EVALUATION CRITERIA:  The evaluation of a player is complex, dynamic, and fluid.  It is important that the WSA Coach is trained to view the player through the lens of a long-range development model.  Thus, it is not simply “where is the player at currently” but “what is the player’s capacity”.  The skill in which this evaluation is performed and executed requires precise study and intense thoughtfulness by the coach/scout/evaluator. 

Further, the evaluator is charged with making a decision not just on “what helps my team” but moreover what is the “best fit” for the player.  To do this the coach must consider the player’s likely developmental timeline, the key dimensions of the player, the age, the relative age of the player’s ability, and integrate that into the same for the player’s potential team.  This effort towards determining a "best fit" becomes fluid since the coach is often managing several unknowns including who has committed, will likely commit and might not commit to the team. 

It is important that parents and players empathize with the evaluation being complex, dynamic, and fluid.  A common trap in misunderstanding to think of the evaluation as "binary" (either/or).  Reducing an evaluation of "best fit" to an "either/or" decision does not benefit the player. 

TRANSCENDING THE 4 DIMENSIONS OF THE PLAYER:  TECHNICAL, TACTICAL, PHYSICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL

The player is often understood to be comprised of 4 dimensions.  However, inside WSA we have produced a common game model that is shared as the lens in how the player will develop, how the teacher and curriculum will be applied, and how a team will be formed and driven towards achievement.  The WSA game model requires the coach to consider more than the 4 dimensions of the player.  This means player personality traits such as teammateship, attitude, selflessness, nurturing, community-oriented, personal character, work ethos, resiliency, adaptability, and determination are all considered.

The WSA Game Model currently includes a training curriculum based on Tactical Periodization for 13U thru 19U/Semipro (since 2015), which means these player dimensions are not equal, but assumes that tactical dimension is the overarching dimension of the game. 

The 4 dimensions are defined simply as:

Technical: Skill and mechanics of execution of skill
Tactical: Cognitive understanding of game strategies
Physical: Components related to strength, leaping, speed, quickness, fitness
Psychological: Mental processing and emotional maturity

Players will be evaluated in all of these areas, with the inclusion of the player’s personality.  Players will be evaluated from a growth mindset and developmental perspective with an aim at understanding the player’s current functional level, relative to age, and team’s current functional level relative to the team’s age. 

EVALUATING PARENT IMPACT ON TEAM CULTURE

In addition, for all WSA Youth teams in which parent involvement is necessary and mission critical for support, transportation, communication and various elements of being an ADVOCATE on behalf of the athlete, the parent's history of behavior and support must be considered.  The WSA coach has a responsibility to consider parent behavior, attitude, and actions and the consequence to overall team culture.   Once conjoined to a team the coach accepts responsibility for leading and managing parents in addition to leading athletes.

WSA recognizes that within The WSA Way Game model that a coach has an opportunity to directly impact the athlete and an opportunity to influence the parent.  In light of this understanding, the Athlete's behavior and conduct is viewed as more transformable, moldable, and changeable.  Whereas the coach must consider that parent's attitudes, perspectives, and conduct can be influenced, with limited impact on transformative change. 

Parents who demonstrate a history of dissension, gossip, behavior unbecoming of the WSA Way, disrespect, aggression, negative narrative, or role modeling of behavior and conduct counter culture to The WSA Way, may be considered liabilities to team culture, and can be consequential to coach's decisions regarding team selection.