Travel Tryouts

    
C.06 – Travel Tryouts

TEAM SELECTION PROCESS
 
To provide players with the most fun and challenging developmental environment, they should be playing with and against players of similar ability on a regular basis.  In order to group players by ability, they must be evaluated. South Windsor Soccer Club (SWSC) evaluates players and selects teams based on a combination of Tryout Evaluations.  The process is designed to be as thorough, accurate and fair as possible, while keeping costs, administrative burden and player/parent time commitment at reasonable levels.
As described in more detail below, it is important to emphasize that the Tryout Evaluation is the first and primary determinant of a player’s team placement.  This puts all players on an equal footing each Fall and gives each player a “clean slate” opportunity to demonstrate their abilities in an unbiased and thorough tryout process involving all players in the age group.
Tryout Evaluations
  • Tryouts are held each Fall (Tryouts are held in June for the Fall season) for each age group
  • Each player has the opportunity to participate in two (2) tryout sessions
  • Players are evaluated by professional coaches, primarily in small-sided games (3v3 to 6v6).  If numbers and field space permits, they may also be evaluated in a bigger game environment (8v8 or 11v11).
  • Efforts are made to ensure that players play with and against different players over the course of the two (2) tryouts
  • Evaluators may or may not be coaches who also train some of the players being evaluated
  • Players are evaluated on technical and tactical abilities, athleticism and attitude 
  • The evaluators are asked to recommend a tentative competition level for players (A or B). These levels of competition are based on the CJSA guidelines.
Importance of Tryouts
  • Tryout Evaluations are the first and most important determinant of a player’s team placement
  • Any player wanting to maximize their chances of making the team of their choice should participate in both tryout sessions.  Evaluation scores for each tryout session will be calculated to determine acceptance and/or placement.  Failure to attend both tryout sessions may affect acceptance and/or team placement.
Team Selection Process
  • The Director of Coaching (DOC) collects, along with coaching evaluators, and compiles tryout evaluation data for each player in each age group
  • Players are initially ranked by tryout scores and grouped into preliminary “A” and “B” teams, if a “B” team can be created.
  • Team selections are then finalized by consensus of the DOC and the Club President.
  • All players who do not make the team will receive a phone call from the coach or coaching evaluator.
  • All players who make the team will be communicated they made the team by email or phone by the coach or coaching evaluator.
Effectiveness of Selection Process
  • This process is similar to that used by a wide variety of town soccer associations, premier clubs and other soccer and athletic organizations.
  • Experienced observers agree that this process, though not perfect, generates the most accurate placement of players.
  • Over the course of the tryout process,  it is very rare that a player fails to show their potential/ability (be that level weak, average or strong).
  • Despite the extensive nature of the evaluation process, it remains difficult (by definition) to make reliable distinctions between players with very similar abilities. Outside criteria might also be looked at, such as previous commitment to the sport, attitudes and coach ability, training habits, etc
 
Age Group Guidelines
Everyone will play age appropriate, unless both the DOC and Club President decide otherwise. Also, if there is a competitive age group that can’t field a team at their appropriate age and needs to play at a different age group to keep that group of players playing.  For example, if there aren’t enough U11 players to field a team, they may join the U12 group and make a “B” team to keep those U11 players playing.  
Differences in PerceptionDespite all reasonable efforts to make fair and good decisions, some oversights might be made when evaluating players.  In addition, there will inevitably be differences between some parents’ perception of their child’s ability and the perceptions of the coaches and evaluators.  SWSC fully understands that differences in perception can create disappointment and frustration on the part of the players and parents affected.
SWSC is committed to providing a quality soccer opportunity to all players, regardless of which team they are selected for (i.e., professional skill training, appropriate game competition, etc.). Thus, disappointing decisions need not derail a committed, enthusiastic soccer player’s development.  To stay on track, however, it is critical that the player and the parents do their best to stay positive and take advantage of the opportunities they have to improve over the year so that they are well positioned to “succeed” at the following year’s tryouts.

Travel Tryouts-Supplemental
With all the procedures from the Team Selection Process (See Team Selection Process), we will also hold winter supplemental tryouts for the Spring Season.  With all players guaranteed a fall-spring place on a team, there may be some teams that do not hold supplemental tryouts due to having no roster spots available.  
If a team does hold a supplemental tryout, it will be held in one session for the number of roster spots they have available.  Players will be notified as in the Team Selection Process.
If a team has an “A” and a “B” team, and a coach wants to move an “A” player to a “B” team the following will happen:
  • The coach will have a conversation with the parents to see if the player would be willing to move down to the “B” team with parent consent.
  • If there is no consent, that player can not be moved to a different team unless both teams tryout again, which the DOC must approve.