A general note to clubs about tryouts

[Anonymous]

If you tell kids you're going to give them an answer in two days...give them an answer in two days! We've repeatedly had tryouts where clubs waited a week to tell them. These are often little kids. Mine, at least ask, are constantly asking if I've heard yet, and say, "It's Wednesday...why haven't we heard when we were told we'd get an answer Wednesday?" This happens year after year. Adults should know better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you tell kids you're going to give them an answer in two days...give them an answer in two days! We've repeatedly had tryouts where clubs waited a week to tell them. These are often little kids. Mine, at least ask, are constantly asking if I've heard yet, and say, "It's Wednesday...why haven't we heard when we were told we'd get an answer Wednesday?" This happens year after year. Adults should know better.

Don't tell your kids the timeline. The clubs will offer the top kids on the spot. We've had kids receive offers the first day of tryouts. After tryouts, they immediately offer rest of the first team. As those kids accept or decline, they send out more first team offers. Once the first team is full, they offer the second team. Once the second team is full, they offer the third team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you tell kids you're going to give them an answer in two days...give them an answer in two days! We've repeatedly had tryouts where clubs waited a week to tell them. These are often little kids. Mine, at least ask, are constantly asking if I've heard yet, and say, "It's Wednesday...why haven't we heard when we were told we'd get an answer Wednesday?" This happens year after year. Adults should know better.

Don't tell your kids the timeline. The clubs will offer the top kids on the spot. We've had kids receive offers the first day of tryouts. After tryouts, they immediately offer rest of the first team. As those kids accept or decline, they send out more first team offers. Once the first team is full, they offer the second team. Once the second team is full, they offer the third team.

I didn't tell them-- the league did at the tryout! That's my point: doesn't matter how long it takes to make a decision, but if you say, "We'll send everyone an email by Monday"...send an email by Monday!

[Anonymous]

I agree it's ridiculous that they don't keep to the timeline they put out. If they have a tiered process, give a different timeline. "By X date, you will have heard. We will also notify those who don't make the team by Y date"

[Anonymous]

Also, don’t give kids a verbal “no thanks” at the end of a tryout. Send an email and let parents break the news.

And parents, talk to your own kids about sharing intel with friends. If they get an offer at a first tryout, suggest they keep that to themselves for a bit if friends are still going through the process.

[Anonymous]

It's even worse following a callback. If you tell a 10-year-old they'll know if they made the team by x date and don't respond, you suck. It's bad enough when there are volunteer coaches...but in this case, they're paid!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's even worse following a callback. If you tell a 10-year-old they'll know if they made the team by x date and don't respond, you suck. It's bad enough when there are volunteer coaches...but in this case, they're paid!

They don't always know. If a team is carrying a set number and one of their top choices tells them they'll have a response in a week, the team can choose to either say thanks but not thanks or hold the spot. Teams that care about winning will hold the spot and that means at least one offer will not go out unless the kid says no.

[Anonymous]

My daughter has always been given a same day offer--either at the tryout or by email or phone call later the same day. If they are providing a timeline and not meeting it--your kid is not one of their first choices. If you eventually get an offer, I would be sure to ask about how they see your kid's role on the team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My daughter has always been given a same day offer--either at the tryout or by email or phone call later the same day. If they are providing a timeline and not meeting it--your kid is not one of their first choices. If you eventually get an offer, I would be sure to ask about how they see your kid's role on the team.

I think that's really good advice. The one time my child accepted an offer from a team that came late, they ended up not getting much playing time early in the season

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My daughter has always been given a same day offer--either at the tryout or by email or phone call later the same day. If they are providing a timeline and not meeting it--your kid is not one of their first choices. If you eventually get an offer, I would be sure to ask about how they see your kid's role on the team.

I think that's really good advice. The one time my child accepted an offer from a team that came late, they ended up not getting much playing time early in the season

One of my kids plays a travel sport with multiple teams in the age group. Last year was his first year because he was in the youngest age group. He got an offer right after the first of three tryouts. Apparently others got offers up to a couple weeks later. They didn't form the teams until closer to the season starting. The kids who got the later offers were on the bottom team and really not competitive. I ended up chatting with one of the parents and they expressed regret that they didn't understand at the time what it meant to get an offer so late. Clearly the club wanted to make more $$ by filling out a bottom team, and it hasn't been a good experience for anyone.

I would be very wary of accepting a late offer without the team specified. And if the team is specified ask what level it is within the age group. You will be paying the same as the parents of kids on the top team but not getting the same product in terms of coaching and training experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My daughter has always been given a same day offer--either at the tryout or by email or phone call later the same day. If they are providing a timeline and not meeting it--your kid is not one of their first choices. If you eventually get an offer, I would be sure to ask about how they see your kid's role on the team.

I think that's really good advice. The one time my child accepted an offer from a team that came late, they ended up not getting much playing time early in the season

One of my kids plays a travel sport with multiple teams in the age group. Last year was his first year because he was in the youngest age group. He got an offer right after the first of three tryouts. Apparently others got offers up to a couple weeks later. They didn't form the teams until closer to the season starting. The kids who got the later offers were on the bottom team and really not competitive. I ended up chatting with one of the parents and they expressed regret that they didn't understand at the time what it meant to get an offer so late. Clearly the club wanted to make more $$ by filling out a bottom team, and it hasn't been a good experience for anyone.

I would be very wary of accepting a late offer without the team specified. And if the team is specified ask what level it is within the age group. You will be paying the same as the parents of kids on the top team but not getting the same product in terms of coaching and training experience.

I was referring to a later offer with the team specified. I think someone declined and our kid got a team higher than they otherwise would have. It worked out in the end, but they started the year not getting much playing time.

[Anonymous]

PP here, to clarify I would never accept an offer without knowing the team. If they can't tell you, that is a very bad sign

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also, don’t give kids a verbal “no thanks” at the end of a tryout. Send an email and let parents break the news.

And parents, talk to your own kids about sharing intel with friends. If they get an offer at a first tryout, suggest they keep that to themselves for a bit if friends are still going through the process.

I think this depends on the age. Tween/teens can hear it directly from the coach

[Anonymous]

Well, the hard truth is that the good kids do hear within two days. It’s the kids that the club wants, they offer and then they have to give them time to decide. So if you’re not hearing in two days, you’re not a top player and you have to wait.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, the hard truth is that the good kids do hear within two days. It’s the kids that the club wants, they offer and then they have to give them time to decide. So if you’re not hearing in two days, you’re not a top player and you have to wait.

Which is fine, and honestly, which is something I know (having been on the receiving end of those emails in the first few days). But I don't think it's right for leagues to tell kids they'll get an answer within a specific time frame if they don't intend to stick with it.