Softball Tryouts
Building Your Team
OK, how many players? This is subjective in many cases, but I can offer you a few ideas on coming up with the numbers on your team.
How many players can you have (some leagues or schools may restrict the roster size)
Are you going to have a couple of pitcher who only pitch?
How many players do you want on your roster that are ‘projects’ and you are building for future years?
Is your team reliable in making practices and games?
Taking into account all of these questions, I would suggest that a good sized team is between 15 and 17 players. If you have too many, then everybody is always splitting playing time (which no one really likes), and if you have too few players, then you risk not having enough to play. Players aren’t always the most reliable, and other things like vacations, homework, and other occasions get in the way of Softball – leaving you short handed.
Documenting the tryouts
Many teams have attempted to equalize the playing field and have adopted a strict ‘documentation’ process for the coaches to follow. This attempts to ensure that everyone gets a fair shake on the field during tryouts, and forces the coaches to be accountable. Why did you make the choice to cut one player and keep another?
It will all be down in the documentation. That’s why I have come up with the Selection Matrix – it provides a great opportunity for you to evaluate the players that have come out for tryouts – and it provides you with the necessary documentation to make sure you are selecting the right players.
The Team Selection Matrix
I have put together a system that allows the coach to make fact-based decisions on their team. Here’s how this system works:
List all of the tryout players from top to bottom on the Matrix
Decide on the 3 or 5 most important selection criteria for your team (I have examples below)
Apply a different weighting to the selection criteria, based on what you think are the most important traits.
Each criteria is scored between one and 10. These scores are multiplied by the weighting percentage.
The scores after the weighting will be added together to come up with a final tally that is used to choose the team.
You may come up with different selection criteria on your own, but here are three areas you can start with:
Player skills and positions
Attitude and coachability
Athleticism and potential
OK, how many players? This is subjective in many cases, but I can offer you a few ideas on coming up with the numbers on your team.
How many players can you have (some leagues or schools may restrict the roster size)
Are you going to have a couple of pitcher who only pitch?
How many players do you want on your roster that are ‘projects’ and you are building for future years?
Is your team reliable in making practices and games?
Taking into account all of these questions, I would suggest that a good sized team is between 15 and 17 players. If you have too many, then everybody is always splitting playing time (which no one really likes), and if you have too few players, then you risk not having enough to play. Players aren’t always the most reliable, and other things like vacations, homework, and other occasions get in the way of Softball – leaving you short handed.
Documenting the tryouts
Many teams have attempted to equalize the playing field and have adopted a strict ‘documentation’ process for the coaches to follow. This attempts to ensure that everyone gets a fair shake on the field during tryouts, and forces the coaches to be accountable. Why did you make the choice to cut one player and keep another?
It will all be down in the documentation. That’s why I have come up with the Selection Matrix – it provides a great opportunity for you to evaluate the players that have come out for tryouts – and it provides you with the necessary documentation to make sure you are selecting the right players.
The Team Selection Matrix
I have put together a system that allows the coach to make fact-based decisions on their team. Here’s how this system works:
List all of the tryout players from top to bottom on the Matrix
Decide on the 3 or 5 most important selection criteria for your team (I have examples below)
Apply a different weighting to the selection criteria, based on what you think are the most important traits.
Each criteria is scored between one and 10. These scores are multiplied by the weighting percentage.
The scores after the weighting will be added together to come up with a final tally that is used to choose the team.
You may come up with different selection criteria on your own, but here are three areas you can start with:
Player skills and positions
Attitude and coachability
Athleticism and potential
posted by Becky at 1:46 PM
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