Tryouts Day 1

Two hours of action-packed drills today. Last year I hear that 70 players tried out for the freshman and sophomore teams. This year the number was a more manageable 45 or so.

The opening messages to the team by coaches?

- You have control over your effort and attitude, and the good Lord provides the rest
- Freshmen have a blank slate - whether you played on a good, bad or no 8th grade team doesn't matter

Four players failed to get the blue permission slip signed that indicates parental consent and medical health. They become spectators.

These veteran coaches need little from me, which is a great spot for an apprentice. Got a chance to study a few opening drills:

1. Full court ball handling. About ten lines, 4 players deep apiece. Dribble down and back, while zig-zagging left to right using your best moves. Behind the back, spin moves, through the legs, crossovers, it's up to the player. Keep dribble low and eyes up!

Then we did the same drill, but with a defender in front... half the lines went first, going one floor length. Then the other half of the lines made the journey. Coming back, the dribbler/ballhandler switch roles. Coach called this version the "alley drill."

2. Partner passing. Partners stand facing each other, about ten feet in from opposite sidelines. First chest passes... line drives not lobs... snap the wrists... partner should step into the catch (a 1-2 step). Right-handed "push" pass... not winding up, but a shot straight from the shoulder. Left-handed push pass. Bounce pass... bounce 2/3 of the way. Overhand 2-handed outlet pass.

At this point I was dismissed to the shooting "Gun," i.e. the ball returning machine. Freshmen were allowed 25 shots while I counted makes and observed their shooting form. I'm new at this, so I invent some expressions. For example, the guy whose follow-through seemed a bit "floppy" to me. Or several with "elbow askew." Some are more blunt: "Ball behind head." "No jump." "Lots of air balls." The high score is 19 of 25 made. The low is 5.

Three of last year's freshmen are practicing with the varsity. One or two freshmen might come up to the sophomores. One of the sophs is on injured reserve. That leaves us with six of last year's freshmen who played meaningful minutes. Two or three more are on the bubble. Three or four pretenders either too small or too slow. We'll sort it out easily enough tomorrow. As they scrimmage 5-on-5, no one wows the crowd. Several are in football shape but rusty on the court. Off-balance shots fill the lane like daisies in Central Park. The rim is certainly damaged from the barrage of three-point bombs, one of which goes in.

Afterward we coaches huddle up in the office. Freshman coach has nearly finalized the list for his freshmen team. I'm impressed by the speed and confidence of their evaluations. One portly lad asked at the beginning of practice where we kept the "bouncy balls." He will not make the team. "Floppy" is still on the team, as is "No jump." Tomorrow we'll do more man-on-man action and fewer passing drills. And my astute and irrelevant notes might generate more inadvertent nicknames.