Checklist for Conducting Youth Sports Tryouts

How can I improve the flow of athletes during tryouts? How do I ensure my tryouts yield accurate team placement decisions? What types of drills should I be running, and how many?

These are some common questions coaches ask themselves as tryout season approaches. However, without proper planning in place, tryouts aren't guaranteed to be fair, efficient, and transparent.

We have curated a 10-step youth sports tryout checklist that covers every step of the tryout process: drill selection, organizing players, team selection tips, and more. And the best part? This checklist can be executed with minimal barriers. Using the staff and materials you already have, you'll be running effective youth sports tryouts in no time.

BEFORE TRYOUTS:

1. Establish the Basics

• Set the location

• Determine how many days the tryouts will run

• Choose a date & time

• Determine the duration of tryouts

 2. Select Drills

A)    Determine how many drills you will conduct:

• Short tryout (under 60 minutes): 3-4 drills

• Mid-length tryout (60 to 90-minute tryout): 5-7 drills

• Long tryout (90+ minute tryout): 7-10 drills

B)    Choose the type of drills you would like to run. Here are a few practical tips to follow when selecting the appropriate drills:

1. Evaluate one primary skill per drill. For example, a basketball coach will want to select one drill for each skill: dribbling, passing, shooting, defense etc.. to avoid testing too much at once and ensure accurate scores. 

2. Adjust the drill for different ages and levels. Testing baseball players on catching? The same drill can be used for your 6U and 12U athletes; however, the throw type and spacing between players can be adjusted accordingly.

3.  Avoid overly complex drills.  Choose drills with 3–4 easy-to-follow steps. Not only is this easier to break down in the drill explanation period, but simplicity avoids confusion & nerves.

3. Create Evaluation Template

If using pen-and-paper forms, create a centralized evaluation template that all evaluators can use for consistent scoring of athletes.

How to:

• Place each skill along the Y-axis.

• Allocate a blank column on the X-axis for players, allowing evaluators to write in players’ names as they are scored.

• Have a scoring rubric (and guide) at the top. I.e., 1= Poor or 5=Excellent

Find your sports evaluation form here!

4. Select Evaluators

Now that you know the exact number of drills you would like to run, you can accurately determine how many evaluators you need. It is recommended to have one evaluator per drill station.

Evaluators can be coaches, assistant coaches, or volunteers. No matter the type of evaluator, ensure each individual understands what constitutes a “perfect” score for the skill(s) they are assessing. 

I.e., If you have an evaluator scoring players on dribbling, briefly walk them through to look for: “Players must keep the ball close & controlled at all speeds, execute smooth turns & crossovers, and quickly change direction without losing control.”

AT TRYOUTS:

5. Check-in Players

Have a designated check-in table to track attendance. This step is crucial to ensure all players are accounted for and given their name tags for easy identification during tryouts.

You might also have cases when walk-ons arrive (those who didn’t pre-register). These players can fill out the necessary information and get set up with an identification tag on the spot.

6. Divide Players

After players are checked in, determine how you will divide up your players. In other words, how many players will be at each drill station?

If you have a large group of athletes (over 50 athletes), you can split them up by age or position. However, if you have fewer than 50 players, you can divide them up at random. *For reliable & accurate scores, have no more than 10 athletes per drill station. This gives evaluators time to focus on assessing each athlete’s technique, skill level, game awareness, and athleticism without feeling rushed.

7. Warm-up and Drill Explanation

Aim for a 15-20 minute warm-up to reduce risk of injury, prepare for sport-specific movements, and improve overall performance quality (technique, speed, coordination etc..)

A warm-up format is as follows:

• 0–3 minutes: Movement aimed at increasing heart rate. Butt kicks, high knees, jumping jacks, laps.

•  3–7 minutes:  Dynamic stretching to improve range of motion. Walking lunges, arm circles, hip openers, leg swings.

• 7-10 minutes:  Sport-specific exercises aimed at transitioning players into tryout drills. Light ball work (dribbling, passing, or stick handling), low-intensity jumps or cuts, short shuffles or accelerations.

Take some time to walk through each drill station. Here, you will:

• Perform the drill- Demonstrate the drill with clear step-by-step instructions, then run through it again in one smooth, continuous motion.

• Provide any tips- As you provide step-by-step instructions, add in any helpful pointers. I.e., When dribbling around the cones, keep your head up and use both hands.

8. Score Players

Now is the time for one of the most important tasks on tryout day. Whether using pen-and-paper or an evaluation app, athletes will be evaluated, and scores will be entered.

Consider using a digital evaluation tool to conduct your evaluations. Simply create your evaluation template, invite evaluators, and score athletes—all on one app.

As scores are entered on one centralized platform (and stored securely on the platform for later review) this minimizes the risk of misentered, stolen, or incomplete data.

As seen above, players aren’t just given a singular overall score for dribbling. Instead, they are evaluated on a variety of metrics within dribbling, providing coaches with a more accurate and complete picture of their performance.

 AFTER TRYOUTS:

9. Review Evaluation Data

Once scores are entered, data is securely stored on the back end. What does this mean for coaches? Detailed reports are automatically generated, allowing you to rank & compare player performance for quick & confident team placement decisions.  

Long gone are the days of having to enter each score from paper forms to Excel spreadsheets (only to then have to use this data and set up reports). With SkillShark, navigate to a report, select the criteria (the players and skills you would like to view), and get instant insights.

Some of SkillShark's most popular reports include:

1. Athlete comparison report- Create teams that work well together. Compare athletes to identify their strengths and weaknesses, and assign team positions accordingly.

2. All-scores ranking report- See how your players stack up against each other. Identify top performers across any skill or overall ability to build cohesive teams. 

3. Player progress report- Develop athletes to their full potential. Track player progress during the season, turning these insights into powerful feedback that motivates and drives improvement. 

10.  Notify Players

After team placement decisions have been made, promptly let players (and parents) know if they have made the team via email or the athlete portal. Regardless of the outcome, remain open to answering questions and providing specific feedback when needed. I.e., If a player doesn’t make a team and asks why, provide 1-2 strengths and 1-2 areas for growth. A balance of positive and constructive feedback is key!

Wrapping Up

Running youth sports tryouts shouldn’t be seen as an overwhelming task. Rather, tryouts can be seen as a challenging yet energizing experience for athletes while answering the burning question many coaches have: “What will my teams look like for the year ahead?”

The key to success? Stick to a youth sports tryout checklist. By following these steps, you can rest easy that any tryout you conduct will be fair, well-organized and, most importantly, produce balanced & competitive teams for the season ahead.