Tryouts/Freshman

[naddruf]

I was wondering how schools that do tryouts select their teams.

My high school has not done tryouts yet, because the organization is small. Instead we just have a varsity and JV team. However we might have tryouts next year.

When you select people by general subject tests (e.g. biology, chemistry, physics, engineering), won't it be the people who have taken that science class (especially AP level) who do well and get in? If so, how do you get freshman and new students on their team? They will have little experience at the beginning of the year. How will the freshman know enough about the subject to pass the tryout test?

[texas]

I was wondering how schools that do tryouts select their teams.

My high school has not done tryouts yet, because the organization is small. Instead we just have a varsity and JV team. However we might have tryouts next year.

When you select people by general subject tests (e.g. biology, chemistry, physics, engineering), won't it be the people who have taken that science class (especially AP level) who do well and get in? If so, how do you get freshman and new students on their team? They will have little experience at the beginning of the year. How will the freshman know enough about the subject to pass the tryout test?

At my school, the tryout test consists of high school (basically AP level) biology, physics, and chemistry, and two events, usually Anatomy & Physiology and Dynamic Planet. We don't compare people from different grades- a freshman's score won't be compared to a sophomore's score, a junior's score won't be compared to a senior's score, etc. A lot of people study for the test, especially underclassmen, Many freshmen have experience from Division B and get quickly accustomed to Division C.

[naddruf]

How long do they have to study for the test? If it's at the beginning of the year, and they have never done Scioly before, but are interested in science, can they make the team?

What do you mean by not comparing people from different grades? Do you have a certain number of spots reserved for each grade?

Why Dynamic Planet? Who the heck knows that stuff if they didn't take that event? (Just mad because I got put cold into dynamic planet one year, we had a useless cheat sheet, and my partner had known he would be in it all year but hadn't studied at all, and we managed to get last place )

[linzhiyan]

How long do they have to study for the test? If it's at the beginning of the year, and they have never done Scioly before, but are interested in science, can they make the team?

What do you mean by not comparing people from different grades? Do you have a certain number of spots reserved for each grade?

Why Dynamic Planet? Who the heck knows that stuff if they didn't take that event? (Just mad because I got put cold into dynamic planet one year, we had a useless cheat sheet, and my partner had known he would be in it all year but hadn't studied at all, and we managed to get last place )

I would say that your reason is the reason why they choose Dynamic Planet as one of their tryout tests. From personal experience, Dynamic Planet is hard, and you have to really know the information. Having people on the team that scores well in Dynamic Planet will be very beneficial for the team. This would show that not only are they good at one of the hardest study events, but also that they are willing to study for the event, and all of their other events. Because it is a hard event, the only way to get good at it will be to study, therefore not everyone can do that event and do it well.

[Name]

We have alumni write tests for basically every non build event. We tested this year in Nov but we have tested as early as Oct. We run 3 teams, with A going to every comp, B going to everything minus states and one invite, and C going to regionals only. Im not sure how teams selecting works, but I think for this year they tried minimizing seniors on team B and C and focused them on younger members. Teams change though so even if a freshman didn't have enough time to study for tryouts, if they do well at invites they can get moved up.

How long do they have to study for the test? If it's at the beginning of the year, and they have never done Scioly before, but are interested in science, can they make the team?

What do you mean by not comparing people from different grades? Do you have a certain number of spots reserved for each grade?

Why Dynamic Planet? Who the heck knows that stuff if they didn't take that event? (Just mad because I got put cold into dynamic planet one year, we had a useless cheat sheet, and my partner had known he would be in it all year but hadn't studied at all, and we managed to get last place )

I would say that your reason is the reason why they choose Dynamic Planet as one of their tryout tests. From personal experience, Dynamic Planet is hard, and you have to really know the information. Having people on the team that scores well in Dynamic Planet will be very beneficial for the team. This would show that not only are they good at one of the hardest study events, but also that they are willing to study for the event, and all of their other events. Because it is a hard event, the only way to get good at it will be to study, therefore not everyone can do that event and do it well.

