Help understanding the mentality of 10/12u tryouts

[MightyMO]

For many, if not most established teams, the "tryout" with "all positions open" is kabuki theater.

This.

The "all positions are open" thing is cover for a coach to cut players he wants to get rid of without having to flat out cut them. It's also cover for the coach to cut a player he may have kept if someone better shows up at the tryout.

In my years of watching and coaching softball I've always thought that tryouts show you nothing compared to live game action. If a coach doesn't know who he wants to keep after watching them play all summer, then he shouldn't be coaching.

And yes, cutting girls in front of everyone after a tryout is terrible.

 

[Top_Notch]

At that age, it's still too early to know who will still be playing at 16U let alone be good at that age. After going through this, I've watched the best pitcher from an elite travel team get cut this year from her current A level team. I've watched kids slow as molasses grow into their body to become speedsters. It's totally unpredictable what will happen even in a few short years.

 

[radness]

For many, if not most established teams, the "tryout" with "all positions open" is kabuki theater.








In order to attract new players (and their parents), the team needs to put on a decent show. Having all your best players out there is far more impressive than holding a small workout for the few spots that may be open. It's tedious and potentially stressful if the coach doesn't communicate your status ahead of time.

That said, if someone really isn't welcome back, the HC should let them know ahead of time. This isn't the NFL...cutting a current player after a tryout is a crap thing to do. I have much stronger words for anyone who does that to a 10/11yo.

Kabuki theater

 

[texasheat]

That said, if someone really isn't welcome back, the HC should let them know ahead of time. This isn't the NFL...cutting a current player after a tryout is a crap thing to do. I have much stronger words for anyone who does that to a 10/11yo.

Bravo. These coaches want to have their cake and eat it too so they are afraid to cut a girl before tryouts for fear that they won't be able to replace them with someone "better". As if someone "better" in 10u makes a damn difference. So maybe you win a 10" trophy instead of a 5" trophy in the "Stars over Missouri" 12 team friendly. Who cares. Either cut the girls beforehand or guarantee their spot. Don't treat them like a piece of meat in 10u. There's plenty of time for that in 14u and above................ lol

 

[Strike2]

In my years of watching and coaching softball I've always thought that tryouts show you nothing compared to live game action. If a coach doesn't know who he wants to keep after watching them play all summer, then he shouldn't be coaching.

This.

Tryouts will show you who is athletic, but not always who can actually play. We've all seen players show up and look great but have trouble performing during a game. Similarly, there are kids who don't look as impressive but react well under game pressure. Just as important, a tryout usually doesn't show who might be difficult to deal with, either player or parent. Everyone is on their best behavior.

A coach who allows a current player to try out who he/she has no intention of keeping is an a-hole.

 

[tamss13]

This.

Tryouts will show you who is athletic, but not always who can actually play. We've all seen players show up and look great but have trouble performing during a game. Similarly, there are kids who don't look as impressive but react well under game pressure. Just as important, a tryout usually doesn't show who might be difficult to deal with, either player or parent. Everyone is on their best behavior.

A coach who allows a current player to try out who he/she has no intention of keeping is an a-hole.

I will admit there were a few teams that were recruiting DD's friend and I looked at the Dad and was like....Heck I want my DD to play for them.....but every one, there were three, that cut girls during the tryout I was thinking.....this staff is a bunch A HOLES

Each of those teams had the girls wear their team uniforms......they asked everyone to wear their team uniforms. One of the elite 10U teams in the area had a few girls that wanted to go 12U and boy every tryout they showed up to in uniform you can bet someone from that team was getting cut and replace by one of them......

DD friend was offered an invite to every team she tried out for....she is talented for a 10 year old. Coaches knew my DD was only there for moral support basically two day free work out for us.

Nice to know I am not the only one offended........

 

[MNDad]

All Positions up for grabs is also used to help attract new athletes. Nobody wants to join a team if they think spots are already established and they won’t be able to compete for a position.

