McLean Select Basketball

Tryouts Process

• Selection Criteria Overview
• Team Roster Size:  10 Players
• Division of Players Between the "A" and "B" teams in Each Age Group  

Selection Criteria Overview
McLean Select expects our volunteer coaches to run tryouts that provide the opportunity for players to demonstrate their abilities across a variety of individual basketball skills and team concepts.  We are looking for players who best demonstrate both basketball ability and McLean Select values such as great effort, high enthusiasm, strong commitment to the sport, respect for teammates and teamwork, and positive communication and listening skills.

McLean Select does not mandate a one-size-fits-all structure for a coach to construct his team.  For example, individual basketball skills are an important factor but not the sole determining characteristic of a player’s selection to a team, and McLean Select does NOT require that each coach select the ten most individually skilled players for his team. 

Each coach has the leeway to develop different ideas on how best to construct a team (speed vs. height, offensive vs. defensive skills, current skills vs. athletic potential or by player positions), and certain player positions may have significantly more competition than others.  As a result, there is a possibility that the final team composition may include players with lesser individual skills than those not selected.

If a player has an obvious and significant injury, the player should still attend try-outs and the age group coaches and the league commissioner will jointly make a determination of the appropriateness of an invitation to play McLean Select.

All coaches have great sensitivity to the level of “commitment” of a player and its impact on the team.  Some coaches are willing to consider attendance conflicts during the season, but all coaches should know the magnitude of the conflicts prior to the completion of the selection process – see “Conflicts and Competing Team Try-outs”.

We welcome feedback for opportunities to conduct better and more professional evaluations of our players.  At the same time, please know that the Select Basketball Commissioner has never “over-turned” a coach’s selection (or non-selection) of a player for a team.  Please consider your purpose if you decide to provide commentary on the try-out and selection process of your player’s age group.

Team Roster Size -- 10 Players
The McLean Select program will limit the roster for each of its teams to 10 players per team. 

While the Fairfax County Youth Basketball League (“FCYBL”) rules allow more players per team, our Select program believes that a 10 player roster strikes the right balance of playing time, practice efficiency and overall player experience.  Unlike many other Select organizations, McLean offers two teams per age group which provides more available spots than most other FCYBL members.  [See also “Grade Exceptions” per age group and “Zip Code Eligibility”]

Division of Players Between the "A" and "B" Team in Each Age Group
The coaching staffs of the “A” and “B” teams work closely together to best evaluate the available players during the tryouts.  McLean Select has an equal commitment to both the “A” and “B” teams and coaches, and parents should understand that players shift back and forth between (and off) the “A” and “B” teams every year.  Most importantly, prior year team placement does not guarantee a spot on either team in the age group the following year.

The age group coaches will attempt to arrange teams in a fashion that gives the best playing experience for all of the players.  While “wins” are not the sole focus of McLean Select, our experience suggests that players have greater incentive to play more basketball in the ensuing years when the McLean Select team is competitive and wins games. 

:

The General Guidelines of the Division of Select Players:
 

• "A" Team in Division 1.  If the “A” team is eligible to compete in Division 1 in the FCYBL, the coach of this team will select all of the players for his team first.  After the “A” team coach has selected his ten players, the “B” coach then selects the ten players for his team.

• Teams in the Same Division:  If both teams in an age group will compete in same division, McLean Select will select players according to the following guidelines:

  Two D1 Teams:  The “A” team coaching staff will select the first 5 players (including any progeny), and the “B” team coaching staff will select the next 5 players (including any progeny).  After this round of picks, the A coach will pick 5 players and then the B coach will pick 5 players.

  Two D2 Teams:  The “A” team coach will pick first and the “B” team coach will pick second, and the coaches will alternate selections. Head coach progeny must get chosen within the first three picks.

• Players on the Bubble.  When players are on the “bubble” between the “A” and “B” teams, coaches and parents should communicate in advance of the final selections to determine what level of play, responsibility and playing time is best for the “bubble” player and include this factor in the team placement decision.

Last Updated:  September 28, 2016