[Locke]

As someone who coached Youth Soccer for a decade, I've gone through Tryouts a ton both as a player and as an evaluator.

Tryouts suck and are largely not a great method to evaluate talent.

First of all they are usually too short to give an evaluator much real insight into players and secondly all evaluators have bias.

It was one of the reasons I kept coaching at a very high competitive level...I didnt have a kid in the game so I was largely more objective than most.

Just from the little info that you gave I can already tell the most common one is right there...whoever is coaching B wants certain players (their kid) and those players' close friends as well as kids that they know.

Rather than players who earn spots at that competitive level.

A tale as old as time.

Overall though I like what you've done with encouraging him that this is an opportunity to improve and prove that his non-selection was a mistake. Stick it to 'em.

Thats always one of my favourites. Never underestimate 'Spite.'