Anonymous
Years ago

Under 12 try-outs

In Melb, we are about to have try-outs for under 12 kids, who have not really played much formal basketball for two years since they were 8 or 9 due to the pandemic Interested in views from coaches what they would look for in those circumstances- there are going to be some kids with (very) raw ability and with little formal bball skills - do you just look for the more athletic kids and work on their skills? Or do you take the kids that happen to know how to do a lay up? These try outs are going to be tough to select kids I think.

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LC
Years ago

All kids (rep and domestic) last played games in June. So it has definitely been a long time between games!

Most interesting for those kids who are not returning u12 rep players.

Clubs that had development programs in place that help bridge the gap between domestic and rep are the ones that will be best placed at tryouts.

Being at Nunawading, we had development programs running continuously and the majority are now set to tryout and advance to rep level competition. They have all been working on the underlying skills and fundamentals and coaches already know the kids to some degree having viewed their domestic games earlier in their year. Expecting very healthy numbers at tryouts next week across boys and girls.

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Old Coach
Years ago

Prioritise these things:
* Desire
* Stamina
* Ability to retain the ball
* Decision making
* Willingness to take contact
* Ability to pay attention
and think highly of
* Shooting Form
* Defence
and especially look for signs that domestically they have been taught fundamentals.

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Hoopie
Years ago

I guess it's asking a bit much of u12s to think like adults, but if I see a kid taking a dumb shot (even if it goes in) when there was a clearly better option, then I’d call a Strike on that kid deserving to make any high-level team I coach.

Other negatives I’d call strikes for include
- blatant self-obsession such that they only care about themselves, and get hostile or negative when they’re taken off or told off
- dissing teammates when the teammates make mistakes, or being Teflon by trying to find someone else to blame for their own mistakes
- unwilling to follow coaching directions, particularly if it’s because they’re following parents’ directions instead
- one-way runners or 'passengers’ - they only work when there’s something in it for them
- excessive emotion getting in the way of commonsense and judgement, including arrogance
- missing training or tryouts without good reason, or showing general disinterest during them

Any of those issues are going to make life tough for a coach. Coaching and integrating a bunch of kids is hard enough without having to also tread carefully to manage players with emotional issues, unrealistic expectations, selfishness, controlling parents, lack of dedication to the team and the coach, ...

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Under 12 try-outs

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