team final placements
assuming you have run your evaluations or tryouts, now what? you have rated every player and you are ready for the ultimate challenge as a coach!
you can drive yourself crazy second guessing yourself on where to place kids or who to cut
try these tips to help make it easier
1/do what is best for the player. i am a strong believer in placing players where they will benefit the most. a player is better off as as 1st line middie on a "B" team than being a 4th line middie on an "A" team. playing a ton in every game on JV is better than "riding the pine" on Varsity. also, it a disservice to a very good player to stay down simply because of age or grade
2/ have coaches make the decisions. parents will drop suggestive comments or even directly ask to for their sons to be put on certain teams. some players may even approach the coaches. make your decisions based on evaluation not outside pressure. never evaluate or place a relative no matter how distant. let your assistants do that by committee.
3/when in doubt go to the intangibles. flat-out effort or how "coachable" a player is help in deciding on the "grey area" players. was he late for tryouts? is he a bad apple? is lacrosse a priority? will he take on the role of a utility player? ask these questions to separate potential candidates. i love a player who will play # 2 goalie, long stick or short, or be a defensive midfielder. "i only play attack" types may be better off elsewhere.
4/ stick to your guns. someone will be unhappy where they are placed. parents will complain that there son is "better" than a player who is moved up, and players will be disappointed if moved down. trust me, the "sting" wears off after a practice or two and most kids forget about it after a few sessions on the new team. don't make the mistake of telling a player he may "move up" later. make your rosters definitive.
5/ cuts are not the end of the world. if your system includes cuts, remember some of the best players in sports may have been cut at one time or another. cutting a player is a hard decision, but also creates opportunity. unfortunately they now know exactly where they stand. they will respond by finding other interests in life or working very hard to be considered the next time.
good luck in finding your way...
you can drive yourself crazy second guessing yourself on where to place kids or who to cut
try these tips to help make it easier
1/do what is best for the player. i am a strong believer in placing players where they will benefit the most. a player is better off as as 1st line middie on a "B" team than being a 4th line middie on an "A" team. playing a ton in every game on JV is better than "riding the pine" on Varsity. also, it a disservice to a very good player to stay down simply because of age or grade
2/ have coaches make the decisions. parents will drop suggestive comments or even directly ask to for their sons to be put on certain teams. some players may even approach the coaches. make your decisions based on evaluation not outside pressure. never evaluate or place a relative no matter how distant. let your assistants do that by committee.
3/when in doubt go to the intangibles. flat-out effort or how "coachable" a player is help in deciding on the "grey area" players. was he late for tryouts? is he a bad apple? is lacrosse a priority? will he take on the role of a utility player? ask these questions to separate potential candidates. i love a player who will play # 2 goalie, long stick or short, or be a defensive midfielder. "i only play attack" types may be better off elsewhere.
4/ stick to your guns. someone will be unhappy where they are placed. parents will complain that there son is "better" than a player who is moved up, and players will be disappointed if moved down. trust me, the "sting" wears off after a practice or two and most kids forget about it after a few sessions on the new team. don't make the mistake of telling a player he may "move up" later. make your rosters definitive.
5/ cuts are not the end of the world. if your system includes cuts, remember some of the best players in sports may have been cut at one time or another. cutting a player is a hard decision, but also creates opportunity. unfortunately they now know exactly where they stand. they will respond by finding other interests in life or working very hard to be considered the next time.
good luck in finding your way...
posted by coach B at
1:23 PM
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