Sports tryouts—is this standard?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Bring water, cleats, and shin guards. What else do you need to bring for soccer tryouts? Not a parent at your school but someone who knows what equipment is needed for soccer. Maybe your kid could email the Coach and ask, that would show some initiative.

NP-Usually soccer tryouts will tell kids to also bring running shoes, a plain specific color t-shirt, etc. Its not about "equipment needed for soccer", its about what players need to participate in an organized tryout for 150+ boys.

I get that it might be more than that. If you are really worried about it, the child should have emailed the Coach and asked. It shows initiative and an understanding that they need more than the basics. Should things be better advertised? Sure, but make a positive out of the lack of information.

So in your scenario, 150 boys should each be individually emailing the person listed as the coach (who does not work at the school and who they don't know)? This doesn't seem like a good system.

Sounds like 149 of them might have taken action and ONE didn't...

Do you know any teenaged boys LOL? There is almost 100% chance that zero emailed asking about tryouts. They will just wander in with their broccoli heads, wearing shorts regardless of temperature and almost certainly most won't have shin guards or water.

Then their parents failed them. If DS signs up for something and does not hear about a schedule or requirements, I remind him to email the person in charge. He is 13, he doesn't have the same life experience to understand the importance of following up. My job as his parent is to help him develop that understanding. When he is going to an activity I check with him to make sure he has what he needs. For soccer I ask about cleats, shin guards, and his water bottle. We are getting to a point where we have to do that less, he has his gear together and we can see that. If we don't see it, we ask.

I would hope that if the coach got an email from 10% of the kids who signed up asking if there was something they were supposed to bring, the coach would send out an email to everyone registered. The emails asking would trigger a reminder that would be helpful. I would also guess that the coach would remember what kids emailed him asking for more information and if there was a tight call between two kids he would be more likely to take the kid who emailed him then the kids who didn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Bring water, cleats, and shin guards. What else do you need to bring for soccer tryouts? Not a parent at your school but someone who knows what equipment is needed for soccer. Maybe your kid could email the Coach and ask, that would show some initiative.

NP-Usually soccer tryouts will tell kids to also bring running shoes, a plain specific color t-shirt, etc. Its not about "equipment needed for soccer", its about what players need to participate in an organized tryout for 150+ boys.

I get that it might be more than that. If you are really worried about it, the child should have emailed the Coach and asked. It shows initiative and an understanding that they need more than the basics. Should things be better advertised? Sure, but make a positive out of the lack of information.

So in your scenario, 150 boys should each be individually emailing the person listed as the coach (who does not work at the school and who they don't know)? This doesn't seem like a good system.

Sounds like 149 of them might have taken action and ONE didn't...

Do you know any teenaged boys LOL? There is almost 100% chance that zero emailed asking about tryouts. They will just wander in with their broccoli heads, wearing shorts regardless of temperature and almost certainly most won't have shin guards or water.

Then their parents failed them. If DS signs up for something and does not hear about a schedule or requirements, I remind him to email the person in charge. He is 13, he doesn't have the same life experience to understand the importance of following up. My job as his parent is to help him develop that understanding. When he is going to an activity I check with him to make sure he has what he needs. For soccer I ask about cleats, shin guards, and his water bottle. We are getting to a point where we have to do that less, he has his gear together and we can see that. If we don't see it, we ask.

I would hope that if the coach got an email from 10% of the kids who signed up asking if there was something they were supposed to bring, the coach would send out an email to everyone registered. The emails asking would trigger a reminder that would be helpful. I would also guess that the coach would remember what kids emailed him asking for more information and if there was a tight call between two kids he would be more likely to take the kid who emailed him then the kids who didn't.

Unlike the mother of a toddler, the mother of a teen should have the life experience to put aside her sanctimommy instincts. Who failed you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Bring water, cleats, and shin guards. What else do you need to bring for soccer tryouts? Not a parent at your school but someone who knows what equipment is needed for soccer. Maybe your kid could email the Coach and ask, that would show some initiative.

NP-Usually soccer tryouts will tell kids to also bring running shoes, a plain specific color t-shirt, etc. Its not about "equipment needed for soccer", its about what players need to participate in an organized tryout for 150+ boys.

I get that it might be more than that. If you are really worried about it, the child should have emailed the Coach and asked. It shows initiative and an understanding that they need more than the basics. Should things be better advertised? Sure, but make a positive out of the lack of information.

So in your scenario, 150 boys should each be individually emailing the person listed as the coach (who does not work at the school and who they don't know)? This doesn't seem like a good system.

Sounds like 149 of them might have taken action and ONE didn't...

Do you know any teenaged boys LOL? There is almost 100% chance that zero emailed asking about tryouts. They will just wander in with their broccoli heads, wearing shorts regardless of temperature and almost certainly most won't have shin guards or water.

Then their parents failed them. If DS signs up for something and does not hear about a schedule or requirements, I remind him to email the person in charge. He is 13, he doesn't have the same life experience to understand the importance of following up. My job as his parent is to help him develop that understanding. When he is going to an activity I check with him to make sure he has what he needs. For soccer I ask about cleats, shin guards, and his water bottle. We are getting to a point where we have to do that less, he has his gear together and we can see that. If we don't see it, we ask.

I would hope that if the coach got an email from 10% of the kids who signed up asking if there was something they were supposed to bring, the coach would send out an email to everyone registered. The emails asking would trigger a reminder that would be helpful. I would also guess that the coach would remember what kids emailed him asking for more information and if there was a tight call between two kids he would be more likely to take the kid who emailed him then the kids who didn't.

