Try-outs and cuts!

[eacorletto]

I need some imput on this matter. We are a recreational AYSO league but we want to put together a competitive traveling team for the tournament season.

I need some ideas on how to go about cutting players?

PLZ HELP!

[Jerzy]

Well, I would phrase it less as "cutting players" and more along the lines of inviting players to participate in your next level.

Are you taking a single rec team, cutting some of the players with the hope of recruiting/adding new players, or have your identified the players already you want to add, or are you creating a travel team out of an entire rec league? How old are these kids, and are you going to be the head coach?

[eacorletto]

I'll be the coach. I have invited 23 players for a 15 player roster. This is for our AYSO G14 tournament traveling team that will be traveling to competitive mixed AYSO/club tournaments. In reality 10 of the 15 spots are just about set based on position and abilities...... However, we want to do the try-outs as competitive as possible.

Eddie

[Jerzy]

So then you've got 13 players competing for 5 spots.

I'd be upfront about your numbers. Tell the parents and girls who you've invited, who you have already accepted, after making sure that they have committed, and explain the process. I'd try to stress "opportunities to play travel" and say that you want to give the girls the chance to tryout.

You may have some parents in the second group of 13 who think their daughters are in the A group, but I would guess that most parents really do know where their kids stand, and they'll appreciate knowing the odds up front.

There are a couple of threads here about actually running tryouts and what you ought to be looking for.