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metsFan
63 Posts |
 Posted - 07/01/2010 : 07:49:14
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What are your opinions on attending tryouts for teams you know you will not join if invited? I figured if the tryout was free, it would be a good opportunity to give my kid a workout and have him see other players skills/talents.
Thoughts? |
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wareagle
324 Posts |
Posted - 07/01/2010 : 10:09:06
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| My opinion is that you would be wasting the coaches time that could be spent on looking at players that are seriously looking. I think the paid tryouts are different because you are paying for thier time. I have considered going to ECB tryouts just to see how my son compares in a larger pool of players and to get honest feedback on where we need to work most. I think I already know the answer to these questions but its always easy to be biased as a dad. ECB is too far for me to even consider now, but maybe summer ball in a few years when he gets older. If nothing else, maybe gets the coaches to see him now and if interested maybe keep in touch for later. If you do attend be respectful enough to let the coaches know your intentions whether paid or not. |
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BravesFan
533 Posts |
Posted - 07/01/2010 : 11:00:37
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I agree with wareagle, no need to attend a tryout unless there is some interest in joining that team. The other this does is it might take away an offer to another kid who is interested in that team because the coaches are wasting their time with your son and trying to sell them.
Most parents should research the teams their interested in and attend try outs accordingly, be realistic in his ability and let him have some input as well. |
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mrbama31
252 Posts |
Posted - 07/01/2010 : 12:08:13
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metsfan,
What is your opinion on a coach holding tryouts when he knows he is already full and not looking for players...seems like a waste of everyones time...
quote:
Originally posted by metsFan
What are your opinions on attending tryouts for teams you know you will not join if invited? I figured if the tryout was free, it would be a good opportunity to give my kid a workout and have him see other players skills/talents.
Thoughts?
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metsFan
63 Posts |
Posted - 07/01/2010 : 12:49:31
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quote:
Originally posted by mrbama31
metsfan,
What is your opinion on a coach holding tryouts when he knows he is already full and not looking for players...seems like a waste of everyones time...
Well I guess that depends on if I wanted my son to have a spot on that team  .
I would think it also depends on if they are charging for the tryout. I think it is a shady practice to hold "open" paid tryouts if the team is already full. Not particularly bad practice for free tryouts. I think it is a win-win for both sides, coaches get to see if they can get one or two special players and the participants get a work out to see where they need to improve.
I posed the original question because I wanted my son to get used to the tryout environment. Kind of like going on a job interview to practice so you nail it on the job you do want. At the same time I didn't want to be "that dad" who goes to every tryout.
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Alter-Ego
802 Posts |
Posted - 07/01/2010 : 13:33:12
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| I can't phathom why a coach would hold tryouts if he does not have a spot to fill. Now, he may have only 1 or 2 positions open and there is some debate whether he should disclose that before the tryouts or not. |
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coachdb007
20 Posts |
Posted - 07/01/2010 : 13:36:16
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But think of all the funds that already full team is losing by not holding a tryout for a team that needs no players. |
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Peanutsr
171 Posts |
Posted - 07/01/2010 : 15:01:48
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I beg to differ. We had contacted a team who was advertising for players and holding a tryout. In between the time the coach contacted us and the day of the tryout, the coach picked up the players he needed. Before the tryout the coaches son told my wife that they already had their players. The coach did not cancel the tryout. Instead twelve boys came out. The coach hit about ten balls a piece to the kids at third and had them throw to first. He hit about the same number of balls to the kids in right field and had them throw to the cut off. He pitched to and had each kid take about a dozen swings. The remainder of the tryout was spent watching him pitch about two buckets of balls to their one stud ( who was already on the team ) to see if he could knock one over the fence. My son, as well as 11 other kids, got their hopes up and waited anxiously for several days in the hopes of finding out they had made the team. Not only that but we wasted an entire Sunday attending a tryout that wasn't. I would much rather have been contacted by the coach and told that they were cancelling the tryout then to have wasted a day and had my son get his hopes up for a position that wasn't available. quote:
Well I guess that depends on if I wanted my son to have a spot on that team .
I would think it also depends on if they are charging for the tryout. I think it is a shady practice to hold "open" paid tryouts if the team is already full. Not particularly bad practice for free tryouts. I think it is a win-win for both sides, coaches get to see if they can get one or two special players and the participants get a work out to see where they need to improve.
I posed the original question because I wanted my son to get used to the tryout environment. Kind of like going on a job interview to practice so you nail it on the job you do want. At the same time I didn't want to be "that dad" who goes to every tryout.
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billbclk
164 Posts |
Posted - 07/01/2010 : 16:25:43
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| As long as you don't accept an offer and there is not a lot of players why not. My question is, would you tell the coach up front that you are just practicing or would you lead him to believe that you are available? |
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iseabrook
16 Posts |
Posted - 07/01/2010 : 20:41:11
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| Being relatively new to the travel ball scene is it a common practice to have to pay for your son to try-out for a program? and is that money given back if your son gets cut? |
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in_the_know
985 Posts |
Posted - 07/01/2010 : 23:20:51
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It's becoming more common for the reason stated in this thread, to discourage those that aren't serious about the tryout from wasting everyone's time. It isn't just the coaches time that is wasted, but also the other kids and families legitimately trying to make the team who are losing reps and attention that might make a difference in them getting an invite.
I've not heard of any program refunding the fee if you don't make the team. Likewise, you don't get "credit" for the fee if you do make the team.
ECB charges a fee largely to discourage a large crowd of kids who aren't serious or don't have a realistic shot at making a team.
643 charges a fee but they actually have their coaches provide a clinic to the attendees and assess the players at the same time. Last year they also asked at the end of the clinic whether you wanted to be considered for a slot or were just there for the clinic. If you were just there for the clinic, then they wouldn't give any further consideration for the player to make a team. There were no refunds if you didn't make the team.