Unlike the mother of a toddler, the mother of a teen should have the life experience to put aside her sanctimommy instincts. Who failed you?

Given the number of people on this site who are shocked at the notion that their kid could contact the coach and ask a question, a lot of parents seem to need to be reminded that they need to parent their kid.

[Anonymous]

Our tennis tryout is a tournament style elimination I believe.

My kid made the basketball team. I don’t know how they chose some and not others of similar skill levels. All these kids played travel and AAU. I wonder if it was attitude.

[Anonymous]

I'm curious what schools have lacrosse more competitive than soccer, basketball, etc. I have never heard of such a thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Bring water, cleats, and shin guards. What else do you need to bring for soccer tryouts? Not a parent at your school but someone who knows what equipment is needed for soccer. Maybe your kid could email the Coach and ask, that would show some initiative.

NP-Usually soccer tryouts will tell kids to also bring running shoes, a plain specific color t-shirt, etc. Its not about "equipment needed for soccer", its about what players need to participate in an organized tryout for 150+ boys.

I get that it might be more than that. If you are really worried about it, the child should have emailed the Coach and asked. It shows initiative and an understanding that they need more than the basics. Should things be better advertised? Sure, but make a positive out of the lack of information.

So in your scenario, 150 boys should each be individually emailing the person listed as the coach (who does not work at the school and who they don't know)? This doesn't seem like a good system.

Sounds like 149 of them might have taken action and ONE didn't...

Do you know any teenaged boys LOL? There is almost 100% chance that zero emailed asking about tryouts. They will just wander in with their broccoli heads, wearing shorts regardless of temperature and almost certainly most won't have shin guards or water.

Then their parents failed them. If DS signs up for something and does not hear about a schedule or requirements, I remind him to email the person in charge. He is 13, he doesn't have the same life experience to understand the importance of following up. My job as his parent is to help him develop that understanding. When he is going to an activity I check with him to make sure he has what he needs. For soccer I ask about cleats, shin guards, and his water bottle. We are getting to a point where we have to do that less, he has his gear together and we can see that. If we don't see it, we ask.

I would hope that if the coach got an email from 10% of the kids who signed up asking if there was something they were supposed to bring, the coach would send out an email to everyone registered. The emails asking would trigger a reminder that would be helpful. I would also guess that the coach would remember what kids emailed him asking for more information and if there was a tight call between two kids he would be more likely to take the kid who emailed him then the kids who didn't.

Unlike the mother of a toddler, the mother of a teen should have the life experience to put aside her sanctimommy instincts. Who failed you?

Given the number of people on this site who are shocked at the notion that their kid could contact the coach and ask a question, a lot of parents seem to need to be reminded that they need to parent their kid.

Sometimes the lesson goes in one ear and out the other. Case in point.

[Anonymous]

Emailing a coach could backfire. Alot of coaches don't want to be bothered with 200 emails. They could think: this kid lacks common sense or this kid is a PITA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Emailing a coach could backfire. Alot of coaches don't want to be bothered with 200 email
s. They could think: this kid lacks common sense or this kid is a PITA.

exactly this. coaches don't have DCUM mommy brain. They aren't thinking, how mature of this kid to send me an email, I"m totally picking this kid. They are thinking: why is this kid bothering me with a dumb question?

[Anonymous]

I love how pretty much any topic on DCUM brings out posters whose mission in life is to prove that someone else is parenting wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Emailing a coach could backfire. Alot of coaches don't want to be bothered with 200 email
s. They could think: this kid lacks common sense or this kid is a PITA.

exactly this. coaches don't have DCUM mommy brain. They aren't thinking, how mature of this kid to send me an email, I"m totally picking this kid. They are thinking: why is this kid bothering me with a dumb question?

As a coach I could care less if a player emails me especially 9th graders. Many 9th graders email me and I just tell them about Green Day’s and get their sports physical and registration completed. Follow our Instagram for more info. There is no impact on them making the team or not. Some ask long questions about what we are looking for and I just say a mix set of skills. There is so many kids for soccer i usually don’t even know which kids emailed me

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious what schools have lacrosse more competitive than soccer, basketball, etc. I have never heard of such a thing.

It’s not true. Maybe it’s something lacrosse people want to tell themselves so they feel like their kid is doing a really competitive sport too. But it’s not reality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our tennis tryout is a tournament style elimination I believe.

My kid made the basketball team. I don’t know how they chose some and not others of similar skill levels. All these kids played travel and AAU. I wonder if it was attitude.

I know a handful of high school varsity coaches in my kids' sport (softball). They are all to a man or woman very focused on player attitude.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our tennis tryout is a tournament style elimination I believe.

My kid made the basketball team. I don’t know how they chose some and not others of similar skill levels. All these kids played travel and AAU. I wonder if it was attitude.

I know a handful of high school varsity coaches in my kids' sport (softball). They are all to a man or woman very focused on player attitude.

Not in my experience. Coaches might say this, but from what I've seen, if the kid is producing good results, bad attitudes are ignored. Or verbally addressed but no follow through with benching.

[Anonymous]

Yep, "attitude" only matters for the second half of the team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yep, "attitude" only matters for the second half of the team.

Well the first poster to bring it up was talking about how "some of those kids" are picked. Of course the stars aren't getting cut over attitude. It's if you're on the bubble.