Depending on your coaching situation, you may need to run a "tryout/team selection process.” The procedures listed below are just an example of a simple seven-station format to help the basketball coach in the process of reducing the total number of players to a more manageable number for the season. 

The skills and tasks are designed to highlight aspects of the game of basketball and can be used to give a coach a reference to work from when composing his/her team. It also provides an informal assessment tool to use when you are asked to justify who made your team and who did not. This seems to be a common scenario in team sports these days. 

Listed below are some examples of player assessment items that can be used as a part of a tryout/team selection process. It may be helpful to recruit some responsible upperclassmen to assist you in running a particular station and recording the scores at their designated stations. (Consideration should also be given to holding a scrimmage as the final assessment piece to any tryout process) 

1. Jump and Reach - (equipment) stand and reach tape measure 

• 3 trials/jump attempts per player 1 step approach 
• player jumps and touches tape 
• to obtain vertical jump distance (subtract standing reach mark,   
• i.e., the actual players arm extended up the tape measure) from the actual jump measurement recorded = vertical jumping distance 

2. Control Dribble - right hand, left hand, crossover, through chair or cone. Obstacles, 5 chairs, 15 feet apart - record total time down and back for the skill. 

3. Agility - Bench jumping, plyometric-type jumps for time – Box Jumps, Slides using the center court jump circle time timed for the number of slides across the circle for 30 seconds using correct "defensive " technique. 

4.  Arm shoulder strength –  

• 50-pound bench press - 30 seconds 
• wall passing - 30 seconds right hand and left hand from a distance of 4 feet from the wall  
• baseball pass - from behind the base line.  ½ court = 1 point, 3/4 court =2 points, full court = 3points 

5. Shooting – 

• across the lane (low block to low block)     1 minute       
• across the lane to second hash mark (using backboard)     1 minute 
• right hand layup - no dribble (right hand)     1 minute 
• left hand layup - no dribble (left hand)      1 minute 
• cross out drill - (layups from opposite foul line elbow)     1 minute 
• Mikan drill (layup)     1 minute 
• shot from foul line extended      1 minute 
• 3 point shot     1 minute 
• 1 minute full court layups     1 minute 
• jumpshot, run touch foul line, retrieve ball then shoot from the spot you retrieve it from.     1 minute 

6. Ball handling – 

• 2 bounce, figure 8 through legs      1 minute 
• figure 8 through legs without dribble     1 minute 
• hand exchange(spider drill)     1 minute 

7. Speed - forward - backward running with and without the ball End line to End line 

Scoring - The player's scores are then ranked based on where their athlete scored among their teammates 

• Players 1- 5 = 5 points 
• Players 6-10 = 3 points 
•  Players 11-15 = 2 points 
• Players 16-20 = 1 point 

The players with the top 15 scores in the 7 categories and the addition of scrimmage assessment will make the team. 

Special Note: The Tryout/Assessment scores do not guarantee a starting five position on the team. These score are only used to determine who makes the team.