Sham Tryouts

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Its sketchy to charge a fee to tryout. That's a red flag.

Why? Just trying to understand the lay of the land.

Its pretty unusual honestly, and usually just the for-profit kind of places charge a fee to tryout. So they are trying to make money off fake tryouts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my experience, they will always take new players and drop old ones.

Not necessarily if it is a parent coach. Watch for that too.

If they’re changing a tryout fee for a parent coach league, don’t bother. It’s a scam.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my experience, they will always take new players and drop old ones.

Not necessarily if it is a parent coach. Watch for that too.

If they’re changing a tryout fee for a parent coach league, don’t bother. It’s a scam.

What constitutes parent coach? All the teams so far have had some type of parental involvement-whether it is head coach, assistant coach or team manager. Where does one find a basketball team without any of this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Its sketchy to charge a fee to tryout. That's a red flag.

Why? Just trying to understand the lay of the land.

I disagree that it is "sketchy". Clubs have to pay for a gym and coaches. Why not charge a fee to try out. By the way, if you want to avoid fees, have your kid do a tryout once teams are formed. If your kid is talented there is almost always room for one more. If it is a big club with multiple teams at all age levels, they will likely have a space as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my experience, they will always take new players and drop old ones.

Not necessarily if it is a parent coach. Watch for that too.

If they’re changing a tryout fee for a parent coach league, don’t bother. It’s a scam.

What constitutes parent coach? All the teams so far have had some type of parental involvement-whether it is head coach, assistant coach or team manager. Where does one find a basketball team without any of this?

If it’s a truly competitive travel program with paid, trained coaches, then a tryout fee is legit since they have to pay coaches for working at the tryouts. But if it’s all volunteer run, then there’s no need to charge a tryout fee. Period.

[Anonymous]

I have select/AAU basketball playing kids, and tryouts are not a sham. There is too much change in height and skills year to year. Lots of hurt feelings by players who get dropped for better talent. It's very stressful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have select/AAU basketball playing kids, and tryouts are not a sham. There is too much change in height and skills year to year. Lots of hurt feelings by players who get dropped for better talent. It's very stressful.

+1

Also a lot of movement of kids going to other sports so lots of openings year after year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my experience, they will always take new players and drop old ones.

Not necessarily if it is a parent coach. Watch for that too.

If they’re changing a tryout fee for a parent coach league, don’t bother. It’s a scam.

What constitutes parent coach? All the teams so far have had some type of parental involvement-whether it is head coach, assistant coach or team manager. Where does one find a basketball team without any of this?

DD has gone to tryouts where the head coach is one of the player’s parents and the majority of the team is the same group of friends who has been together for years and years. Are they really good and would make it anyway? Maybe but maybe not. She has gone to other tryouts where the head coach is not related to any players. The tryouts seemed more legit. These teams do exist.

[Anonymous]

Unless the team is just forming, you are always trying out for just a few specific slots.

My kid is on a 12u travel team that has 12 kids. When tryouts roll around, there aren’t 12 slots. There are maybe 2 slots open, and you need to be able to pitch. The core group of kids has been together since 8u. Your just ok kid isn’t going to break into this group. You also need to understand that coaches are looking for players to play specific roles.

All that said, using tryouts as a moneymaker is shady as hell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Its sketchy to charge a fee to tryout. That's a red flag.

Why? Just trying to understand the lay of the land.

Its pretty unusual honestly, and usually just the for-profit kind of places charge a fee to tryout. So they are trying to make money off fake tryouts.

Not in our sport, where fields and courts have to be rented for the time period. The fee is modest. But covers the time and the coaches' time, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my experience, they will always take new players and drop old ones.

Not necessarily if it is a parent coach. Watch for that too.

If they’re changing a tryout fee for a parent coach league, don’t bother. It’s a scam.

What constitutes parent coach? All the teams so far have had some type of parental involvement-whether it is head coach, assistant coach or team manager. Where does one find a basketball team without any of this?

DD has gone to tryouts where the head coach is one of the player’s parents and the majority of the team is the same group of friends who has been together for years and years. Are they really good and would make it anyway? Maybe but maybe not. She has gone to other tryouts where the head coach is not related to any players. The tryouts seemed more legit. These teams do exist.

A team like the one you mentioned is looking for a specific person/skill set. Unless your DD is a truly phenomenal player, if she doesn’t fill the gap the coach is trying to fill, she isn’t going to make the team.

[Anonymous]

Our experience with basketball is the team breaks up year after year. There is always many vacancies and tryouts aren’t a sham. Is that not standard?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. I feel this. McLean select basketball.

I agree with this. Gross.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In my experience, they will always take new players and drop old ones.

Not necessarily if it is a parent coach. Watch for that too.

If they’re changing a tryout fee for a parent coach league, don’t bother. It’s a scam.

What constitutes parent coach? All the teams so far have had some type of parental involvement-whether it is head coach, assistant coach or team manager. Where does one find a basketball team without any of this?

DD has gone to tryouts where the head coach is one of the player’s parents and the majority of the team is the same group of friends who has been together for years and years. Are they really good and would make it anyway? Maybe but maybe not. She has gone to other tryouts where the head coach is not related to any players. The tryouts seemed more legit. These teams do exist.

My DC is on a team like this. Parents and adult siblings and other relations coaching their relatives (and making team placement decisions) and relatives friends. Even though there is a "tryout", it is definitely predetermined that those kids will be on the team and, further, on the A Team. My child could hit every metric for excellence in those tryouts and we already know where DC will be placed.

It's a bit of a morale killer, for sure. And pisses us off. But, there are not a lot of opportunities that are nearby to play the sport. And of the ones that are close, there is a lot of politics involved that could trickle over into the high school teams if we were to leave. So we are kind of stuck with it. DC loves to play so we just go with it. Nothing we can do. But, if you're that parent coaching your kid and kid's friends . . . just know that you suck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. I feel this. McLean select basketball.

I agree with this. Gross.

Not our experience. Three boys in Select. One year, two didn’t make it.