Sports tryouts—is this standard?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son wants to try out at Westfield tomorrow. He registered awhile ago through the website, but hasn't been sent ANYTHING. All we know is what the school posted on the athetics website, which is a time and location for Monday only, along with a message to "be prepared!". Be prepared how? He doesn't even know what to bring. Just show up with soccer cleats? It seems unfair to be competing against kids who tried out last year and know exactly what to bring and expect.

They didn't have even one soccer green day all year unlike friends at other schools, so its not like he could meet the coach or ask anyone. I'm a little baffled b/c he did a fall sport that was SO organized.

Just so you know, they only took 5 or 6 freshman last year. Try and set your son's expectations. My kid was cut after the first day and switched to a different spring sport and he played on a good club soccer team (RL level) for years prior. Many very good players are cut. Boys soccer is the most brutal FCPS sport.

What sport did he switch to? Track? I’ve been trying to prepare my son for this possibility at our school. It’s depressing that they need to be playing for a club team that’s in a national level league just to make the JV high school soccer team. At least the soccer players are often decently positioned for running.

[Anonymous]

If Fairfax is closed Monday, tryouts will be postponed a day, right? Or will they still have Day 1 be Monday? That seems like a hardship for kids who rely on school buses to get to/from the campus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This makes me sad. My DD will be a freshman in MCPS in August and wants to try out for soccer and basketball. It shouldnt be this cut throat.

Its much, much, much easier for girls to make teams than boys. Some girls who only play rec get on JV soccer and freshman basketball.

I have known girls who only play rec to make varsity soccer as freshmen

Money can buy the advantage of training and time, as with travel, but it doesn't always buy you skill

[Anonymous]

As a boys soccer coach in the county most schools have 120+ kids. First off follow the schools soccer insta page, all the info is usually there. Tryouts is a difficult process, especially selecting the last couple of kids for JV. Because of numbers I try and take 25 for varsity and 23 for JV. However, playing time with the last 5 or 6 kids on each team is translated to the kids, however things change as the season goes on. Parents can be a real pain about playing time and some coaches have started taking under 20 for each team because of this. We almost always end of cutting a kid 9th grade that ends up making it the following year. Being able to play multiple positions really helps a lot. And for the bench positions on varsity, even personality plays a big role. If schools are canceled tryouts will be pushed back. Most schools have at least 3 days of tryouts. For tryouts you really just need soccer gear like you would practice if the coach wants something special they will tell you on Insta. This is what I do and other schools are somewhat similar. Any other questions I will be happy to answer?

[Anonymous]

Well, in pp's defense, this appears to be the Westfield boys soccer insta and there is no information on it at all about tryouts.

https://www.instagram.com/westfieldbsoc/

Do you ask what teams kids currently play on? How do you even keep track of who is who with 150+ boys?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If Fairfax is closed Monday, tryouts will be postponed a day, right? Or will they still have Day 1 be Monday? That seems like a hardship for kids who rely on school buses to get to/from the campus.

A lot of the tryouts are in other locations or at school, but at 5 pm or 6 pm. For school sports, kids are expected to have a parent at their beck and call for transportation, or be able to drive themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a boys soccer coach in the county most schools have 120+ kids. First off follow the schools soccer insta page, all the info is usually there. Tryouts is a difficult process, especially selecting the last couple of kids for JV. Because of numbers I try and take 25 for varsity and 23 for JV. However, playing time with the last 5 or 6 kids on each team is translated to the kids, however things change as the season goes on. Parents can be a real pain about playing time and some coaches have started taking under 20 for each team because of this. We almost always end of cutting a kid 9th grade that ends up making it the following year. Being able to play multiple positions really helps a lot. And for the bench positions on varsity, even personality plays a big role. If schools are canceled tryouts will be pushed back. Most schools have at least 3 days of tryouts. For tryouts you really just need soccer gear like you would practice if the coach wants something special they will tell you on Insta. This is what I do and other schools are somewhat similar. Any other questions I will be happy to answer?

I love an AMA!
1. Do you cut kids after the first night?
2. Is there a level of club play that will always get a kid a spot on JV (for instance, playing ECNL or MLS Next)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a boys soccer coach in the county most schools have 120+ kids. First off follow the schools soccer insta page, all the info is usually there. Tryouts is a difficult process, especially selecting the last couple of kids for JV. Because of numbers I try and take 25 for varsity and 23 for JV. However, playing time with the last 5 or 6 kids on each team is translated to the kids, however things change as the season goes on. Parents can be a real pain about playing time and some coaches have started taking under 20 for each team because of this. We almost always end of cutting a kid 9th grade that ends up making it the following year. Being able to play multiple positions really helps a lot. And for the bench positions on varsity, even personality plays a big role. If schools are canceled tryouts will be pushed back. Most schools have at least 3 days of tryouts. For tryouts you really just need soccer gear like you would practice if the coach wants something special they will tell you on Insta. This is what I do and other schools are somewhat similar. Any other questions I will be happy to answer?

I love an AMA!
1. Do you cut kids after the first night?
2. Is there a level of club play that will always get a kid a spot on JV (for instance, playing ECNL or MLS Next)?

