Travel team tryouts for all grades and gender will take place each year generally during the month of September and/or early October for the upcoming season.  A tryout schedule will be posted on the league website and the MYBA registrar will send out an email to all players who have signed up for the upcoming in-town season.  There will be two tryout sessions for grades 4 thru 8 and it is expected that all players trying out attend both sessions.  

Each tryout session will last 1.5 hours in length. Although the tryouts for each grade will vary somewhat, the general format of the tryouts will be as follows:

1st Tryout date:

• Check in with players using previously (or newly) issued numbered pinnies from previous year
• Outline of process to players (and parents recommended)
• Fundamental drills (layups, dribbling, defense drills, etc.)
• Scrimmage play (i.e. 3 v 3, 4 v 4, or 5 v 5)

2nd Tryout date

• Primarily Scrimmage play

Based on feedback from the try-out process last season, we are requesting that parents do not attend the try-outs.  Often when a parent attends the try-outs it can be distracting for the players and the independent evaluators.  If a parent feels strongly about attending try-outs, they can come into the gym for the last 15 minutes of the try-out. A parent cannot have any interaction with their child or any other player who is trying out, unless in the case of injury. In addition no interaction with any of the evaluators is allowed.

Evaluators

Each tryout will be administered by the grade coordinator and will generally have 3 evaluators who attend all of the tryouts for the specific grade/gender.  The evaluation group will consist of 1 coach (in certain circumstances maybe more) from that particular grade/gender and 2 (or more) independent evaluators.  The coaches are selected by the grade coordinator and should have been an active participant in coaching in prior years for that grade/gender.  The two independent evaluators are assigned to the specific tryout by the MYBA travel coordinator and cannot have a child who is participating in this specific tryout.  Typically independent evaluators are individuals who have coached in the program in prior years but whose children have outgrown the program or coaches from a different grade level.

Selection Process

There are many factors that go into the selection process and final make-up of the travel teams.  Among these factors are:

• Performance in current tryout
• Prior years’ performance in both in-town and travel program, if applicable
• Prior years’ commitment to both the in-town and travel program, if applicable
• Athletic ability
• Basketball “IQ” … does the player work well within the team concept and will he/she contribute in certain facets of the game other than scoring (i.e. rebounding, defense, etc.)
• Team attributes; how does the player fit in within the overall needs of the team. (e.g. the team cannot be made up of all point guards).

Important:  Selection to a specific team in one year does not guarantee selection to that same team in future years. 

The evaluators will use and modify the tryout process while it is going on in an effort to evaluate players on the above factors.  After each session, the evaluation team will compile thoughts on a strictly confidential basis.  At the conclusion of the final session, the evaluation team will select each team, based on the skill and ability of the participants, which will generally carry anywhere from 10 – 12 players.  Although the total number of players in the tryouts may fit within the range to make one and/or two teams, selection is based solely upon merit.  During the selection process a coach evaluator must recuse himself/herself from any discussion concerning their own child.

Travel Coaches:

The coaches and assistant coaches of the current year’s travel team will be selected after the teams are formed. Prospective coaches must complete an MYBA Travel Team Coach questionnaire and final coach selection is decided by the Travel Coordinator and recommendations from the Grade Coordinator.

No parent can coach (head coach or assistant coach) more than one travel team in a season.  The timing of the practices and games will overlap through each season and it is not fair to the players and parents of players to have a coach that is splitting time between multiple teams.

Any concerns regarding the coaches' selection process should be directed to the MYBA Board, Travel Coordinator, and President.

Notification:

Player notification will be done once the final tryout for all grades is completed. All notifications for a grade/gender will be completed on the same evening. 

Questions

Any parental questions and/or feedback can be made to the grade coordinator, the travel coordinator, and/or MYBA president. Contact information is on the MYBA web site.