High School Tryout Results

[haybale]

First name, last initial on the website several hours later.

Not a fan of the list of numbers on a door. Or posted to social media; if you post it atleast make it something nice and use their names.

Then we follow up the next day with a welcome email to athletes and parents about our new season onboarding process.

I like this a lot!

 

[XTREMElyfierce]

We do letters in an envelope about 1 hour after tryouts finish. We tell them not to open the letter at the school and allow parents to reach out should they have any questions. We had one parent that was upset but she was understanding.

Also, myself and fellow coach do NOT judge tryouts. We have outside judges that understand our scoresheet and state scoresheet. This makes it easier since we want to make it an even playing field for everyone meaning our judges have no ties to the athletes trying out

 

[Sterling von Shimmer]

In HS we always did numbers posted on the gym door a couple hours after tryouts. It was cool because afterward you could have all the girls who made it come back in the gym for the first official team meeting and get it out of the way.

Nowadays it’s numbers posted on the website. It gives everyone a bit more privacy, I think. Nothing worse than getting cut from a team and having to pretend you’re ok with it in front of everyone until your mom picks you up and THEN you may cry.

 

[Sterling von Shimmer]

We do letters in an envelope about 1 hour after tryouts finish. We tell them not to open the letter at the school and allow parents to reach out should they have any questions. We had one parent that was upset but she was understanding.

Also, myself and fellow coach do NOT judge tryouts. We have outside judges that understand our scoresheet and state scoresheet. This makes it easier since we want to make it an even playing field for everyone meaning our judges have no ties to the athletes trying out

Outside judges are the way to go. There is absolutely NO room for accusations of favouritism from angry parents that way. Plus it gets my girls on their A-game for tryouts since they know there’s no “benefit of the doubt” to be had when it comes to total strangers judging your skills.

 

[OldskoolKYcheercoach]

Outside judges are the way to go. There is absolutely NO room for accusations of favouritism from angry parents that way. Plus it gets my girls on their A-game for tryouts since they know there’s no “benefit of the doubt” to be had when it comes to total strangers judging your skills.

Outside judges are a coaches’ way of copping out when people don’t agree with tryout results. Coaches should choose their own team and have a big enough sack to own up to and stand behind their decisions. How many basketball teams have outside judges for tryouts?

 

[cheer25mom]

Outside judges are a coaches’ way of copping out when people don’t agree with tryout results. Coaches should choose their own team and have a big enough sack to own up to and stand behind their decisions. How many basketball teams have outside judges for tryouts?

I respectfully disagree. Cheer is a different animal than any other sport, a different dynamic, and is perceived differently, for good or ill. Its the reality of the situation. It IS different.

You yourself have said that most parents have little to no understanding for the sport. That isn't true for most other sports. When you have parents who don't understand the sport they don't understand why their kid is cut. This is where you end up with parents on the warpath, and no matter how much transparency you have it WILL happen. It happens a LOT more in cheer than other sports because parents don't get it. Many view it as a club or activity, or even a popularity contest. The emotional attachment is much bigger than other sports because cheerleaders are so much more visible. Many people simply see it as a prestige thing and get disproportionately angry about it. Should this be the case? Nope, but its the reality of the situation.

Having outside judges isn't about having the guts to pick your own team, its about protecting yourself and your school from unjust accusations and the ugliness that comes with them

 

[XTREMElyfierce]

Outside judges are a coaches’ way of copping out when people don’t agree with tryout results. Coaches should choose their own team and have a big enough sack to own up to and stand behind their decisions. How many basketball teams have outside judges for tryouts?

No way is it copping out. We will always have the final say and to be completely honest most of the people who make our team our ones we would have taken in the first place. It’s worked out well the last 4 years considering when parents complain there will no longer need to be an extra headache. And with basketball there are 3 other teams the athlete can make. We only have 1.

 

[OldskoolKYcheercoach]

No way is it copping out. We will always have the final say and to be completely honest most of the people who make our team our ones we would have taken in the first place. It’s worked out well the last 4 years considering when parents complain there will no longer need to be an extra headache. And with basketball there are 3 other teams the athlete can make. We only have 1.

