I have been evaluated numerous times throughout my long and storied athletic career.
It wasn't always clear what I was being evaluated on. I assume I made my high school basketball team because I did well in tryouts. But perhaps the fact that my sister also played basketball had something to do with it. Was it skill or was it social connections? Like the amount of licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop, the world may never know. It would have been helpful to have a better understanding of the evaluation process.
Other times, though, I knew what was up. I was stripped of my JV captaincy for a portion of the season because I needed an attitude adjustment after playing horribly in a game. I was demoted from Varsity because I lacked height and talent (don't worry they let me back on the following year). And I was released from my rowing contract because I could not get the necessary erg score on the 5k that I trained rather intensely for. So that ship has sailed #punintended.
Despite my lack of traditional athletic success, I continue to play sports in which my performance is measured. Probably because I like that my character is constantly under construction. In two weeks I will receive my first Ultimate Frisbee evaluation...TALK ABOUT NERVEWRACKING!!! Luckily, hustle and effort matters. That's where I really shine.
If ever the world stops turning and I find myself in charge of my own program, I will definitely evaluate both players and the program itself in a formative fashion. In determining who plays for me, I will consider skill while also taking into account work ethic, improvement, and how much I like a particular athlete. Favoritism at its finest! I will also provide individual feedback and encourage my players (even the ones I may not like as much) to come talk me outside of practices and games so that they know where they stand.
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