A general note to clubs about tryouts

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Question: my child tried out for a sports club that rhymes with "Pallor" that had three teams already. They had two tryouts last week and a third one much later (this Saturday). We were told that the first team received their offers before tryouts began and the tryouts were actually just for the lower teams and that was standard for "Pallor".

At what point should we assume our child has not made the second team? We wouldn't pay $4k for the third or possible fourth team. Or if the offer for the second team hasn't come yet, is it safe to assume our child was a last pick and won't play much?

And another question, do they wait to make offers until after the third tryout? Why is the third tryout so much later in time than the first two?

This little subthread is making me LOL. I can only speak to what's going on in one of the age groups. There have been multiple rounds of offers. Some kids got offers early to stay on their same teams, at least for the first and second teams. But not all kids on those teams got offers at the same time because some were apparently on the bubble to move up or down. Then another round of offers went out to kids on the bubble confirming their placements, as well as kids placed on the third team.

I don't know how many new kids have gotten offers. But I would not expect a second team offer to be coming if you haven't yet heard anything.

Is it true that the first team kids all got offers to stay on their teams before the tryouts started and that the tryouts actually aren't for any open spots on the first team?
I---naively--thought it was a real competition for all the teams (oldest kid what can i say).

That's what I heard from a friend who has a child on the first team. He got his return-to-the-team offer before the first tryout and so did other kids.

Well that's because their season IS the tryout. We had some flip flopping in our club- kids swapped from top to next team and vice versa. This was before any other offers went out.

Yes, this is what we were told. I feel bad for anyone whose coaches lead them to believe that tryouts are a chance to make a big move. If you kid is on the cusp of being moved up, you probably have some indication of that by being invited to guest play or practice sometimes with the higher team. If your kid never starts a game, isn't getting great feedback from the coach, and gets less playing time than others, then you're probably on the cusp of being moved down. Tryouts just help solidify what the coaches are thinking. They are constantly talking all season about who should be where.

It's pretty obvious. Why would a one or two time scrimmage tryout be the time to show your stuff instead of a real game when it counts? Anyone can have a good tryout.

Having moved several times including 2 overseas moves, not all the kids are known quantities. Tryouts are also for kids who are new to the area, switching clubs, etc.

I wasn't referring to new kids- we were discussing current kids on teams. " I feel bad for anyone whose coaches lead them to believe that tryouts are a chance to make a big move."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is on a Tier 1 hockey team with just one team at each level. They gave no timeline—just said “you will hear from us with an offer or you won’t hear at all.” Fortunately, our coach called an hour after tryouts with the offer. The club didn’t send email for multiple days.

It’s pretty crappy not to notify at all.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I generally think travel is a ridiculous waste of money -- almost none of the kids will end up playing college, literally none will play pro ball. And I hate traveling far away on the weekends.

But... if I had it to do over again, if it was something my kids really really wanted to play, I'd have them try out for travel the very first year it opened up because it's infinitely harder to make after that. There's also far less difference physically between the kids when they're younger-- and I've noticed that coaches care a lot about how the kids "look" (are they tall? big? etc) and you can't control that when you're 10/11. And by then, the rec league isn't very competitive. Which is frustrating for all.

I miss the way it was when I was a kid. I think I played rec until I was 13 because that's when the travel league started. I played in middle and high school and on the college club team, so was a decent player. But I suspect travel leagues will continue getting younger, not older. Wait until they open it up to Kinders...

But you can do both! DD still plays rec with her buddies and then travel as well. Same with her basketball friends- they do AAU and our rec team. And it's a blast!

Really? Most rec leagues don't allow travel players. Which local rec soccer league allows travel players?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I generally think travel is a ridiculous waste of money -- almost none of the kids will end up playing college, literally none will play pro ball. And I hate traveling far away on the weekends.

But... if I had it to do over again, if it was something my kids really really wanted to play, I'd have them try out for travel the very first year it opened up because it's infinitely harder to make after that. There's also far less difference physically between the kids when they're younger-- and I've noticed that coaches care a lot about how the kids "look" (are they tall? big? etc) and you can't control that when you're 10/11. And by then, the rec league isn't very competitive. Which is frustrating for all.

I miss the way it was when I was a kid. I think I played rec until I was 13 because that's when the travel league started. I played in middle and high school and on the college club team, so was a decent player. But I suspect travel leagues will continue getting younger, not older. Wait until they open it up to Kinders...

But you can do both! DD still plays rec with her buddies and then travel as well. Same with her basketball friends- they do AAU and our rec team. And it's a blast!

Really? Most rec leagues don't allow travel players. Which local rec soccer league allows travel players?