So you always have the final say?

And when the judges say one thing, and you decide to do something else, and these parents “unjustly” accuse you of being sketchy, do you actually own up to the fact that you changed the tryout results from what the judges said?

I’ve judged tryouts on every level from
Elementary Rec to collegiate, and all stars. Every tryout I ever judged was tainted by a coach who just used me as the scapegoat for a decision they made. This ranges from having the list of numbers made before the tryout ever started (meaning the whole process was a sham and a waste of my time), to whiting our and altering my scores right in front of me.

So if you’re not owning up to the fact that you made the decision to put kid A on when the judges clearly chose kid B, you’re using them as a cop out.

 

[cheer25mom]

No way is it copping out. We will always have the final say and to be completely honest most of the people who make our team our ones we would have taken in the first place. It’s worked out well the last 4 years considering when parents complain there will no longer need to be an extra headache. And with basketball there are 3 other teams the athlete can make. We only have 1.

If you hire competent outside judges, that should be the case. If your judges pick a completely different team that you would have, then there is a problem somewhere.

 

[OldskoolKYcheercoach]

I respectfully disagree. Cheer is a different animal than any other sport, a different dynamic, and is perceived differently, for good or ill. Its the reality of the situation. It IS different.

You yourself have said that most parents have little to no understanding for the sport. That isn't true for most other sports. When you have parents who don't understand the sport they don't understand why their kid is cut. This is where you end up with parents on the warpath, and no matter how much transparency you have it WILL happen. It happens a LOT more in cheer than other sports because parents don't get it. Many view it as a club or activity, or even a popularity contest. The emotional attachment is much bigger than other sports because cheerleaders are so much more visible. Many people simply see it as a prestige thing and get disproportionately angry about it. Should this be the case? Nope, but its the reality of the situation.

Having outside judges isn't about having the guts to pick your own team, its about protecting yourself and your school from unjust accusations and the ugliness that comes with them

Do tryouts right, and it doesn’t happen any more often than any of the real sports. Every one of our sports teams has had tryout drama in the time that I’ve had NONE, including a school lockdown when a kid cut from the basketball team threatened to “shoot up the school.” Meanwhile I’m over here having zero tryout drama in this activity that you all claim is so filled with tryout drama. It’s a shame that you’re all so stuck in your ways that you won’t even attempt to run a tryout with 100% transparency. You’d rather have some poor saps who want to make a quick $20 be your easy way out. I’ll digress on the argument that cheer isn’t a sport for now.

 

[cheer25mom]

So you always have the final say?

And when the judges say one thing, and you decide to do something else, and these parents “unjustly” accuse you of being sketchy, do you actually own up to the fact that you changed the tryout results from what the judges said?

I’ve judged tryouts on every level from
Elementary Rec to collegiate, and all stars. Every tryout I ever judged was tainted by a coach who just used me as the scapegoat for a decision they made. This ranges from having the list of numbers made before the tryout ever started (meaning the whole process was a sham and a waste of my time), to whiting our and altering my scores right in front of me.

So if you’re not owning up to the fact that you made the decision to put kid A on when the judges clearly chose kid B, you’re using them as a cop out.

The fact that you have judged for sketchy coaches doesn't mean everyone runs tryouts that way. Maybe you need to screen who you are working for a little better, because I can assure you not every coach does this not even close.

We NEVER say anything about a child to an outside judge, or attempt to influence scoring. We allow them to score, take those scores and establish where a cut should be made. I have never seen a child cut at this school that should have made it, or a kid on the squad who shouldn't be, and it's BECAUSE we hire competent judges we trust. It is WHY we can stand up to a parents insisting little Susie belongs on the team and have it hold up, no matter who looks at it. It isn't just the coach's word.

 

[cheer25mom]

Do tryouts right, and it doesn’t happen any more often than any of the real sports. Every one of our sports teams has had tryout drama in the time that I’ve had NONE, including a school lockdown when a kid cut from the basketball team threatened to “shoot up the school.” Meanwhile I’m over here having zero tryout drama in this activity that you all claim is so filled with tryout drama. It’s a shame that you’re all so stuck in your ways that you won’t even attempt to run a tryout with 100% transparency. You’d rather have some poor saps who want to make a quick $20 be your easy way out. I’ll digress on the argument that cheer isn’t a sport for now.

