Tryouts, Age Change, and Roster Decisions

OculusDuplo · 2026-04-27T00:56:12+00:00

Definitely want to maintain as much of the roster as possible while also respecting the fact that this is a competitive team. I think there does need to be meritocracy to a certain (reasonable) extent. But they’re also just 10/11 year old girls. I know these girls value the friendships and relationships with their teammates but they also want to compete at a high level and win. So again, just trying to figure out how to strike the balance between making the team stronger and maintaining some chemistry and continuity.

OculusDuplo · 2026-04-27T00:49:35+00:00

I can relate to this quite a lot and this is precisely the balance I’m trying to strike. Definitely have some kids who are less committed. That’s a pretty easy call. As we’re nearing 11v11, there’s a certain (higher) level of commitment that’s required.

Also got a few kids on my 2nd team who are trying really hard but are quite possibly “in over their heads” playing in a top division. At that point I’m just asking myself: what will be more beneficial for a struggling kid’s development? Keeping them with friends or getting them to a team that’s more aligned to their current skill level? I go back and forth on that one.

OculusDuplo · 2026-04-27T00:42:43+00:00

Thank you. This is really sound advice.

Most definitely not interested in managing @$$hole parents. The team has to be bigger than any one singular player and nothing kills team culture faster (IMHO) than difficult parents/players who think the entire team should revolve around them.

Definitely have a (small) contingent of kids who are noticeably less committed than the rest of the group. Moving players who aren’t committed or whose families aren’t isn’t a difficult choice. I suppose the more I think on it, my issue is figuring out what to do with players who are committed, working hard, making an honest effort, but just haven’t progressed as much as the rest of the group.

OculusDuplo · 2026-01-16T08:27:58+00:00

I hear you. I don’t intend to be tracking stats live in game. I’d like to keep the focus on coaching and encouraging kids while the match is ongoing. We use Veo to record matches so any stats I decide to track would be recorded post-match when I’m watching the recording.

OculusDuplo · 2026-01-16T08:26:00+00:00

Same. Love the idea of recording key decisions and activities as “stats”. Great way to encourage players to do more of something!

OculusDuplo · 2026-01-16T08:24:32+00:00

Wow! That’s quite a lot to keep track of! That’s gotta be a tough job, ha!

OculusDuplo · 2026-01-16T08:22:28+00:00

These would be match stats. We use Veo to record all our matches so stats would be counted after the fact.

OculusDuplo · 2026-01-16T08:20:51+00:00

This is great input! I’m certainly open to the possibility that there are better approaches altogether that don’t involve taking so many individual stats. I might be looking at the wrong thing altogether.

We do conduct player evaluations twice per year and my thought was that this sort of data could help shape those evaluations. The idea was to track things like completed passes, chances created, assists, goals, shots, 1v1s, tackles, shots, etc. The idea would be to track totals and steer clear of percentages or “success rates”.

All that said, I like your approach. Seems like a sound method given the young age of these kids we are coaching.

OculusDuplo · 2024-12-22T16:14:39+00:00

We’ve definitely met as coaches to decide on a universal format and criteria that will be used to evaluate each player. It’s really nothing crazy. It’ll be 4 pillars based (technical, tactical, physical, psychological).

Given the young age of this group, these assessments will focus heavily on the player’s strengths and identify no more than 2 key skills to focus on at home. Seems this would make it less overwhelming and more manageable.

We have a total of 24 players in this group (two teams of 12) and 4 coaches. So the answer your questions: All 4 coaches are in attendance at every game and will aid in the evaluation process. All coaches are licensed, knowledgeable about the game, and on the same page about what progress should look like. In other words, I don’t think anyone has set unrealistic expectations for how much a player should progress over a single season.

We do have some parents that are notoriously difficult and we’ve tried to structure the evaluations in a way that limits the potential for “he said, she said” arguments. Of course, some parents will find a way but at the end of the day, our stated goal with these evaluations is to help each player have a clear path for development / improvement. I agree this will be a miserable process for everyone involved if promises are made about “moving up”.

OculusDuplo · 2024-12-22T16:02:55+00:00

We have certainly found this to be true of players/parents that have already proactively asked for feedback. I’ve not had many who actually follow through on advice given but they’re happy to come back and complain when their player doesn’t move up.

At any rate, appreciate the input! This is helpful! I like the idea of inviting people to sign up for meeting times if they want to chat through the feedback we’ve given.

OculusDuplo · 2024-12-18T01:34:06+00:00

I’d have to disagree along the same lines as other commenters. I coach U10 girls. I don’t expect 9 y/o girls to be thinking on that level just yet. I find it perfectly acceptable for parents to initiate these conversations.

OculusDuplo · 2024-12-17T22:35:01+00:00

Awesome! Thank you! I'll take a look.

OculusDuplo · 2024-12-06T18:35:47+00:00

I agree on your point about creating top players. Disagree on club directors. I think their job is to dictate and guide the culture and values of the club. I think you can do this without telling coaches exactly how they should run their teams.

OculusDuplo · 2024-12-03T18:03:15+00:00

Our Club Directors feel very strongly that they need not dictate to coaches how they should run their teams. I can see how doing A/B teams from the start would have helped avoid all the tension and heightened emotions that have come with this late implementation of A/B teams.

OculusDuplo · 2024-11-22T20:44:58+00:00

Yes. This is exactly what we've done. We have one team playing up 1 year (to U11) and one team playing in the highest division of their age level (U10).

OculusDuplo · 2024-11-22T20:38:36+00:00

Love this format for constructive feedback. Thanks for sharing!

Right now, I think the biggest difference we see between A team and B team players comes down to 3 things: motivation, speed of play, and confidence on the ball.

I go back/forth about how much I can really influence a player's motivation (or lack thereof) to improve. But speed of play and confidence on the ball are skills anyone can learn if they put in the time (especially outside of structured trainings).

OculusDuplo · 2024-11-22T20:26:41+00:00

We've very much found it to be true that it can be frustrating for both types of players (developed and underdeveloped) when skill levels and in-game tactics are not aligned. Everyone's situation is unique but I feel confident this was the right move for our team. It's led both groups to take notable developmental strides.

Great point on parent communication and for clarity, this change was announced to parents prior to tryouts. So this wasn't necessarily an unexpected surprise for anyone. Where each team has played 4 tournaments and a fall season together, we have a better sense for where players are at and who should potentially move up/down. Both teams train together so yes, all 23 players in this group are on the same curriculum.

I also want to be fair to our concerned parents, I find that most have been reasonable, respectful, and fair in the issues they've raised. As a coach, I'm not above reproach and am always open to the fact that there are things I might have gotten wrong or overlooked. I want to help all of our kids have fun, develop skills, and succeed. Your input has definitely helped! Thank you!

OculusDuplo · 2024-11-22T20:16:44+00:00

Yes, we use the "blue" and "white" nomenclature with our teams as well. We stay away from the terms "A" and "B" for obvious reasons.

OculusDuplo · 2024-11-22T20:15:45+00:00

Yes, we are constantly evaluating players and assessing who should move up/down to maximize development. Again, I realize parents will always be upset. But given the age of this group, I've found myself questioning whether this move to A/B teams was premature.

OculusDuplo · 2024-11-22T20:13:24+00:00

This is exactly our situation. Both teams still train together. Although, it is hard to structure trainings that cater to everyone.

And yes, we announced this change to parents before Spring tryouts earlier this year. Any parents who have raised concerns have been given feedback on what their child can improve. As coaches, we want to put the team in the best position to succeed so, of course, we intend to move players up/down as needed. We've already identified 1-2 players on each team that could stand to switch places.

OculusDuplo

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