Our schools and I believe most do not let coaches cut kids based on 1 day but I sure would like to. We have 20-30 kids that are lacking skill and fitness to play even at the jv level. I do not ask the kids what club the play for. Some really good ninth graders I might talk to and figure out there club and more information because they might be good enough varsity but might prefer jv with friends or more playing time. We take probably 2 rec kids a year and cut many ENCL kids every year. We are really just looking at what skills they have for JV and I could really care less where they play club.

[Anonymous]

Thanks! So interesting to hear the coach's perspective!

I'm surprised to hear parents are contacting high school coaches about play time. Yikes!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a boys soccer coach in the county most schools have 120+ kids. First off follow the schools soccer insta page, all the info is usually there. Tryouts is a difficult process, especially selecting the last couple of kids for JV. Because of numbers I try and take 25 for varsity and 23 for JV. However, playing time with the last 5 or 6 kids on each team is translated to the kids, however things change as the season goes on. Parents can be a real pain about playing time and some coaches have started taking under 20 for each team because of this. We almost always end of cutting a kid 9th grade that ends up making it the following year. Being able to play multiple positions really helps a lot. And for the bench positions on varsity, even personality plays a big role. If schools are canceled tryouts will be pushed back. Most schools have at least 3 days of tryouts. For tryouts you really just need soccer gear like you would practice if the coach wants something special they will tell you on Insta. This is what I do and other schools are somewhat similar. Any other questions I will be happy to answer?

I love an AMA!
1. Do you cut kids after the first night?
2. Is there a level of club play that will always get a kid a spot on JV (for instance, playing ECNL or MLS Next)?

Our schools and I believe most do not let coaches cut kids based on 1 day but I sure would like to. We have 20-30 kids that are lacking skill and fitness to play even at the jv level. I do not ask the kids what club the play for. Some really good ninth graders I might talk to and figure out there club and more information because they might be good enough varsity but might prefer jv with friends or more playing time. We take probably 2 rec kids a year and cut many ENCL kids every year. We are really just looking at what skills they have for JV and I could really care less where they play club.

Are you cutting kids who play full ECNL or ECNL RL? What skills are you most looking for?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a boys soccer coach in the county most schools have 120+ kids. First off follow the schools soccer insta page, all the info is usually there. Tryouts is a difficult process, especially selecting the last couple of kids for JV. Because of numbers I try and take 25 for varsity and 23 for JV. However, playing time with the last 5 or 6 kids on each team is translated to the kids, however things change as the season goes on. Parents can be a real pain about playing time and some coaches have started taking under 20 for each team because of this. We almost always end of cutting a kid 9th grade that ends up making it the following year. Being able to play multiple positions really helps a lot. And for the bench positions on varsity, even personality plays a big role. If schools are canceled tryouts will be pushed back. Most schools have at least 3 days of tryouts. For tryouts you really just need soccer gear like you would practice if the coach wants something special they will tell you on Insta. This is what I do and other schools are somewhat similar. Any other questions I will be happy to answer?

I love an AMA!
1. Do you cut kids after the first night?
2. Is there a level of club play that will always get a kid a spot on JV (for instance, playing ECNL or MLS Next)?

Our schools and I believe most do not let coaches cut kids based on 1 day but I sure would like to. We have 20-30 kids that are lacking skill and fitness to play even at the jv level. I do not ask the kids what club the play for. Some really good ninth graders I might talk to and figure out there club and more information because they might be good enough varsity but might prefer jv with friends or more playing time. We take probably 2 rec kids a year and cut many ENCL kids every year. We are really just looking at what skills they have for JV and I could really care less where they play club.

Are you cutting kids who play full ECNL or ECNL RL? What skills are you most looking for?

I don’t know every kids club but I would say most encl kids make jv. We are mostly looking for skills on the ball and passing for jv. However about 4-5 kids every year don’t make varsity that were on jv because of better younger talent. Those kids include full encl. For varsity assuming they have ball skills, we are looking for work rate, defense at all positions and competitiveness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If Fairfax is closed Monday, tryouts will be postponed a day, right? Or will they still have Day 1 be Monday? That seems like a hardship for kids who rely on school buses to get to/from the campus.

A lot of the tryouts are in other locations or at school, but at 5 pm or 6 pm. For school sports, kids are expected to have a parent at their beck and call for transportation, or be able to drive themselves.

This is SO true and was such a disappointment. I thought school sports practices would always be conveniently right after school with a late bus home and we could finally be done running around. HAHAHA nope. Many practices are 5-7 or 7-9 or changed with just a few hours notice which means back and forth to school for the parents driving, games were all at 4 pm which is so hard to make as a working parent.

[Anonymous]

Don't coaches know their teams before tryouts? Sure there can be a surprise player but tryouts are a mere formality

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't coaches know their teams before tryouts? Sure there can be a surprise player but tryouts are a mere formality

How? Our HS didn't even have green days so they won't have seen any of the freshman play.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't coaches know their teams before tryouts? Sure there can be a surprise player but tryouts are a mere formality

I think that's accurate for basketball but not the other sports.