What were some of the good/bad tryouts you attended

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This isn't rocket science, good players are noticed all season long. Great players can choose their team, thats usually already been done before tryouts begin.

BINGO!!!!!! gunners1 has it figured out.

 

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I think the answer to this question about whether returning players should try out depends somewhat on whether there is a new coach, and whether the organization is one at the top, middle or bottom of the "food chain". You definitely want a new coach to be comfortable with the talent. And if you are one of the more elite teams, you can call your own shots much more than if you're a team trying to get there. I'm not saying that the elite teams don't want to get better too, but top teams attract and tend to retain top talent and its a whole different challenge if you're trying to become one. If you pretty much keep everyone without them having to tryout, that's not going to happen. But if you don't invite them back, and they go elsewhere, you may end up with less talent.

 

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Shoot. Now I'll never get off probation.

You want integrity, Joe? Have tryouts where the returning players are matched against the best of the players who are trying out. Have independent coaches who don't know who's who perform the evaluations. Stand by their decisions as to which ones are best and give the best players the uniforms.

(Of course there are intangibles, like what a certain player would actually DO in a game situation-- but those work both ways. Maybe the tryout player is a lot BETTER but can't show it).

That would be integrity, Joe. Anything else is just elitist mom and pop club B.S. I'm not saying that's a horrible thing. I'm just saying it's disingenuous to even attempt to call it "fair."

There's a lot of talk here about it being "all for the girls." But what I'm actually SEEING is that it's more about the adults. Personally, I don't see how some people can live with themselves. Check out most tryout ads. "We're looking players to complete our roster. Bring you bats and gloves. We'll provide the balls and the dirt. Let's go!"

In other words--- "A couple of girls who thought they should be playing more last year left the team and we need a couple more who won't play much to pay fees and take their places on the bench. If one of our starters gets hurt, we'll put an ad on OFC for a guest player. She'll bat clean-up and our subs still won't play."

Not even sure what to say. We completely disagree. Perhaps I will bring in some independent coaches to evaluate my players this fall and let them, instead of me and my staff, choose our team for next spring, ignoring everything we already know about the players. I am guessing I would be fired - and properly so - within 48 hours of the end of tryouts.

 

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Been to many tryouts over the years( OK I'm old). Never been to a tryout that you wouldn't have last years team attending , even if it was only 2 openings! WHY? Because you better find out who you are playing with and for. Then meet as many parents as possible. You are going to be a family on weekends and if you cannot get along , it is going to be a long summer! As a coach I don't care if a little Bustos shows up , I still wouldn't take her, because this is a team sport, if I knew it would cause problems.

I can also see this in the aspect of the girl that is trying out getting a fair shake if she is offered. Why do they not get a chance to meet the other girls etc. and see if she feels it is a good fit for her. Instead, some want an answer that day and if you don't give them one, you're gone. So, how does the player get to meet who she will be playing with prior to a committment?

 

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Come on, there's more to it than just winning or losing. If you are a coach and your DD is on the team are we really to believe she has to try out for a position? There is something to be said for keeping the girls together that have played together and have become friends and have a certain chemistry. There is nothing wrong with keeping a solid player you've known for 2 years over an outstanding looking tryout player. Teamwork, friendship, character is all a part of what we are doing this for. Any coach who would discard a girl that they have worked with, trained, and invested hundreds of hours of time with just because he thinks he can have a little better player take her place isn't in this for the girls, their in it for how great of a coach can I make people think I am. This is part of the problem with travel ball.

Now a good athlete with a poor attitude, who can't get along with the other girls or with a negative vibe, certainly she can go by by, but if a girl gives it her all and has a good attitude and has been a faithful part of the team, she should have a place on that team.

By the way, teams don't have openings to be filled solely because some girls sat on the bench and quit. Every year there are a few to several girls who move up and those positions need to be filled.

Any coach that would not have any loyalty to a hard working player with a good attitude, who worked her butt of all season, and would replace her for what looks like a "better player" who he's evaluated for two hours in a tryout is not a coach or program for that matter that I would want my DD associated with.

Just my two cents.

This aint the major league fellas, don't let it go to your heads........please.

 

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My husband and I were just generically talking about this thread and it came up that maybe desired returning players should be offered a spot on the team but not a particular position. Most girls can play more than one position anyway. That way if a star comes along at tryouts that is better than one of your returners at a particular position then there won't be such a big problem with pre-tryout promises and hurt feelings. Then the girls can earn their primary and secondary positions once the team is put together, being careful not to end up with a position that is not covered by the girls skill sets, but making the best team out of the players that are offered spots.

And as has been pointed out before, some kids may think that they are great at a certain position but a good coach may see in them the fact that they would make a superstar player in another position they had not played or considered before. Just a thought.

 

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well said mommyO !

 

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Now a good athlete with a poor attitude, who can't get along with the other girls or with a negative vibe, certainly she can go by by, but if a girl gives it her all and has a good attitude and has been a faithful part of the team, she should have a place on that team.

...desired returning players should be offered a spot on the team but not a particular position. Most girls can play more than one position anyway.

This is how we've always done it. We guarantee roster spots, not positions. I don't think a kid needs to believe her roster spot is at risk to keep from slacking off. Her position being at risk should be more than enough motivation to keep her working hard.

 

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Any comments from the ones held today?

 

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The Wolfpack 16u tryout was ran incredibly well. Very organized.

 

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Well ran tryout for buckeye heat 11u and 12u today,dd gave it 2 thumbs up

 

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Championship Fastpitch 14U was well run. Had two coaches from a team in a non-competing age bracket run tryout so CF coach could evaluate. Also had 2 college girls as neutral evaluators. Moved quickly but gave each girl a good & fair look through all the skills.

