Tryouts
For the younger age groups (U-9-10-11) tryouts are designed to have the head coach of an age group conducting the tryout. The evaluators used are supposed to be people who do not have children involved in the tryout. All the evaluators are volunteers. We are at the mercy of volunteers showing up for the tryout. If enough independent volunteers do not show up at the tryout the head coach must enlist the help of parents with kids involved in the tryouts. Unfortunately, this is not always the best and most ideal situation but it is the best we can do. The older age groups are generally evaluated by the Head Coach and Assistant Coach of the A and B teams.
While the evaluators, independent or not, score the kids and rank the kids the ultimate player selection is at the discretion of the head coach. For returning teams, tryouts are not the only criteria used in evaluating the players.
Some of the criteria the head coach will use in selecting a player are:
1. Tryout evaluation
2. Game performance from the just completed season
3. Overall athletic potential of a player
4. Attitude of a player
5. Commitment of the parents of the player
6. Positional considerations (i.e. Goalie or fullback needed)
There is no specific weighting to any of the above criteria.
The tryout process is for a head coach to be able to pick players for the upcoming season. The results or placing of players within these evaluations will not be made public. There will be no written or verbal evaluation given to the player or the parent. If a player or parent is looking for this type of evaluation they should hire a private trainer and have them assess their child's strengths and weaknesses.
Attendance at both tryouts is preferable. Missing a tryout can have an adverse effect on the evaluation. This is more true in the case of a player the coach has not seen play before.
Every coach strives to select the best possible talent available. The goal is to field the most talented group of players at a given age. However, mistakes are made; especially in the younger age groups. Tryouts in any sport are not an exact science. The only thing for certain is that there will be mistakes made during the selection process.
If your child does not make a travel team please encourage them to play intramurals, practice year round and tryout the following year. It is a year round commitment to practice to make a travel team. If your child makes the "B" team and you or they feel they should have made the "A" team, again, encourage them to make the best of the situation and use the year to be the best player on the team and try again next year. There are always "bubble players"; 5-6 players who either are the last 3 on the "A" team or the first 3 on the "B" team. What is the deciding factor in this selection is impossible to say. We can only hope that each child makes the best of their situation and works hard for the goals they have set for themselves.
We hope this clears up many of the questions that have been raised about tryouts. It's not a perfect system, but we do our best to make it fair.