Sorry, but you are just wrong on this. It will happen, no matter HOW you do tryouts, and when you don't have scores, you don't have a leg to stand on. I don't get why you are so militant about this? Its getting ridiculous and tiring to have you continually trashing other coaches who don't choose to do things exactly like you. I feel like our tryouts ARE transparent. We have a parent preview night where parents see everyone perform the material they will do at tryouts the next day. Any parent who asks to see their child's scores and judges comments can. I feel like having you and only you making tryout decisions is ASKING for someone to complain, and when they do you are hung out to dry.

 

[OldskoolKYcheercoach]

Sorry, but you are just wrong on this. It will happen, no matter HOW you do tryouts, and when you don't have scores, you don't have a leg to stand on. I don't get why you are so militant about this? Its getting ridiculous and tiring to have you continually trashing other coaches who don't choose to do things exactly like you.

Why am I so adamant about this?

Because I get sick and tired of hearing people whine and complain about how cheerleading doesn’t get any respect in their school, about how cheerleaders are valued like other athletes, and how cheerleading should be considered a sport...and then turn around and make all these lame booty excuses about how because it’s cheerleading we have to do things differently than all the other sports and athletes who are valued as respected do things. You can’t have it both ways. You either want respect and are willing to do the things that the respected groups do, or you don’t care enough to change the outdated, archaic traditions that exist in our activity and bring us into the 21st century.

If it happens, so be it. I’ve seen enough out of the administration in all of the sports and have had talks with them about potential problems which have never come to fruition to know that I have support in the school.

ETA: in the time since I brought my “tryout philosophy” to this area, it’s made such a change in the amount of drama at my school that the coach at our other district high school was told they had to get rid of their judges. Then, whether cause and effect or just out of coincidence, our city School rival was forced to do the same thing.

 

[cheer25mom]

Why am I so adamant about this?

Because I get sick and tired of hearing people whine and complain about how cheerleading doesn’t get any respect in their school, about how cheerleaders are valued like other athletes, and how cheerleading should be considered a sport...and then turn around and make all these lame booty excuses about how because it’s cheerleading we have to do things differently than all the other sports and athletes who are valued as respected do things. You can’t have it both ways. You either want respect and are willing to do the things that the respected groups do, or you don’t care enough to change the outdated, archaic traditions that exist in our activity and bring us into the 21st century.

If it happens, so be it. I’ve seen enough out of the administration in all of the sports and have had talks with them about potential problems which have never come to fruition to know that I have support in the school.

Change has to come in increments, slowly over time, and a lot of things DO need to change but I feel like cheer will never be exactly the same as other sports because it IS inherently different. It is much more akin to figure skating or gymnastics. Judges provide a score to determine who wins, rather than the outcome of a game deciding. That is just a different dynamic, and will ALWAYS be. It requires a different mindset and a different way of coaching.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Sorry, but you are just wrong on this. It will happen, no matter HOW you do tryouts, and when you don't have scores, you don't have a leg to stand on. I don't get why you are so militant about this? Its getting ridiculous and tiring to have you continually trashing other coaches who don't choose to do things exactly like you. I feel like our tryouts ARE transparent. We have a parent preview night where parents see everyone perform the material they will do at tryouts the next day. Any parent who asks to see their child's scores and judges comments can. I feel like having you and only you making tryout decisions is ASKING for someone to complain, and when they do you are hung out to dry.

Alright.

I feel like it needs to be said because I definitely am not the most perfect and the way I do things does not work for everyone.

Do whatever works for you. Everyone using outside judges is not inherently or automatically being unfair/shady. I used them previously because I was asked to. I changed it up because I wanted more input (fyi: I do not make ultimate decision, my kids are still scored on a rubric, and my other coaches score independently from me) but I don't ever want to make people feel wrong for doing it. If you feel like a panel is best for you/your kids/etc. do it.

There is a fine line between helping people to improve practices and accusing them of being shady or unfair, btw.