 

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We went to the Ohio Hawks tryouts today in Franklin, and were quite impressed with how organized and well-run they were. Plus, having multiple coaches from multiple age groups helping is a nice way to get more "eyes" on the players that are trying out.

 

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Been to several tryouts this year and by far the Ohio Emeralds 12U was the most organized. All girls got a thorough evaluation at every station, and they took the time to explain the whole organization to the parents........A+

At the Ohio Power tryouts, there was a large turnout, but they didn't have anyone to catch the return fly balls and grounders, (they had to stop and go pick up all the balls from the bucket when empty) several girls after pitching, returned to bat and there was no one there! No one with a clip board, no one to record the girls' numbers and when we asked, a single gentlemen loaded a few balls into the pitching machine, but the girls weren't evaluated. No slaps, no bunts and no one watching except the parents. I felt bad for the girls, they could see no one was watching. Unorganized to say the least.

I think you may have not understood what the process was in the Ohio Power hitting evaluation. There were 3 cages running simultaneously, I was running one of them on the far left from the parent view. Kids were given the opportunity to hit in the first two then get evaluated in the third where our 14u head coach, a 3 yr Akron Racer and Varsity head coach evaluated all and asking them to bunt and slap if they were capable of slapping. After the 12u pitchers completed thier evaluation, there was one who did not have a coach evaluate her time in the cage. I watched but that kid was a known local prospect who I have watched play in a travel league all year. She did deserve to have a coach tevaluate but in the end, no one was missed. We recieved numerous positive comments about having put on a very well organized tryout but I apologize if it did not work for you. It was a large turnout - which exceeded even our expectations. As a result of the efficient evaluation, we have nearly filled all three age group rosters.

 

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Went to the Doom tryouts yesterday, as always a class act. All coaches from all age groups there helping out. Very organized, very well run. Liked the way they did the age groups at the different times, allowed them to evaluate the talent that was there for the different age groups more effectively. Hand out given was informative. Class Act all the way.

 

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Come on, there's more to it than just winning or losing. If you are a coach and your DD is on the team are we really to believe she has to try out for a position? There is something to be said for keeping the girls together that have played together and have become friends and have a certain chemistry. There is nothing wrong with keeping a solid player you've known for 2 years over an outstanding looking tryout player. Teamwork, friendship, character is all a part of what we are doing this for. Any coach who would discard a girl that they have worked with, trained, and invested hundreds of hours of time with just because he thinks he can have a little better player take her place isn't in this for the girls, their in it for how great of a coach can I make people think I am. This is part of the problem with travel ball.

Now a good athlete with a poor attitude, who can't get along with the other girls or with a negative vibe, certainly she can go by by, but if a girl gives it her all and has a good attitude and has been a faithful part of the team, she should have a place on that team.

By the way, teams don't have openings to be filled solely because some girls sat on the bench and quit. Every year there are a few to several girls who move up and those positions need to be filled.

Any coach that would not have any loyalty to a hard working player with a good attitude, who worked her butt of all season, and would replace her for what looks like a "better player" who he's evaluated for two hours in a tryout is not a coach or program for that matter that I would want my DD associated with.

Just my two cents.

This aint the major league fellas, don't let it go to your heads........please.

hard to argue with some of this. All solid points and like reading a horoscope you can relate to much but will "you" or a coach do so...(not calling out anyone here, generalizing)

I will comment on this post... if you have elite players or the ability to have elite players... the "team" or coaching staff must figure out are they there to keep friends, buddies, hard workers together or are they there to build a winning combination while"trying" to instill that same chemistry. Hard balance and sometimes never achieved, never easy to do, and very tough when it comes time make decisions this time of the year. IIIIFFF the "elite" players don't see themselves being surrounded by others with similar talent....then a team may see exodus of the good ones which I'm not saying if this is good or bad (yet;&). Just one challenge I've seen in the years and that is only one of many. I for one love the chemistry within a team and it makes "coaching" easier and I really am team first on every subject and that is the point as well...

I will also say that there are many coaches in this "travel" deal to win and win big and are absolutely in it for the girls! They are also here to develop "elite" players or pull the most out of them as possible and that is the intent and if they can't do that then yes you are correct that the are not in it for the girls. I'm sure high end teams do not have 6 or 7 players that we call "projects". I'm sure every team has several that need more work than others... part of life and the beauty of us all being different and human. The point is, if you rated team talent a 1-10 and you start with all 7's or 8's... well, it's much more likely (not easier) to build that team with it's original intent of winning a championship. No one is signing up to get beat up on the diamond weekend after weekend. There are also teams setup to be a notch or so above rec ball and that is ok as well as all know that. Back to my original statement and point, "what type of team are you and what are your goals"... answer that and the rest will fall in-line.

 

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Lester... Great post!!

Picking great players is easy. Developing great players is coaching.

 

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Lester... Great post!!

Picking great players is easy. Developing great players is coaching.

thanks Scooter7. I was reluctant to actually submit my view on this matter. What the heck... let 'er rip!!

 

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thanks Scooter7. I was reluctant to actually submit my view on this matter. What the heck... let 'er rip!!

Say what? :lmao:

 

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The best run tryouts my daughter went to over her playing days are as follows. Valley Extreme, Wolf Pack, and Diamond Dogs. The ones I thought were not run well we never went back to. Some were big names some were not. The sad fact is you cant win without talent and you can only coach a kid so far. After that desire and athleticism take over. Sometimes a kid has one or the other but not both. Successful teams are not judged by one or two seasons and sometimes not by win loss records. A coach who can juggle talent attitude and parents and come out at the end of a season with everyone having learned something and not wanting to kill each other has done their job.