Cutting players from tryouts can be the most difficult of experiences for the player who is getting cut as well as the coach who has to pare her roster to prepare for the upcoming season. Coaches at the youth, high school and college levels often have more players trying out than spots available on the roster. Coaches have to determine who belongs on the team and who needs to work on their skills and try again next year.
Step 1
Talk with your players prior to tryouts and be as honest as you can. Tell them how many spots are open and what you will expect to see from them if they are going to make the team. If you are going to put extra emphasis on power hitting, let your players know this is an important characteristic. Some coaches place more emphasis on speed or defense. Let them know what you want from players on your team and then stick to those specifications as tryouts proceed.
Step 2
Assign grades to each player's performance during tryouts. You may grade players on a 1-to-5 scale as tryouts proceed. Put the player's name and grade numbers on a team website or an office whiteboard to let players know your assessments as tryouts continue. This is best for players who are high school age or older. It is not necessary for younger players.
Step 3
Remove players who are not hustling. Tryouts are difficult times for all players. Don't let those who are going through the motions take up the time of those players who are giving their best effort.
Step 4
Call players individually into your office and thank each one for her effort once you have made your decision to cut a player from your team. Talk to each individual player. Let the player know what she will need to work on in future tryouts. Point out her strengths and weaknesses. Try to encourage the player to work on her game and stick to the sport even though she fell short this time around.
References
- "Coaching Fastpitch Softball Successfully"; Kathy Veroni; 1998
- My Softball Coach: Fastpitch Softball Manager
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