Basketball Tryout Evaluation Form (Free Printable)

If you are a volunteer or school coach running youth or high school basketball tryouts, this post gives you a free basketball tryout evaluation form to print today, plus a plain plan for using it. The short version: score each player 1 to 5 on seven skills, use numbered pinnies instead of names, have at least two people score, and average the results. Then tell every family the outcome privately and soon.

The Printable Basketball Tryout Evaluation Form

Print one sheet per player for each evaluator. Circle a score on each row and add a short note when something stands out. Keep notes to things a player can work on, such as “keeps head up while dribbling,” not “too short.”

Player number: ______ Session: ______ Evaluator initials: ______ Date: ______

Total (out of 35): ______ One strength: ____________ One thing to work on: ____________

A 2 sits between “just starting” and “solid.” A 4 sits between “solid” and “stands out.” Agree on these descriptions as a staff before the first session, so a 3 means the same thing to everyone holding a clipboard.

Before Tryouts: Remove the Surprises

1. Share the form ahead of time. An NFHS High School Today article on coaching rubrics recommends sharing rubrics in advance, at a preseason meeting or on the team website.
2. Say how many spots there are, or say that it depends on turnout.
3. Set the date for results and how families will hear. Then keep that promise.

Use numbered pinnies, not names

Give each player a numbered pinnie at check-in. Evaluators score the number. A check-in volunteer keeps the only list matching numbers to names until scoring is done. Coaches will still recognize some kids, but it keeps the focus on what each evaluator sees that day.

How to Run Tryout Stations

The NFHS rubrics article suggests staggering groups and assessing a small group while others play live-ball activities. Stations do exactly that. The times below are an example, not a rule.

Run the same stations in the same order every session so each group gets the same chance. To score coachability, give a one-sentence correction and watch the next rep.

Use Two or More Evaluators and Average the Scores

Two or three people scoring on their own, then averaging, is harder to argue with than one opinion.

• Score alone. No comparing sheets until the session ends.
• Look for gaps. If two evaluators are three or more points apart on a skill, talk it through before you lock it in.
• Do not score your own child. Let other evaluators handle that number.

Worked example: Player 14 gets totals of 24, 26 and 25 from three evaluators, an average of 25 out of 35. Player 22 gets 27, 20 and 26, an average of about 24.3. The averages are close, but the 20 is a flag. Ask that evaluator what they saw before ranking the two.

What to do with ties

Pick your tiebreaker before tryouts, not in the parking lot:

1. Compare effort and coachability scores first.
2. Then look at what the roster needs, such as a ball handler or a rebounder.
3. Still tied? Bring both players back for one more small-sided game with a fresh evaluator.

Write down which tiebreaker you used.

Telling Families the Results

How you share results matters as much as the scores. The University of Alberta and University of Saskatchewan researchers interviewed 52 cut athletes and their parents and surveyed 1,667 coaches and athletic directors. They found cuts can hurt friendships, identity and self-esteem, and that many cut players never try out again. Four things helped: tell players quickly, tell them privately, encourage them to keep improving, and explain expectations before tryouts.

• Do not post a list on a gym door or in a group chat.
• Talk one-on-one or call the family before any team announcement. A personal email works when a call is not possible.
• Give one strength and one or two skills to work on, straight from the form. The researchers found players given no reason, or a reason they could not change, such as height, tended to assume they would fail again.
• Offer a next step, like a rec league or clinic.
• Be quick. The NFHS rubrics article says cuts and placements must be made within one or two weeks. Shorter is kinder.

What a Form Can and Cannot Do

A form makes your process clearer and easier to explain. It does not make cuts painless. A kid who loves the game will still be sad, and that does not mean you did it wrong.

Age matters too. For younger kids, place instead of cut. The USA Basketball and NBA youth guidelines call for equal playing time for ages 7 to 8, and for the first three periods for ages 9 to 11, with a focus on fundamentals and building skills. At those ages, use the form to build balanced teams and give feedback. Save true cuts for programs with limited roster spots, such as travel, middle school or high school teams. See the Huddle’s guide to a fair playing time system.

Keep Records After Tryouts

The NFHS rubrics article notes that clear criteria and written scores help show decisions were objective. So keep them.

• Staple each player’s sheets together and record the averaged scores in one place.
• Store sheets securely. They are about minors, so limit who sees them.
• Keep them at least through the season, or longer if your school or league requires it.

Common Questions

What should a basketball tryout evaluation form include?

A good form lists the skills you will score, a number scale with plain descriptions of each level, the player’s number, the evaluator’s initials, and space for one strength and one skill to work on. Ball handling, shooting form, passing, defense and footwork, rebounding, court awareness, and effort and coachability cover most of what coaches need to see.

Is a 1 to 5 scale better than 1 to 10 for tryouts?

For most volunteer and school staffs, yes. Evaluators can tell a 2 from a 4 quickly, while the gap between a 6 and a 7 is hard to agree on. An NFHS article on coaching rubrics notes that rubrics commonly use a 1 to 4 or 1 to 5 scale. Whatever scale you pick, write down what each level means.

How many coaches should evaluate at basketball tryouts?

Two is the minimum and three is better. Each person scores on their own, and you average the totals. More eyes make it harder for one person’s view, good or bad, to decide a spot. If a coach’s own child is trying out, another evaluator should score that player.

Why use numbers instead of names at tryouts?

Numbered pinnies help evaluators score what they see that day instead of a last name, an older sibling or last year’s team. Keep the list matching numbers to names with a check-in volunteer until scoring is done. It will not remove every bias, since coaches still recognize kids, but it helps.

How should I tell a kid they didn’t make the team?

Tell them privately, as soon as you can, in person or by phone if possible. Name one thing they do well and one or two skills to work on from their form, then point to a next step like a rec league or clinic. Avoid public lists and avoid reasons they cannot change, such as height.

Should 8 year olds have basketball tryouts with cuts?

Generally, no. The USA Basketball and NBA youth guidelines call for equal playing time for players ages 7 to 8, with a focus on learning fundamentals. At that age, use evaluations to place kids on balanced teams and to give feedback, not to cut them. Check your own league’s rules as well.

What do I do if two players tie on tryout scores?

Use a tiebreaker you chose before tryouts. Many coaches compare effort and coachability first, then look at what the roster needs, such as a guard or a rebounder. If it is still close, bring both players back for one more small-sided game with a fresh evaluator, and write down what you decided.

Should I share tryout scores with parents?

Share each child’s own scores and feedback, not a ranking against other kids. Saying “here is where your child scored and what to work on” helps a family. Saying where their child ranked against teammates usually starts more arguments than it settles. Have a second coach present if a talk might get tense.

Paper and a clipboard work fine for tryouts. If you would rather keep 1 to 5 ratings, level descriptions and next steps for each player in one place, see how skill checks and coach notes work in MCM360 Sports. For younger age groups where you place instead of cut, the team builder can split registered players into balanced teams.