Coaching: Use a Selection Panel to Make Team Cuts

You have 35 players at tryouts, but only 12 will make the final cut. Cutting players is a coach's hardest job, and it's often made harder by lobbying and complaining from parents.

Would you like to reduce parental pressure and avoid selection errors? Why not use a selection panel during your tryouts.

Selection Panel

Parents who complain to athletic directors or principals about their child not making a team often use the argument that the coach was biased, had something against their child, or simply wasn't qualified to make a good decision.

Using a panel of qualified coaches to assist in selecting your players will provide both you and your supporters with a solid argument for your decisions. Having several pairs of trained eyes make the cuts will diffuse the “personal bias” argument.

The Panel's Members

The best panels include knowledge- able coaches in your sport. Ideally, include coaches who work with each age level. This might include feeder coaches who may have already worked with the athletes, and coaches from older teams who will eventually inherit the graduates of your squad.

Such coaches are especially valuable because they can provide you with insights on the athletes including intangibles that may not be evident in a few days of tryouts. And if your team is a feeder program for an older team, that coach can provide input into the type of athlete who will ultimately “be a fit” at the next level.

Of course, the final say must be yours, but the extra eyes during hectic tryouts can be invaluable.

Dick Moss (Editor), PE Digest (updated, 2024).