 | Fundamentals Tryouts Overview, Attitude, Size and Athleticism, Positional Skill Set, Competing, Drills, Pre-Tryout Workouts, Resources Overview The tryout (or sort-out) process can be difficult and stressful, here are some suggestions to help in making the tough decisions (and see the two example tryouts). A team usually has 12 players, you may want more if you expect high practice absenteeism (you need at least 10 players at practice), or to develop players for the future, but you will probably have to manage playing-time expectations. You need to fill all the positions on the floor, they could be interchangeable, or inside and outside positions, or specific positions such as point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward, and centre, with team balance. Every player should start tryouts with a clean slate (don't pre-judge based on last season), and be given a fair chance to show their stuff. 5-on-5 does not necessarily do that, especially for new players trying to crack a set line-up; all the more reason to assess attitude, size, athleticism, positional skill set, and competing in 1-on-1 and small-sided games. Focus first on the automatic picks and non-picks, then spend the majority of your time on the players in the middle. Use an evaluation chart, it can show general selection criteria (Example 1), skill areas (Example 2). or skill areas and drills (Kris Treat chart, player-specific). Decide on a scoring system (e.g. 1 to 4) and how to weight the results by position for an overall score. With demanding parents and/or players, use quantitative testing (e.g., timed sprints and dribbling, speed layups, 10 free throws, three stations). Use stations with many players and enough coaches (up to about 10 players per station). Players rotate, coaches stay at their stations. Skills and drills can be changed for a next session.
If you are not using stations, consider having another coach run the tryout so that you and others can evaluate. Avoid posting a list of final selections, inform each player personally, and provide players who are cut with an evaluation of skills to be improved. See Tryouts - Kris Treat, plus Mike MacKay - Choosing a team, and Breakthrough Basketball - Tryout drills (external link). Players may be nervous and anxious to please the coaches; remind them to just play their game. Look for commitment, coachability, respect, leadership, maturity, competitiveness. These can be tested for or at least revealed during tryouts (Kris Treat has drills for leadership and hustle). Including plenty of hard work and defensive drills can show early warning signs of poor attitude or lack of coachability. Watch for good competitors. Evaluate size and speed at a minimum, plus quickness/agility, vertical jump, and strength if time permits. Speed and agility courses can also be used to assess dribbling (and vice versa, see Speed race, Team chase). Athleticism is particularly important with younger plays, as the basketball skill set may be lacking but can be developed.
See NBA Combine Test, Physical testing, Kris Treat - Physical evaluation, Three stations. See the Coaches Handbook and Skills Checklists. Evaluate fundamental skills of dribbling, passing, and shooting, including layups. Two-line layups can also be used for shooting off a pass (give and go) and off the dribble. Keep score to make it competitive, individual (e.g. 50, Alternates, Florida) or group (e.g. team shooting, which can be used for layups, spot shooting, triple threat, and pull-ups), look for footwork. Other good multi-skill drills include Cross the lane, Tom Crean fill cut, Hurley fullcourt, 5ball, Lokar transition, DeMatha 4-corner jumpers, DeMatha transition shooting, and Beat the closeout, which can be used for closeouts, triple-threat, step-up shooting, pull-ups, and 1-on-1. Defence can assessed in 1 on 1, small-sided play, and scrimmage, but defensive drills such as slides and close-outs reveal skills plus attitude. For some coaches, a tryout doesn't really get going until players start competing, e.g. 1-on-1 up to 5-on-5, often halfcourt then fullcourt, including transition drills. While athleticism and skills matter, it also comes down to who can play basketball. In 5 on 5, consider using rules, e.g., no dribbling, no shot until a paint touch, etc. (see Mike MacKay, also 5 on 5 transition). The following drills can be used to assess key skill areas and competing, generally they are simple (no long explanations), and coaches are not passers, so they can focus on observing. With a lot of players in the gym, choose or modify drills to use up to 6 baskets and avoid unnecessary crowding (e.g., no rebounding lines). For other options see Go-To Drills, and Favourite Drills for Kids (with younger players). Also see the example tryouts.
After an off-season layoff, pre-tryout workouts can help prepare players for tryouts mostly by burning off some rust. Running them through the same drills used in tryouts is helpful, plus you can take the time to coach the drills (offence and defence), and supplement them with other breakdown or skills drills as needed. See Youth Basketball - Offence, Defence for a review of concepts plus breakdown drills such as
For skill work, see Go-To Drills, Dribbling Series, Favourite Drills for Kids, and even Keys to Shooting for form shooting.
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