No. Bruce Brown taught that there is no good way to cut players — only a respectful one. The approach that made the biggest difference in his own coaching: slow tryouts down by a day or two, let your assistants run practice, and hold a brief personal conversation with every player, every day. Start with your best players so being called over carries no stigma. Ask each athlete, "Have I seen you at your best?" If the answer is no, create the chance. When a cut has to happen, deliver it face to face with honest feedback, never in the middle of practice, and thank the player for the courage it took to try out.
Why shouldn't coaches post a cut list?
Posting a list is impersonal. It hurts the kids who don't make it and can even invite mockery from students who never had the courage to try out. Bruce Brown began his career posting lists and abandoned the practice. A face-to-face conversation preserves your relationship with the player; a list ends it.
What should a coach say when cutting a player?
Start by acknowledging the courage it took to try out. Then give honest, caring feedback: where the player ranks, specific strengths and weaknesses, and what to work on in the off-season. Point to other places in your community where they can keep playing, and offer to talk with their parents.
How do you run tryouts so cuts feel fair?
Talk to every player, every day. Bruce Brown asked each athlete where they thought they stood and whether he had seen them at their best — then arranged for it, such as grouping a player with stronger teammates. Never cut a player mid-practice. Released players shook his hand and thanked him for a fair chance.
Is there an alternative to cutting players at all?
Sometimes. Coaching junior high, Bruce Brown moved to a no-cut morning program that kept 120 kids playing basketball. Varsity and JV practiced daily; everyone else trained in ability-level groups one morning a week, with games on evenings and weekends, moving up or down as they developed. The program's talent level rose significantly.
The answer above is the what — the how is Bruce Brown's full tryout-conversation process in No Good Way To Cut Players, included with membership — $180/year and free for 7 days.
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