You can say basically any event is hard, and having everyone study for only one event might get your team really good at dyplan, but probably not so for every other event. Everyone else basically just managed to waste thier time studying for a event they'll never compete in.

[naddruf]

We have alumni write tests for basically every non build event. We tested this year in Nov but we have tested as early as Oct. We run 3 teams, with A going to every comp, B going to everything minus states and one invite, and C going to regionals only. Im not sure how teams selecting works, but I think for this year they tried minimizing seniors on team B and C and focused them on younger members. Teams change though so even if a freshman didn't have enough time to study for tryouts, if they do well at invites they can get moved up.

I wish we could do that, but we are currently organizing everything for regionals (although we are going to an invitational this year for the first time). I do have a question. If team C only goes to regionals, then how can they get moved onto another team? More generally, how does your team study together? Or is it more an individual thing? We have parent coaches organize for many events, and for the events without coaches, the team captain for that event takes the responsibility. It is safe to assume that if someone doesn't go to meetings, they won't understand the event.

I would say that your reason is the reason why they choose Dynamic Planet as one of their tryout tests. From personal experience, Dynamic Planet is hard, and you have to really know the information. Having people on the team that scores well in Dynamic Planet will be very beneficial for the team. This would show that not only are they good at one of the hardest study events, but also that they are willing to study for the event, and all of their other events. Because it is a hard event, the only way to get good at it will be to study, therefore not everyone can do that event and do it well.

So they have to learn all the material for Dynamic Planet before the tryout? How much time do they have to do this?

[Name]

We have alumni write tests for basically every non build event. We tested this year in Nov but we have tested as early as Oct. We run 3 teams, with A going to every comp, B going to everything minus states and one invite, and C going to regionals only. Im not sure how teams selecting works, but I think for this year they tried minimizing seniors on team B and C and focused them on younger members. Teams change though so even if a freshman didn't have enough time to study for tryouts, if they do well at invites they can get moved up.

I wish we could do that, but we are currently organizing everything for regionals (although we are going to an invitational this year for the first time). I do have a question. If team C only goes to regionals, then how can they get moved onto another team? More generally, how does your team study together? Or is it more an individual thing? We have parent coaches organize for many events, and for the events without coaches, the team captain for that event takes the responsibility. It is safe to assume that if someone doesn't go to meetings, they won't understand the event.

I would say that your reason is the reason why they choose Dynamic Planet as one of their tryout tests. From personal experience, Dynamic Planet is hard, and you have to really know the information. Having people on the team that scores well in Dynamic Planet will be very beneficial for the team. This would show that not only are they good at one of the hardest study events, but also that they are willing to study for the event, and all of their other events. Because it is a hard event, the only way to get good at it will be to study, therefore not everyone can do that event and do it well.

So they have to learn all the material for Dynamic Planet before the tryout? How much time do they have to do this?

We go to a bunch of invites, sometimes people can't come, and people get moved up. Also we have 3 comps post-regionals so if someone on C dominates at regionals, they'll likely be moved up. It's more of a individual thing, tryouts are solo, and until a few weeks prior to the first compitition you don't know your partner (and unfortunetly your partners can change alot, especially if your not on A), so basically you mostly study by yourself/with a few friends.
We have significantly increased the number of meetings we have which provides valuable study time and a opportunity to work with your partners (assuming they come and actually try and work).
Now we just need a method to get everyone to study and get work done, but thats a problem basically every team has.

[Things2do]

If you offer to join, we'll take you. We've even waved the fee a couple of times... We have a form to fill out ranking all of the events, and then the coaches go through and assign events off of that.

[Unome]

A good source of tryouts tests for all events are Captains Summer Exchange and Captains Tryouts, although both have long since closed for this season.

[naddruf]

A good source of tryouts tests for all events are Captains Summer Exchange and Captains Tryouts, although both have long since closed for this season.

I know that these exist, but I was wondering more about the ideas behind them. If you choose the students who score highest on a general test, do you end up with upperclassmen who have studied those subjects at a higher level?