and get over it. Laugh it off if you must. And no matter what, do not have a pity party.

9. Ask Questions. If there is something you are unsure of or need clarification on, ask. Do not be quiet and/or shy.

10. Have fun! Let there be no doubt to all those watching that you're having fun playing a game you love, regardless of the outcome! Breathe, relax and be confident.

Know that you're giving it your best effort.

 

[daboss]

Wow, I haven't thought of this for a while. I probably can't come up with 10 but would like to suggest a few that would get my attention.

1. Be on time
2. Have all your stuff with you. If it's not in your equipment bag have it in your vehicle handy.
3. Please fill out your own paperwork and write legibly. I never cared for watching parents doing everything.
4. Once signed in, get ready and warm up/stretch.
5. Hustle from 1 station to the other. There's plenty of time to relax and visit or take a break once you have reached the station area.
6. Be polite, be attentive, be respectful of the staff and others around you including your parents.
7. Do your best and have fun with it. Don't sulk if you make a mistake, don't gloat if you do something well.
8. I suggest thanking the staff whenever possible, especially when the tryout is completed. Shake the head coach's hand, or fist pump in today's world, and express your interest in playing for them if you truly want to be a part of the team.
9. Don't be a "used car salesperson". Don't talk your game, show them your game.
10. If you are currently injured and your performance is less than normal, be sure to alert the staff so they are aware and many will offer another tryout opportunity, perhaps even a private tryout, if they feel you are team material.

A note to parents; I suggest having any paperwork handy (birth certificate, medical records, etc.) just in case. Have copies ready to share if needed to save time. It's fine to introduce yourself to staff but don't steal the tryout from your daughter. Don't doddle over her. You can be the pit stop and the anchor but you don't need to go with her from station to station. As long as she knows you're there, let her make the impression. Don't make it look like an act of desperation. Also, be sure to understand what comes next. If you need a phone number from staff or an email or website address, be sure to have pen and paper handy to get that info. It's okay to verify info and ask staff what the upcoming protocol will be to know if your daughter is selected----or not. Many parents don't want their daughter's personal phone number or internet info shared until they know the staff. I respect that.

Note to coaches; Parents can be reluctant to share their daughter's personal contact information. In today's world I would think you'd respect that. Once they know you better, I'm sure a trusting attitude will relax things and make it easier. Just be sure to respect this and let parents know what to expect in the near future in regards to you contacting them. I'd hate for a kid to miss out cause the parents have their phones blocked from new numbers or the email set up to kick unknowns into a spam folder and lost. Lastly, be alert and aware of players that could be there injured but reluctant to inform staff. They don't want to miss their opportunity. Gutsy but not always the smartest decision.

 

[CARDS]

Lots of good information.

I would add for first timers (especially at the younger ages) make sure you have the proper equipment.
I have seen many players 12 and under over the years show up with dads or brothers 14+ " glove or a tee ball glove, no helmet or one that does not fit properly, no game face and a tee ball bat or bat that is not properly sized.

The more established organizations run tryouts face paced with little to no standing around time so hydrate the night before and get to the tryout with enough time to stretch out and warm up. We had a little warm up prior to the tryout but especially the 14+ ages make sure you are good and loose because there will be a lot of running, diving and throwing.

SAFETY. We would get a lot of ladies per age group out and the ones not in HS or coming from recreational leagues struggled with awareness of batted or thrown balls (some parents as well), Tee and soft toss stations even though we would spread them out 20+ feet parents would distract players or ladies would be not paying attention and accidents can happen. (We required a helmet on during all batting activities).

Parents fill out the forms. I have seen many parents hand the form to their 12+ year old to fill out and they cannot answer most of the questions or you cannot read what is on the form. When you get your number make sure it matches your form and is positioned on your back so coaches can see it.
I seen where parents messed up a form went and got another and did not put the number in the area or the player came with friends and got their numbers mixed up. Most of the time we would correct it but it can create problems.

When getting loose find another player to toss and stretch out with and let mom/dad sit back and enjoy the tryout.

Be prepared to go 1.5 to 2 hours. We always supplied water and ice but you may want to bring a jug in case the team does not.

You need to have catching gear to be a catcher...When you get gear make sure it also fits properly... (I have seen many of 10/12U struggling with adult gear over the years). Catchers you may be catching very strong pitching talent so make sure to not make the pitcher work harder than they need too. Also, you may be with a lady struggling again keep your composure use the wild pitches as a time to showcase how athletic you are behind the plate.

Pitchers your warm up is generally longer than the evaluation. You may be working with another catcher that could be solid or not so solid so keep your composure and focus on quality strikes. If you have 2 pitches quality you have mastered don't say you have 4 or 5.

Parents ask questions about the team and coaching and do a little homework on the team!
How long have they been coaching, what certifications do they have, how many assistants. If an exposure team ask about their college connections.
If trying out for college exposure team does the team help market players, build profiles, skills video etc.
Returning players (If a team is looking for half a team there could be issues)...
Team fees-. Cost have went way up. Our most expensive year was $800 and that was with 4 expensive showcase tournaments.
I see a lot of organizations now with payment plans and fees over $1000.
Fund raisers We did these up until 14U. Good way to offset cost and build some team bonding. At the older ages most of the parents did not want to mess with them.
Team travel- We were road warriors and did not play a lot local events outside of Sluggerfest and a trip or two to Columbus area....
Past invite events played in 14 and UP.
Perks/sponsorships- At 14-18U We were sponsored by Miken and BW3 so we got discounts on gear bats etc. and some cash for nets, balls, training equipment etc. The sponsors helped keep fees down and reduced the need for fundraising too.