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Youth Football Tryouts and Evaluations Cut Down Day
One of the most difficult days during the youth football tryouts is the cut down days. I always make sure to keep this day very positive and let the players know as a group that we are splitting them up to make sure they are competing at the appropriate skill level. At the young ages, it is vital that no kid is starting out his tackle career overmatched.
It is hard for seven, eight and nine year olds to understand the entire cut concept and sometimes-even worse for the parents. I will take all the time a parent needs to explain why a certain player is placed at the level he is. During the youth football tryout and evaluations, I keep an updated power ranking of each player, which includes every skill and drill we have tested. All of the drills are based on performance with no subjectivity allowed. This makes it very easy when you need to have a back up. I have found by using this system it also makes the cutting job clear cut.
I start the youth football tryouts cut day by addressing and thanking all the parents while the players are warming up. I let the parents know that we will be telling the kids where they will be playing. After we do one last group warm up together I pull all of the players together in a group, thank them for their hard work and let them know we are ready to split them up.
I like to split the group up by announcing the youth football player’s full name and calling each player out, one at a time and ask them to go in a group by their new coach. In the past I have cut just the select team and allow for the rest of the players to have another day or so practicing alone, allowing the coaches a chance for even further review.
I will also take MORE kids on the first cut, making sure I get a good look at any question marks. I let all the players know in advance that I am taking a few extra players that will eventually be sent down to the “B” teams. This is a nice surprise for those teams. I make sure the players sent down are split up even so no one team is stacked on the “B” level. We want to make these teams as even as possible. Our “B” youth football teams will be competing against other teams of similar skill levels.
This is one of the more sensitive days of the year, and I want to make sure it goes as smooth as possible.
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