Were the girls crying existing players or new girls? The coach should have had that discussion with current players that they wouldn’t be coming back. If it’s new girls I’d have more respect for a coach telling them immediately and in person they didn’t make it over sending a mass email.

 

[tamss13]

All Positions up for grabs is also used to help attract new athletes. Nobody wants to join a team if they think spots are already established and they won’t be able to compete for a position.

Were the girls crying existing players or new girls? The coach should have had that discussion with current players that they wouldn’t be coming back. If it’s new girls I’d have more respect for a coach telling them immediately and in person they didn’t make it over sending a mass email.

I get new girls crying....no these were existing.....At one of the tryouts a Dad was shocked at who was cut from the returning team....This Dad was chating up DDF the entire workout....

 

[BT3100]

Crazy story. DD was 12 and just made a 12u team. This was a brand new team that was just formed as part of a larger organization in the North East that was supposedly known for being Tuff
Anyway it was our first practice with the team and since it was pouring out we went indoors to a large facility. That day the 18u gold team was holding it's final tryout. The tryout was the same time as our practice. The head of the org who was also the 18u gold coach came over to us newly minted 12u parents and told us to stay for the tryout. We were like sure! About 50 girls showed up and he pulled them all into a circle, introduced himself and told them that there was 1 spot available but refused to tell them what position. His team was there too and they joined the girls that were trying out in the workout. 2 hours later he called all the parents of the 12s and the kids who were trying out along with any of their parents together. He walked into the middle of the circle and said "we had one position available and none of you made it" then walked away.
I was shocked... and thought man that guy is the devil. I later learned how some coaches string kids along over multiple tryouts and some don't even call them back. That coaches philosophy was to be honest and let them know where they stand.

 

[Beeg]

My kid has been playing since 5. Starting at 8U, you can already tell who can play what position during tournaments. During non-tournament games, the coaches would rotate the girls around to give them a chance to play different positions. Eventually, as the girls get older and develop into better players, coaches would definitely welcome them into different positions.

When you are playing in a tournament, you want to win (and develop the girls at the same time.) Those who are comfortable in a certain position can develop their skills better during tournaments. Those who are vying for a different position can test it out during non-tournament games. DD's 8U team was very good, and they won most of the tournaments they were in, so they utlimately had to cut a few girls who couldn't catch or bat in order to compete in 10U.

As for tryouts, you just have to cut girls. One team DD was on (in 10U) had 15 girls b/c the coach would not cut anyone. What fun is that to play a tournament game batting 15? So unfortunately, a competitive team would have to cut someone. If the team isn't competitive, they would not have a tryout anyway since they would just take anyone in or never cut anyone out. So for girls who play well, they won't go to those teams b/c the team isn't competitve enough. I understand that these are only 10/11 yr old kids, but at this age, some of them are very competitive and want more challenges.

We used to pay over $1,000 a season, that's not including all the private lessons. If you are paying that kind of money, you want your kid to play at the highest level possible. If my kid isn't at a certain level, I wouldn't bring her to that team's tryout. Ultimately, it is up to the parents to know what their children's limits are and bring them to tryout for the appropriate teams. If they are afraid their 10/11 yr old experiencing setbacks, then they shouldn't put them through the tryouts and just continue to play rec.

The first time DD had to tryout was last summer, when she was 11. She cried when we got to the ball park. This kid was fearless in everything, so that caught me by surprise. We talked it through, and I told her no pressure, just do your best like you do in regular practices. She put on a brave face and went through the tryout. The coach offered her a position right after the tryout. That summer she did 3 more tryouts and was offered a position on all the teams. Each tryout got easier for her, and the last one became a no big deal. She had since thanked me for putting her through it, b/c when we moved a month later and had to do yet another tryout, she didn't even think much about it.

She reacted the same way when she had to do her first PowerPoint presentation at school (3rd grade). She had tears streaming down her face and body shaking when the teacher announced the assignment. But now, she can do a presentation easily. I totally believe that a 10/11 old child can learn to face their fears and face these setbacks, as long as we parents are there to guide them through the failures. In some countries, 10/11 yr olds are considered mini-adults.