2026-27 Tryouts
What We Look For
Tryouts can be stressful for players and parents alike. This page explains what actually happens in the gym, what coaches are watching for, and how teams get picked, so your player knows what to expect before they walk in.
Tryouts are set for the week of October 5, 2026. Session times and gym locations will be sent to the ATB mailing list once they are set.
Start Here
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. A player who competes hard, listens, and supports teammates is doing a great deal of what we are looking for.
What a Tryout Session Looks Like
Every player gets a number
Players are assigned a number and keep the same number at every session, so coaches can track them accurately across the week.
Every player gets a full look
Coaches evaluate every player trying out, not just the standouts.
Players are evaluated across the whole week
No one is judged on a single drill or a single night. Attending every session your grade is scheduled for gives coaches the fullest picture.
The gym is closed to parents
Only volunteers are in the gym during tryouts. It keeps the focus on the players and keeps the evaluation consistent.
What Coaches Evaluate
Coaches use a shared skills framework so evaluations stay consistent from session to session and coach to coach. These are the areas it covers.
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.
How Teams Are Picked
During the week
Players are evaluated at each session they attend across the tryout week.
After the last session
Coaches finalize their roster and submit it to their Commissioner shortly after the final session for that grade.
Then
Players selected for a team get an email with a link to accept the spot, sign the season waiver, and complete registration.
ATB asks coaches to give every player a minimum of 25 percent playing 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
Tryout registration is free. The $475 season fee applies only to players who are selected for a team and accept a spot.