Volleyball Tryout Evaluation Form and Plan

The evaluation form

The form above prints one row per player with columns for:

• Number, name and position. Give each player a number to wear; it is faster than names.
• Skills, each rated 1 to 5. Pick from serve, pass, set, attack, block, defense, attitude and coachability, or add up to three of your own (footwork, serve receive, communication).
• Total and notes. The notes column is where tryouts are really decided: “great passer, quiet”, “strong arm, needs approach work”.

Use the same scale for every evaluator. A simple key that works:

• 1: beginning, misses most reps.
• 3: solid, does it right most of the time.
• 5: excellent, would start on this team today.

Print one form per evaluator, then add up the totals together. A free blank form for 30 players is in the downloads above.

What to evaluate at a volleyball tryout

Skills (most of the score):

1. Serve. Consistency first, then toughness. Count serves in out of ten.
2. Pass. Grade serve receive passes 0-3 to target; average them.
3. Set. Hands, footwork to the ball, location.
4. Attack. Approach, arm swing, hitting off bad sets.
5. Block. Footwork along the net, hands over, timing.
6. Defense. Reading, digging, pursuing every ball.

Intangibles (the tiebreakers):

7. Attitude. Effort, body language after mistakes, encouraging teammates.
8. Coachability. Does she change after a correction?

Match your positions to your system: a 5-1 needs one strong setter, a 6-2 needs two. The volleyball positions guide lists the key skills for each role.

What to look for by position

• Setters: footwork to the ball first, then hands. Can she set a hittable ball from a bad pass? Does she talk?
• Outside hitters: passing under pressure and hitting off imperfect sets.
• Middles: quick feet along the net, timing on the quick set, blocking hands that press over.
• Opposites: blocking the other team’s outside, attacking from the right, a backup set.
• Liberos and DS: the best passing scores, reading the hitter, fearless pursuit of every ball.

A sample 2-hour volleyball tryout plan

Keep groups small so every player gets reps, and move “second look” players into the scrimmage you can watch best.

Volleyball tryout drills (short)

• Pass and move. Coach serves to a group of three; each pass is graded 0-3 out loud.
• Serve ladder. Ten serves; count how many land in each half of the court.
• Setter target. Setters set from bad passes to a target; grade location.
• Hitting lines. Left side then right side, off the coach’s toss and off a live set.
• Queen of the court. Three on three, winners stay: great for effort and competitiveness.
• Scrimmage with rotations. Shows who understands where to stand. Hand out a printed rotation sheet from the volleyball rotation generator first.

Volleyball tryout tips for players

1. Serve in. A reliable serve gets you noticed more than a big one you miss.
2. Talk. Call the ball, cheer teammates. Coaches listen.
3. Hustle. Chase every ball and jog between drills.
4. Show you are coachable. When a coach gives a correction, try it right away.
5. Be ready for any position. Many players make a team at a position they did not expect.

How to run a fair tryout

Parents and players remember how a tryout felt long after they forget the drills. A fair process protects you and the players:

• Publish the plan. Tell families the dates, what to bring, how many players you expect to keep and how you will share results.
• Same reps for everyone. Rotate groups on a timer, so no player gets fewer serves or passes.
• Several evaluators, one form. Two to four coaches with the same 1-5 key. Do not discuss scores until the end of each day.
• Numbers, not names. Graded by number, players are judged on what they do today.
• Write notes, not just numbers. A total of 28 means little without “great reads on defense”.
• Plan the hard talks. Give every cut player one strength and one thing to work on, ideally in person.

Using the scores

1. Add each player’s skill scores to a total, then average the totals across evaluators.
2. Sort by total, but read the notes for the players near your cut line.
3. Check your positions: a team needs setters, passers and middles, not just the 12 highest totals.
4. Look at intangibles last, as a tiebreaker. A coachable 26 often becomes better than a 30 by midseason.
5. Keep the forms. They show each player’s starting point and make next year’s tryout faster.

Tryouts for youth teams

For 10U to 12U, keep tryouts short (60 to 90 minutes) and fun. Weight serving and passing most, because they decide most youth rallies. Grade attitude and coachability more heavily than at older ages, since skills change fast at this level. USA Volleyball allows smaller courts and lower nets for young age groups, so ask your club which setup the tryout uses.

After the tryout

Add up the forms, compare totals with the other evaluators, and look at the notes for close calls. Then build your lineup: the volleyball lineup sheet page fills your first official lineup from the team you choose, and the rotation generator turns your new roster into rotations for the first practice. Give every player, including those who were cut, one specific thing to work on.