Travel Tryouts

All players (house and travel) will be required to attend one of the initial evaluation sessions, scheduled in September.

All players who are interested in travel basketball must first attend the SoLo pre-season evaluation which occurs the final two weekends in September.  Players participate in an initial league-wide skills evaluation which is conducted by an independent evaluation contractor.  The results of this evaluation, along with travel committee and prospective coach’s recommendations/evaluations are considered, and players will be invited to the Travel-specific tryouts.  The process for inviting players to the Travel-specific tryouts is outlined below:

Data Inputs for Travel Selections:

  1. Evaluation Results Scores spreadsheet provided by independent contractor
  2. Travel coaching candidates to submits recommendations for travel candidates
  3. Travel committee board members submits recommendations for travel candidates
  4. Players who participated in previous travel winter program

Review Process:

  1. Start with Data Results provided by independent contractor
  2. Add columns with recommendations from Coaches and Travel Committee
  3. Add column to indicate previous year travel participants

Criteria for selecting players to receive an invitation:

  1. Players in top 15% of evaluation results 
  2. Number of coaching and committee recommendations received
  3. Players returning from previous year winter program
  4. The target maximum 25% of the total population per age group invited

Guidelines for Number of Invitations:

Total in Age Group

Number of Teams

Top 15%

Max Invites (25%)

40-59

1 Team

6-8

15

60-79

1 Team

9-11

20

80-99

1-2 Teams

12-14

25

100-119

2 Teams

15-17

30

120-139

2 Teams

18-20

35

140-159

2-3 Teams

21-23

40

160-179

3 Teams

24-26

45

180-199

3 Teams

27-29

50

200-219

3-4 Teams

30-32

55

The SoLo Travel committee has the discretion to invite additional candidates above the target maximum.

Travel-specific tryouts will be held after Columbus Day through the following weekend each season.   The evaluation sessions will be contracted out to be organized and run by an independent third party. Players are expected to attend all of the posted travel evaluation sessions. 

Players are required to attend a minimum of one (1) travel-specific tryout sessions [in addition to one (1) of the initial evaluation sessions] in order to be considered for the travel program.   Any exceptions to this minimum threshold must be reviewed and approved by the Travel Committee.

During the travel-only sessions players will be evaluated by, and input into the team selection will be solicited from a total of five (5) sources:

  • Travel Commissioner
  • Travel Committee Members (other than Travel Commissioner)
  • High School Coaches
  • Contracted trainer staff
  • Prospective coaches pool (coaches who have applied to coach and are invited to evaluate)

Players will be evaluated on the following criteria:

  • Athletic Ability (speed/quickness, fitness, size)
  • Basketball Knowledge / Basketball IQ
  • Basketball Metrics (shooting, dribbling, rebounding, passing, etc.)
  • Positions Played
  • Tryout Performance (attendance, performance in tryouts against peers, attitude)
  • Past Travel League experience 

The player evaluation scores will be compiled by the Travel Commissioner and presented to the Travel Committee during the Team Formation Process (see Team Formation Process).  The details of evaluation result details will not be shared with players or parents.

 

Next>>Travel Program Coaching

Travel Program Team Formation

Back to Travel Program Charter

Travel Program Governance   

Travel Program Player Commitment

Travel Program Tryout Process