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Basketball
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https://teachhoops.com/
What are you actually trying to find out at tryouts?
Most tryouts sort kids instead of
learning anything about them, and that is a choice you make before the first
whistle.
SHOW NOTES
Steve opens with a cut he still
regrets: a kid who had one bad Tuesday and went on to start varsity somewhere
else two years later. The problem was not the kid. The problem was a tryout
built to confirm what Steve already believed instead of teaching him something
new. This episode is about treating tryout week as an information event,
designing drills where the trait you care about cannot hide, and handling
everything that happens after you post the list.
What we cover:
•
Why sorting feels productive and teaches you nothing
•
Deciding your actual criteria on paper before you walk
in the gym
•
Full court one on one, watching kids off the ball, and
giving them more than one Tuesday
•
Ranking by role and fit instead of averaging every kid
into a six
•
Who belongs in the gym evaluating with you, and who
never does
This week's challenge: Before you run a single minute
of tryouts, write down exactly what you are going to say to the last kid you
cut.
Resources: Practice plans, drills, courses, and on
court clinics at https://teachhoops.com/
Recorded at the Fifth Quarter
Studios in Madison, Wisconsin.
EPISODE DETAILS
Runtime: 10 minutes 1
seconds
LINKS
https://teachhoops.com/
https://coachingyouthhoops.com/
https://heysammi.com/
What Are You
Actually Trying to Find Out at Tryouts?
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Next listen
Ep 2025 Should You Be Teaching Fundamentals or Running Your Offense?
Listen guide
"Ep 2026 What are you actually trying to find out at tryouts?" is an episode of Basketball Coach Unplugged (A Basketball Coaching Podcast). Runtime 12 min. Published September 28, 2026. Hit play above to stream it here, or open the free Spot Sports app for background play and offline downloads.