Fairfax Boys Varsity Basketball Tryouts

                 Below is the schedule for the first week and a half of basketball

• First “cuts” will be made at the close of practice on Wednesday.  Second “cuts” will be Thursday (if necessary).  Additional cuts may be necessary after the first week if football is successful in making the playoffs.
• There will be a MANDATORY meeting for all Winter Athletes with the DSA on Monday, Nov 12 from 3:00 – 3:30pm in the Field House
• “Meet the Coaches Night” for parents of kids who make the team is Thursday, Nov 15 at 7:00PM in the Field House
• First scrimmage is Saturday, Nov 17 at 5:30 PM @ McLean HS (there will not be a bus)
• Second scrimmage is Saturday, Nov 24 at 11:30 AM @ Freedom South Riding HS (there will not be a bus)
• As a general rule, we will have game or practice activities every day, Monday through Saturday until our season ends, including the Thanksgiving and Winter Breaks.  Attendance at ALL team practices, meetings and games is MANDATORY.  If you must miss due to extenuating circumstances you need to contact Coach PRIOR to the start of practice.  For the most part, outside of illness or family emergency, all absences will be considered unexcused.  Unexcused absences will result in sitting out game time.  Excused missed practices will result in loss of opportunity to start in next game

Prerequisites to trying out

• You cannot tryout unless you bring (or have on file) a Physical Examination Form
• BOTH YOU AND ONE OF YOUR PARENTS HAVE TAKEN THE ONLINE CONCUSSION TEST                      ( https://www.fcps.edu/activities/student-athletics ). 
• You must also bring an Emergency Care Card that has been specifically completed for winter sports/activities.
• Tryout Handout Sheet signed by BOTH THE PLAYER AND A PARENT

*Turn in by Friday, November 2^nd.  If I do not have them (filled out completely), you will be unable to participate!!!!!.*

Selection Criteria

The following criteria will be used during player evaluation and team selection processes:

• Skills/talent – How well can you play?
• Athleticism/fitness/size – Basketball is a sport that favors endurance, height, strength, speed, and quickness.
• Basketball savvy – Quality players understand what to do and when to do it.
• Team work – There are lots of players who can do well when they have the ball or in pick-up games, but struggle during 5-on-5, team oriented situations.
• Scholarship – There are academic requirements for participating.  Other things being equal, a student with a good academic record will have earned an advantage during the selection process.
• Attitude/Conduct – As athletes, our players are representing the school and the basketball program.  Discipline issues on and off the court can affect your ability to make the team.  We are also looking for athletes who can take constructive criticism positively.
• Work ethic – We select players with a passion for excellence and a will to work for success.
• Team balance – We cannot field a team with all guards or all centers.  We need a good mix of players by position.  You might be the third best player trying out and not make the team, because the two best players play your position.

Tips for trying out

Play hard and play smart every second during tryouts.  Take nothing for granted.  As much as possible, try to demonstrate the things at which you excel.

Not everyone can make it

Competition for selection onto a high school basketball team is fierce, as only 10-15 players will make the Varsity team.  At tryouts, we will undoubtedly have the best 10% or so of the players at Fairfax. Unfortunately, only the top 5% can make the team.  No player likes to be told he’s not good enough to make the team; no coach likes to tell a player that either.  But it has to be done for some when there are a limited number of roster spots.

If you should fail to make the team, don’t be too despondent.  Getting cut doesn’t mean a player isn’t a quality individual, or even a quality basketball player.  Players sometimes aren’t at their best at exactly the wrong time.  Coaches can make mistakes, too.

Whatever the circumstances for not making the team, there are plenty of good opportunities for those players not chosen: other Fairfax winter sports, recreation youth basketball leagues, etc.  If you don’t make the team, you can work hard on improving all aspects (remember the selection criteria) of your game; perhaps even to the point where you can out-compete others for a roster spot next year.

Fall Sports

If you plan to try out for Varsity Basketball and are participating in a Fall sport that is still in-season when basketball tryouts begin (November 5^th), you will start your tryout on the day after your last fall sport contest (e.g., fall season ends Friday, basketball tryout starts Saturday).  However, you must complete all “Prerequisites to trying out” (see below) on or before November 5^th in order to try out so coaches know who is planning on coming out.

Fitness Testing

As part of the tryout process, potential players will be asked to take part in fitness testing.  Fitness Testing dates are on Tuesday, November 6^th (at 5:00 PM in the weightroom) and Wednesday, November 7^th (at 3:20 in the Field House) in addition to the regular tryout time that day. If you wish to do so, your fitness testing can also be done in advance on Tuesday, October 30^th  and Thursday, November 1^st.  We will meet in the Field House at 3:20 on Tuesday for push ups, sit ups and the 2 mile run and we will meet in the Weight Room on Wednesday at 3:20 for the weightlifting tests.  These scores will only be used if you choose not to do your fitness testing on 11/6 and 11/7.

The Fitness Goals are:

• 2 Mile Run:        12:30                                        Bench Max:                                           125% of body weight
• Push Ups:         72 in two minutes                      Bench Reps (135 lbs):                           12 reps
• Sit Ups:             82 in two minutes                      Squat (110% of body weight):                12 reps

Here is the rating scale that will be used in grading your testing results:

Remember, these are fitness Goals, not Requirements.  Reaching all of the goals is not a prerequisite to make the team nor is it a guarantee of being selected to the team.  The fitness testing scores will be one of many factors that will be looked at when selecting the team.

Mike Barbee

Email:  Michael.Barbee@fcps.edu