Tryouts
Tryouts are used to measure each individual player's talent and skill level and to form competitive teams at the appropriate playing levels. The first day of tryouts will focus on evaluation of players’ skills. The second day of tryouts will focus on team formation.

Day 1 - Evaluation Criteria and Process
EPGBA hires paid, non-relative evaluators to run the evaluation phase on the first day of tryouts. During this phase, players will be evaluated on their abilities in such areas as ball handling, shooting, rebounding, one-on-one, offense, and defense.  An over of these skills and example drills to be conducted during tryouts can be found on EPGBA’s Travel Tryout Scorecard.

The evaluators are typically metro area HS varsity coaches, area AAU coaches, and all have many years of coaching and/or training experience. EPGBA's eligible (i.e., does not have a child trying out) Coaching Director(s) or eligible designee(s) as determined by the Executive Board will oversee the work of the evaluation team during the tryouts and make sure the evaluators are knowledgeable on EPGBA policies and rules. The Coaching Director(s) do not participate in the actual evaluations and should not provide opinions or insights on any player during the evaluation phase of tryouts.  At the completion of the evaluation phase of tryouts, the evaluators will assign an overall ranking for each player as well as note any natural break points in talent within each grade level.

Day 2 – Team Formation
The second day of tryouts will focus on the creation of teams by the Team Formation Committee, which will be comprised of the following individuals: Coaching Director(s), Eden Prairie Girls’ Varsity Head Coach and grade-level head coaches.  However, Coaching Director(s) and grade-level head coaches with a child participating in tryouts will not be allowed to join the Committee until after their child has been placed on a team by the other members of the Committee. 

During this phase, the Coaching Director(s) will facilitate drills and scrimmages among the players in each grade so the Team Formation Committee can make observations to assist in team formation. After the player observations are complete, the Team Formation Committee will work together to form teams at each grade level using all available information including: Evaluator feedback from day 1, observations made during day 2, prior year coach evaluations for soft skills and intangibles for returning players and live input from prior year coaches present on the Team Formation Committee.   

Team formation is subject to the following rules:

1. The top five ranked players based on the independent evaluation process are automatically placed on the team.

2. The remaining roster will be proposed by the Team Head Coach taking into consideration the recommendation of the evaluators to achieve the most competitive team roster based on the available players. 

3. If the Team Head Coach is a parent who cannot participate because their player has not been placed on a team, the balance of the team will be proposed by the Team Formation Committee.

4. The final roster must be approved by a majority vote of the Team Formation Committee

5. After Team I formation, next the top five ranked players based on the independent evaluation process are automatically placed on the Team II with the remaining roster following steps 2-4 above. 

6. Additional teams selections will be selected following the above procedures.

Teams will be established with 8-10 players. Unless otherwise approved by the EPGBA Board, teams will have no fewer than 7 players and not more than 10 players.

Tryout Non-Participation
In order to most effectively evaluate and place players on the appropriate travel team, it is necessary that all players take part in the 2-day tryout process.

Under limited circumstances approved by the EPGBA Executive Board prior to tryouts (for example – injury/illness accompanied by a doctor note or family emergency), an excused player may be placed on a travel team even though they were unable to participate in evaluations. 

For unexcused players, placement on a team is not guaranteed. If a roster spot is available and the Executive Board approves, the unexcused player will be placed on the lowest team. 

If your daughter is ill for tryouts or has a documented injury, you must contact the   BEFORE the tryouts begin.

For more information or questions on tryouts, please refer to our Travel Policy in Section 3 of EPGBA's Policy Handbook , Travel Tryout Scorecard or contact the .