Knockhouse also charged a tryout fee that was non-refundable. |
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mrbama31
252 Posts |
Posted - 07/02/2010 : 00:14:40
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quote:
Originally posted by Alter-Ego
I can't phathom why a coach would hold tryouts if he does not have a spot to fill. Now, he may have only 1 or 2 positions open and there is some debate whether he should disclose that before the tryouts or not.
My point is you would not want the coach wasting your time any more than he wants you wasting his...He is holding tryouts to find players for his team...honor the process and go if you are interested..if it is practice you are looking for find it in the appropriate setting. |
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bmoser
1633 Posts |
Posted - 07/02/2010 : 07:04:15
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This happens annually all across Gwinnett's travel league (GGBL). Sometimes the Head Coach doesn't even bother attending!
It's done because the rules say travel teams must hold open tryouts, and because the boards enforce the rule to keep up appearances of being fair and open (yawn) to the Rec families.
By 11U, the travel Coaches have all the best players from their Rec league (in their opinion)who are willing and able to play travel, so only the thing that can happen is a player moves into town, or a player from neighboring park wants to try a new team (however this is strictly limited).
I can see some big mistakes and surprises brewing as the kids hit puberty. Some of those "weak" Rec players will hit a growth/strength spurt and overtake a perennial travel ball pick.
The Coaches holding the annual forced tryouts had better show up, and not snooze through the next two or three, or his "A" team can quickly become the "B" team out of any given County park.
quote:
Originally posted by Alter-Ego
I can't phathom why a coach would hold tryouts if he does not have a spot to fill. Now, he may have only 1 or 2 positions open and there is some debate whether he should disclose that before the tryouts or not.
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gabulldogs
29 Posts |
Posted - 07/02/2010 : 08:28:00
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quote:
Originally posted by iseabrook
Being relatively new to the travel ball scene is it a common practice to have to pay for your son to try-out for a program? and is that money given back if your son gets cut?
You should not have to pay, but some teams charge a nominal fee. East Cobb and 6-4-3 charge $100.00 for a "clinic/tryout" and I think that goes toward your dues if you get selected, but you will not get it back if you do not get picked. |
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Alter-Ego
802 Posts |
Posted - 07/02/2010 : 13:59:23
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East Cobb does it because it is a private facility and does not get any external funding. There is a cost to conduct such an event. The $100 does not go toward the $175 annual fee to play at EC. However, that is all that the association charges. Any other costs are based on the individual team budgets.
People sometimes forget that the drain line that gets added in the winter, and the sod that gets replaced in the summer have to be funded somewhere.
Now for a single team to charge a tryout fee, that is a different subject I don't exactly agree with. They don't have the same overhead to cover unless they have to rent a facility. If they do, then they should disclose that the nominal fee is to cover the field rental expenses.
I stillnthink it is beneficial for a coach to have some good players at his tryout, even if they are not going to accept an offer because it makes it look like a better draw. |
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billbclk
164 Posts |
Posted - 07/02/2010 : 19:31:18
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Alter,
Teams also have tryouts because players(families) leave the team (team hop). |
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DecaturDad
619 Posts |
Posted - 07/29/2010 : 16:01:54
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| Does anyone know if a dad could just show up to watch the try outs at East Cobb? We are very happy where we are, and my son will be in Florida next weekend. I would like to go, just to see how it is run and learn a little more about East Cobb for future years. But I wonder if people would think I was there scouting for players and not want me there? (or even let me in.) |
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ecbinsider
318 Posts |
Posted - 07/29/2010 : 17:04:21
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quote:
Originally posted by DecaturDad
Does anyone know if a dad could just show up to watch the try outs at East Cobb? We are very happy where we are, and my son will be in Florida next weekend. I would like to go, just to see how it is run and learn a little more about East Cobb for future years. But I wonder if people would think I was there scouting for players and not want me there? (or even let me in.)
There should be no issue with you just stopping by and watching, I would stick with the older age groups as the youngers ones can be hectic. |
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Chin Music
16 Posts |
Posted - 07/29/2010 : 17:20:40
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| I'm also curious...can any just walk in and watch the tryouts or do you have to register your son and pay the $100 to get in? |
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coach0512
123 Posts |
Posted - 07/29/2010 : 20:39:55
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mrbama31 has it closer to the way it really is.
Yes there are kids who go to tryouts for teams they know they will not play for but it's not like there are 10 of them at each tryout. You might find 2 or 3 tops.
It is MUCH more common for coaches to hold "open tryouts" for spots they don't have or have already filled. Why? Just in case another Jason Heyward happens to appear out of nowhere. Maybe a new kid has moved into town that does not know about major places to play like ECB or 643 so he shows up at the lcoal field. In a case like that he will up his roster 1 sopt.
I just attended my second "open tryout" and there were 10 kids returning from last years team who were staying with the team. So this "open tryout" saw 15 other kids show up for 1 slot. If it was truly an "open tryout" then there would be 11 slots available that 25 kids were competing for.
I would like to know if there are any coaches who have told last years bottom 3 or 4 kids that they lost their slots during tryouts because 3 or 4 better kids showed up and took their positions. I doubt that has happened more than once or twice. |
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ECB_Insider
54 Posts |
Posted - 07/30/2010 : 00:36:11
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Chin,
There will be several people sightseeing at the tryouts. No ID checking at the door. |
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gasbag
281 Posts |
Posted - 07/30/2010 : 08:34:43
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| In comparing these tryouts / workouts, you also have to remember that organizations like ECB have multiple teams / coaches at each age group so you're really trying out for more than just one team. In my mind, that adds a lot of value to the proposition. |
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Attending tryout question
