Last week I asked a few questions about tournament costs. In general, people feel that $20 is a reasonable price for a tournament and two thirds of you think TDs should make a profit.
This week I'm going to stick with my tryout theme and ask a few questions.
The first question is how many times have you been cut from a team (doesn't have to be ultimate). Since people can tryout for a huge number of teams your answer will be in the form of a percentage. For example, I've tried out for 38 teams and I've been cut 7 times, and this means I've been cut from 18% (rounded) of the teams I've tried out for.
For those of us who have been cut from a team, has not making a team had an impact.
Finally, the last question isn't a poll. It's more of an open suggestion box for how people think tryouts should be run. Maybe a few stories of well run tryouts in any sport that might help the rest of us.
PJ
PJ
3 comments:
some of you may have heard this story on ride back from sectionals this weekend:
Grade 12 was the first time that my highschool had an ultimate team. One of the teachers, who had played for McGill, held a number of sessions in the gym focussing on basic skills. We then moved outside for some scrimmaging. All in all it seemed like a good way to run tryouts for a bunch of people with little or no ultimate skills. The thing that ruined it all was when she decided to pick the team out of a hat. What the hell for? A prime example of someone not committed to the process of picking a team, making cuts, and knowing that some people would be dissappointed. Like the Pheonix post said, you're either in or out.
One example of how not to cut someone:
During the tryouts, we were told that there would be cuts, but that everyone at the tryout, whether cut or not was encouraged to keep coming to the practices. Sure enough, one of the captains called me up at work and basically said, "You're cut, and we don't even want you to practice with us because you're holding us back." Granted, I sucked, and had less than a year of experience, but my point is that they changed their mind as to keeping their practices open or not. Basically, they came across as pretty unprofessional.
Ideally, the decision-makers should decide ahead of time what their practice policy should be, and let everyone know. They could decide that everyone on the roster, plus a few 'potentials' can practice with them during the season. These potentials could possibly come to the tournaments if there is a need for them and/or they improve. But they should be clearly told that they are on the 'practice roster' only, and should not expect any more out of the team than that.
In terms of letting people know they're cut... I like the idea of having the first few tryouts 'open'. I've gone to many of these, knowing that I was in above my head, but that I'd get some exposure to the best players in town, and a good workout. It should be made clear that after the open tryouts, the next ones are by invitation only. You don't have to tell people personally they are cut... they'll know it if they don't hear from you, and if they want feedback they'll ask for it.
After the cuts are made, in addition to nurturing the new recruits, I think one of the best things that the decision-makers can do is make themselves accessible to those who did not make the team. As someone who has been cut from more than one team, dealing with a captain who was friendly, accessible, and who offered constructive criticism was wonderful. Not only did it reassure me that it wasn't personal (an easy rationalization/ assumption to make when you've gotten the axe), but it provided me with specific things to work on, and really made me feel that this was a supportive/nurturing team that I would someday like to part of.
I realize that this requires more work on the part of the captains, but I feel like it builds respect for the decision making process and the team itself. Additionally, making cuts this way allows the team to avoid alienating players who might "bloom" later on.
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