Tryouts

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What's with all the tryout notices? Seems like each one is repeated 10 times a day. Most notices are for teams that will only play next summer? I am pretty new at this but is a player expected to bind herself to a team this early? As regarding that subject I am getting the impression that one is expected to be loyal to the team no matter what? What about when everything seems peachy keen and the next thing you know there is a yellow rain falling from above. Both travel teams we have had the misfortune to pay to join have not been honorable. The pickup teams have been very nice. That seems funny, you pay to play and get kicked in the face? Just some questions.

 

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thats some good points. thats one of my biggest questions about tryouts. with tryouts starting this week thru the third week of August what is the best way if a team offers you a spot to ask them to give you time that you are not done with other tryouts.

 

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Sort of like orange barrels in the spring in Ohio... :lmao: There was time, when I had less gray in my hair, that you could schedule tryouts in March and put together a good team; that was then. Along the journey tryouts have gotten earlier and earlier such that now most teams have their tryouts the weekend following Nationals in an attempt to get the star prospects before anyone else does.

This does allow for more practices, tournaments and qualifying opportunities though.

 

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Does having tryouts the week after nationals really give a team the advantage verses a team having tryouts the 3rd week of August? It would appear to me that most players/parents would like to take a couple weeks off to recoupe after Nationals and most players/parents like to attend more than 1 tryout anyways.

 

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I think it may be more of an advantage at the younger ages. I contribute it to less experience with the process by both the parent and player.

 

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I know one team that gives you 48 hours after they contact you that you made the team, to accept. After that 48 hours, if you haven't said yes or no, they move on. I don't know if that's common, but that kind of limits a kids options. What if they get offered by another team, but their #1 team choice doesn't have their tryouts or make their decision for another week. Maybe that's the nature of the beast, but it doesn't seem like it's for the kids anymore. Of course, I'm also very new to this, so I could have my head up my rear. Wouldn't be the first time.

 

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I think with the HS girls playing vollyball they start practice soon, and fall softball starts in Sep. so most teams have tryouts in Aug.

 

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I know one team that gives you 48 hours after they contact you that you made the team, to accept. After that 48 hours, if you haven't said yes or no, they move on. I don't know if that's common, but that kind of limits a kids options. What if they get offered by another team, but their #1 team choice doesn't have their tryouts or make their decision for another week. Maybe that's the nature of the beast, but it doesn't seem like it's for the kids anymore. Of course, I'm also very new to this, so I could have my head up my rear. Wouldn't be the first time.

48 hours is reasonable. You have to remember that many teams may want the same player. If you cannot commit, teams do not want to miss out on another player that can meet the criteria of a team opening. If they wait to long on a player to answer and then try to go after their next choice, they could have committed else where and then they are really stuck.

It's a fine line for the players and the teams. Most people have an Idea of what their top team selections would be and can make that decision based on knowledge of how the teams have preformed, websites research of organizations, and word of mouth.

Can guarantee you it's like this every where, IL, IN, OH, and MI certainly follow similar if not more ridged standards and have for 16 years.

 

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It's real simple to control, all we have to do is have ASA or NSA set down a set of rules like one of the other sports which reads....

Each athlete who attends a tryout must be advised of her status within 72 hours of the final tryout offered. Once an athlete has been notified of her acceptance she has 10 days from the date of the offer to accept or decline the position. This period does not include the date of the offer. The club and its agents may not contact the athlete and her family during this time. Acceptance of an offer must be submitted in writing by the guardian of the athlete. Athletes over the age of eighteen may legally accept an offer. Once the offer has been accepted, the athlete may not accept another offer.

Unfortunately neither organization is as organized as USA volleyball. There is no looking back with this policy (trust me) and in almost 10 yrs of being involved I have never seen any problems like I do in softball with coaches recruiting and players changing teams (neither of which is tolerated in the volleyball world).

 

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It's real simple to control, all we have to do is have ASA or NSA set down a set of rules like one of the other sports which reads....

Each athlete who attends a tryout must be advised of her status within 72 hours of the final tryout offered. Once an athlete has been notified of her acceptance she has 10 days from the date of the offer to accept or decline the position. This period does not include the date of the offer. The club and its agents may not contact the athlete and her family during this time. Acceptance of an offer must be submitted in writing by the guardian of the athlete. Athletes over the age of eighteen may legally accept an offer. Once the offer has been accepted, the athlete may not accept another offer.

Unfortunately neither organization is as organized as USA volleyball. There is no looking back with this policy (trust me) and in almost 10 yrs of being involved I have never seen any problems like I do in softball with coaches recruiting and players changing teams (neither of which is tolerated in the volleyball world).

Lakefp, ""Once the offer has been accepted, the athlete may not accept another offer.""
What if coaches change after the offer has been accepted? What if extra players are added who also happen to have Daddy coaches added to the staff? What if one of the new players is a Prima Donna who plays your DDs position and whose mom, {you cannot stand} is a coach added to the staff?

 

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I know one team that gives you 48 hours after they contact you that you made the team, to accept. After that 48 hours, if you haven't said yes or no, they move on. I don't know if that's common, but that kind of limits a kids options. What if they get offered by another team, but their #1 team choice doesn't have their tryouts or make their decision for another week. Maybe that's the nature of the beast, but it doesn't seem like it's for the kids anymore. Of course, I'm also very new to this, so I could have my head up my rear. Wouldn't be the first time.

That's a good policy (Putting a time limit on the offer. Not sure if 48 hours is fair though). Some kids / parents will string a team along for months if a coach let's them without committing only to switch at the last (wrong) moment. Get the commitment and collect the deposit ASAP. If they won't commit then move on to someone who will.

 

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There are a million what-if scenarios, but I can tell you it is the best system I have ever seen. It is a far cry from the mess that the ASA & NSA let ensue year in and year out.

Just look at all the posts on here about coaches recruiting players, players leaving teams, coaches wanting instant commitments at tryouts, teams adding girls throughout the season or at the end of the year, and the list goes on..........this NEVER happens in volleyball....what else can I say!

I enjoy both sports and only coach softball, I just wish softball could be as well organized as volleyball.

48 hours is a terrible policy when tryouts are a week apart? The policy is nothing short of teams trying to force parents to make a decision and not allow them to explore their options. True you don't want to be strung along forever, but 10 days should work for everyone. I do agree with getting the money asap after the offer has been accepted.

 

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There are a million what-if scenarios, but I can tell you it is the best system I have ever seen. It is a far cry from the mess that the ASA & NSA let ensue year in and year out.

Just look at all the posts on here about coaches recruiting players, players leaving teams, coaches wanting instant commitments at tryouts, teams adding girls throughout the season or at the end of the year, and the list goes on..........this NEVER happens in volleyball....what else can I say!

I enjoy both sports and only coach softball, I just wish softball could be as well organized as volleyball.

48 hours is a terrible policy when tryouts are a week apart? The policy is nothing short of teams trying to force parents to make a decision and not allow them to explore their options. True you don't want to be strung along forever, but 10 days should work for everyone. I do agree with getting the money asap after the offer has been accepted.

Hi Lake, I have only been involved with travel softball for 15 months. The first team wanted us for the $400 and a bench insurance player. 4 innings at best in a 6 or 7 game tournament. That S$%CKS. 2nd team totally changed and became MOMMY daddy ball big time. I know nothing about volleyball travel. What I do know is that I am tired of wasted seasons and being told to be quiet and know my place. I don't like being on the back of the bus whether it's coach pitch or top tournament play.

 

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JB53 - This, I think, points up the need to get personal references about the coaches and teams you and your dd are considering try-outs for. Your family should be sizing up the team, while the organization is sizing up the your dd. This is where the OFc is invaluable. Talk to people in fastpitch you respect and get theitr assessments of the org. or coach in question. Talk to other parents at the tryout -- there's a good chance they are returning families. A friend who coaches with our dd's current organization says the team fee only guarantees a spot on the team, not on the field. A spot on the field has to be earned by the player by performance at practice and in games.

 

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JB53 - This, I think, points up the need to get personal references about the coaches and teams you and your dd are considering try-outs for. Your family should be sizing up the team, while the organization is sizing up the your dd. This is where the OFc is invaluable. Talk to people in fastpitch you respect and get theitr assessments of the org. or coach in question. Talk to other parents at the tryout -- there's a good chance they are returning families. A friend who coaches with our dd's current organization says the team fee only guarantees a spot on the team, not on the field. A spot on the field has to be earned by the player by performance at practice and in games.

""A spot on the field has to be earned by the player by performance at practice and in games.""
Phil I agree 100 %. I never said my DD was the greatest. The first year of travel, 2009, she definately was the number 11 player at the start. As seems the norm for us the coaching starts out great and then just seems to fall off into a slow motion auto-pilot, which certainly is no help. I have watched years of practices where one coach hits the ball into the field where all the girls are standing around. The ball progresses back to home and the coach leisurely hits the ball again. Most of the time it seems like swimming in molasses. Since I have already been accosted for previous posts tonight about this summers team I won't say anymore about that mess other than there are those who agree with me.

 

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Can I swtch gears in the recruiting process. What do you all think about coaches calling players (for another team) homes to try to get them to play for them. This is one team has called one of my players a few times; the parents/player do not want to be a part of that team. This is a nice family so they are being polite in telling them no; but they just do not get it. (this is a 14u team). This team approached my player back when you first played them in May and have given up yet.

My opinion on this is that I will not call or approach a player. I feel if your team is doing the right thing players/parents will come up to you. We were a new merger team this year and that was going to be one of our goals; and I have been approached by serveral players/parents inquiring about our team for tryouts (this started in May).

So to the other team calling (you know who you are) quit calling already.

 

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Geez, all I wanted to do was sell you some Amway.