If you are coaching a sport that requires cutting kids - do you have the
guts to do it face-to-face? Or are you just posting a list?
Top things the best coaches do when having to make a cut:
- Think of how you would want to be told
- Understand the child very well
may cry when you tell them
- Give very specific feedback on what skills they need to work on to increase their chances of making the team next year - including suggestions on places they can go to get help
- Do not post a list with names and/or numbers. Not even online.
- Call in each player one at a time at the end of the tryout informing them of whether they made the team or not.
And have an exit strategy so all players will discretely leave the facility without seeing the other players/parents. Give very specific instructions telling the players/parents to not congregate outside.
Cuts are never fun - we want every kid to be able to enjoy playing for a team. But it's a necessary part of many sports teams - so handling it wisely can really change the self-esteem of the kids - have the guts to look the child
eye-to-eye and give him honest feedback. Sometimes the discussion can even include ideas for other sports/activities that the athlete's skills sets/body-type might be ideally suited for. Be sensitive, encouraging, and honest.
