When students try out for a sport with limited roster spots, they need to accept the possibility that  they’ll be cut. They risk being told that they’re not good enough. Cut day is undoubtedly stressful on the prospective player.

Once someone is cut, they are cut. Unless there is a spot that opens up, the decision is final. It could be a sport someone loves and has even excelled at before. For these athletes, there is no season. “ I was putting all my effort into it, all of my heart and soul into the tryouts,” senior Anthony Grigsby shared. Grigsby’s passion for basketball was shut down his sophomore year, but this year he was feeling confident. But as knee issues appeared during tryouts, Grigsby again missed the mark. Despite failure, Grigsby is going to keep working hard at it, and he is thinking about trying out in college.

The process is a tough one for coaches as well.

“Making cuts is one of the toughest parts of the job,” varsity basketball coach Mr. Bill Heisler explained. “Nobody likes to tell someone they are not going to make it.  However, it is a part of the job, and I have found that complete honesty is the best policy.”

Heisler wants to avoid any confusion about his decision. “I meet with each player individually and tell them face to face why I am making the decision I am making,” he said.

And that decision isn’t always talent alone. “There are several factors that go into our decision making process as a staff,”  Heisler said, explaining that he wants to be able to trust his player physically and academically. The dedication you put into it is also a factor, such as the camps and the offseason. The players need to be coachable and be able to keep up with the skill level others bring to the game.

“There are many reasons that we may have to cut a player, but I feel it is best practice to sit face to face and tell them why we made the decision, answer any questions, and try to leave on good terms, but we do not reverse the decision.  The truth is not always the easiest method, but I think it is the best.”