Tryouts
How Tryouts Work
ATB tryouts are held each fall for Arlington players in grades 5 through 8. Players entering 4th grade may try out for a 5th grade team. Here's what to expect, from registering to accepting a spot.
Tryouts are held over three weeknights in early October. Dates, gyms and times are posted on the Tryouts page and sent to the ATB mailing list.
What's Required
Register before tryouts
Registration is free and online. Players must attend at least two tryouts, so registration closes before the second night.
Attend at least two tryouts
Coaches evaluate players across the whole week. A player has to attend at least two sessions to be considered for a team.
Injured players still check in
Injured players still need to come. Check in at least two nights, even if a doctor says they can't play, so the coaches know they're trying out, and let your commissioner know about the injury beforehand.
ATB is the primary sport, December through March
Families commit to ATB as their player's primary sport from December 1 through the March playoffs. Other sports are welcome; please share any known conflicts at registration so coaches can plan.
Tryout Nights
Every player gets a full look
Coaches evaluate every player trying out across the whole week, not just the standouts. No one is judged on a single drill or a single night.
Check-in
Volunteers check players in at the door. Each player gets a pinny number and keeps the same number every night, so please bring it back.
The gym is closed to parents
Only players, coaches, evaluators and volunteers are in the gym. It keeps the focus on the players.
Callbacks
If coaches need another look, Thursday callbacks are by invitation. Not being invited to a callback doesn't mean anything either way.
What to Bring
- Sneakers and water.
- A basketball: size 6 for girls and 5th/6th grade boys, size 7 for 7th/8th grade boys.
- No ATB, travel or AAU clothing, so every player starts on an even footing.
What Coaches Look For
ATB is built on teaching the game the right way. Coaches are evaluating basketball skill, but they are also evaluating effort, attitude, and how a player responds to coaching, because those are the foundation of improvement. Coaches use a shared skills framework so evaluations stay consistent from session to session and coach to coach.
Ball Skills
Ball handling, passing, finishing at the rim, shooting
Can the player control the ball with either hand, make a good pass on time, finish around the basket, and shoot with repeatable form? At the travel level coaches are looking for control and sound mechanics under some pressure, not highlight moves.
Defense
On-ball defense, team defense, defensive decision making
Can the player stay in a stance, move their feet, and keep the ball in front of them? Away from the ball, do they see both their man and the ball, help teammates, and communicate? Defense is where effort shows up most clearly.
Reading the Game
Team offense, offensive decision making, basketball IQ
Does the player move with purpose without the ball, space the floor, and make the simple right play? Coaches watch for players who know when to pass, when to drive, and when to slow down, and who do not need to be told twice.
Rebounding and Athleticism
Rebounding, athleticism
Does the player pursue the ball, find a body to box out, and compete for possessions on both ends? Speed and strength matter, but so do balance, coordination, and the willingness to go get it.
Effort and Coachability
Mental skills
How does the player respond to instruction and to mistakes? Coaches notice who listens, who competes when the drill is hard, who supports teammates, and who keeps their body language positive after a turnover or a missed shot. This carries real weight.
After Tryouts
Coaches pick their teams
Each head coach finalizes a roster with the commissioner after the last session for their grade. Grades with more than one team field A, B and C teams.
Offers by email
Players selected for a team get an email with a link to accept the spot and sign the season waiver. Please respond by the deadline in the email so the spot isn't offered to another player. The $475 season fee applies only to players who accept a spot.
Practice players
Some teams invite a player or two to practice with the team. Practice players aren't on the league roster, so they don't play in FCYBL league games. The coach reaches out to those families directly.
The season
Practices start in October. FCYBL league games run December through March, and every player gets at least 25 percent of game time across the season.
Questions Parents Ask
Does my player need to be tall?
No. Size can help in certain roles, but every area above is about skill, effort, and decision making. Players of all sizes make ATB teams every year.
Does it help if a coach already knows my player?
Every tryout starts with a clean slate. Players at this age develop at very different speeds, so what a player did last season, or who has coached them before, is not what coaches are evaluating. What happens in the gym that week is.
What if my player has one bad night?
Coaches evaluate across every session, which is exactly why one rough drill or one off night does not decide anything. It is also why attending all of your scheduled sessions matters.
Is my player competing against every grade?
No. Players are evaluated against the others trying out for the same team, not across the whole gym.
Ready for Tryouts
Find this season's schedule and registration on the Tryouts page, or join the mailing list to get tryout dates as soon as they're set.