The PP is talking about basketball. At least I assume so considering they mention AAU.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is on a Tier 1 hockey team with just one team at each level. They gave no timeline—just said “you will hear from us with an offer or you won’t hear at all.” Fortunately, our coach called an hour after tryouts with the offer. The club didn’t send email for multiple days.

Not hearing at all is rude AF.
It takes five seconds to send an email. I honestly wouldn't want that guy as my kid's coach and role model.

[Anonymous]

My son tried out for a county league winter b-ball team, didn't make it. The coach (a volunteer) sent us/him (and i guess everyone else who tried out), a personal email discussing his strengths, weaknesses and ideas for working on the weaknesses. It was more feedback than we had gotten from actual paid coaches. There are a few good eggs still out there!

[Anonymous]

If all the tryouts for your child's age are completed, for a sport with multiple teams per age group and if you don't hear anything for the next few days, turn down the offer, right? Because that means your kid is like the last pick and will be sitting on the bench?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is on a Tier 1 hockey team with just one team at each level. They gave no timeline—just said “you will hear from us with an offer or you won’t hear at all.” Fortunately, our coach called an hour after tryouts with the offer. The club didn’t send email for multiple days.

Not hearing at all is rude AF.
It takes five seconds to send an email. I honestly wouldn't want that guy as my kid's coach and role model.

Agree. How many kids possibly are trying out for these hockey teams where they can't even send a quick mass email?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If all the tryouts for your child's age are completed, for a sport with multiple teams per age group and if you don't hear anything for the next few days, turn down the offer, right? Because that means your kid is like the last pick and will be sitting on the bench?

If you get a really late offer for Not The Bottom Team, then yes. If the late offer is for the worst team, then they may have just done that team last after filling all the spots on the first three teams. I wouldn't assume your kid is a benchwarmer on the last team. The last teams are usually pretty terrible.

[Anonymous]

And since most place start making offers for their stronger teams before tryouts start or right after the first tryout, any offer after the final tryout is a "late" offer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And since most place start making offers for their stronger teams before tryouts start or right after the first tryout, any offer after the final tryout is a "late" offer.

I do not think this is necessarily true. For some clubs, I think the top team open slots are offered first business day after tryouts end, and then they keep making offers that week as the teams fill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is on a first team in a big club and we had two kids from the rec side added to our team last fall at U14. They are really good too. They just showed up at tryouts and tried out. And I have heard there are other talented players on the rec side who just can't afford travel. So its not unheard of and I don't fault parents with no experience with travel sports (not just soccer, any travel sport) expecting something called a tryout to be a real tryout.

I’m assuming this is Arlington or Alexandria or a similar large club if there is a “rec” side to the club. I highly doubt they just showed up. Their coach or someone within the organization probably recognized that they are very talented and encouraged them to try out and will likely help them with the finances if they need it.

I’m sure some coaches are connected or have access to informal Hispanic leagues in the area and try to encourage and recruit players that they’ve seen from there.

Don't most travel soccer clubs have rec sides? I can't think of any that don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And since most place start making offers for their stronger teams before tryouts start or right after the first tryout, any offer after the final tryout is a "late" offer.

I do not think this is necessarily true. For some clubs, I think the top team open slots are offered first business day after tryouts end, and then they keep making offers that week as the teams fill.

This is risky as kids are getting offers from other clubs as soon as those tryouts start. My kid, on the first of four teams, and friends on that team, all received emailed offers from our club before the tryouts began and were REALLY pressured to accept right away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And since most place start making offers for their stronger teams before tryouts start or right after the first tryout, any offer after the final tryout is a "late" offer.

I do not think this is necessarily true. For some clubs, I think the top team open slots are offered first business day after tryouts end, and then they keep making offers that week as the teams fill.

This is risky as kids are getting offers from other clubs as soon as those tryouts start. My kid, on the first of four teams, and friends on that team, all received emailed offers from our club before the tryouts began and were REALLY pressured to accept right away.

Agreed. My kid is a newcomer who tried out for a club with an expanding roster and I’m going crazy this weekend. Hope we hear something tomorrow because otherwise it’s not going to be worth us switching from current team. Ack.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If all the tryouts for your child's age are completed, for a sport with multiple teams per age group and if you don't hear anything for the next few days, turn down the offer, right? Because that means your kid is like the last pick and will be sitting on the bench?

If you get a really late offer for Not The Bottom Team, then yes. If the late offer is for the worst team, then they may have just done that team last after filling all the spots on the first three teams. I wouldn't assume your kid is a benchwarmer on the last team. The last teams are usually pretty terrible.

Agree with this. Being on the worst team for a big business is a bad deal. Much better to be on the first or second team for a smaller org.