Tryouts: Getting Noticed

Basketball tryouts happen this week. This isn't a matter of life of death. As a middle school coach, I look at a player through my prism informing player attitude, athleticism, skill, coachability, and aptitude (quickly picking up new information).  But I also look at potential versatility and positional flexibility (you can't have all perimeter or interior players). 

When I am an assistant, I usually lobby for one or two players whom I view as highly "projectable." Years ago I saw an extremely athletic, fluid player who had limited basketball experience. I strongly wanted a chance to work with this player. She became one of our top players and had great potential to be an impactful high school player. Ultimately injuries limited her but she stands out as a "success story" from an evaluation and development stance. 

What makes you stand out at tryouts? I'm not going to waste YOUR time during limited evaluation doing running drills. Basketball fitness and track aren't the same anyway. Basketball is a game of starting and stopping, of quickness and change of direction. The assessment of conditioning and effort comes within the drills themselves. 

Basketball is a game. You have to play basketball; you don't work basketball...the fun occurs through your apprenticeship developing mastery. 

Here are a few thoughts: