How to make yourself stand out at tryouts

As winter sports start to approach playoff time, spring sports will be here before we know it! For all those finishing up the last couple of weeks of your season, good luck! But for those not participating in a winter sport, it’s time to start thinking about spring sports tryouts and the start of your season!  Nebraska High Schools offer a variety of spring sports, including: soccer, baseball, track & field, girls tennis, and boys golf. These tryouts can be stressful, especially for young athletes. Oftentimes during tryouts, athletes tend to  “think too much”, rather than just going out and playing like usual. To help prevent some of the stresses tryouts can cause, we have piled together some suggestions on ways to stand to coaches and have a successful start to your season!   Be prepared A lot of the time coaches request athletes to do something prior to tryouts, such as getting a physical. It’s important that you are prepared and don’t forget to bring any forms on the first day of tryouts. Coaches may also ask you to wear certain apparel, and meet at a certain time and place. Showing up late or at the wrong place will not make a great first impression to any coach. It’s smart to make sure you arrive early!  Also, it’s important that you are readying yourself athletically and practicing your skills before the tryout. It will be hard if you show up to a baseball tryout without swinging a bat or throwing a ball months prior. There are many sport specific training programs that will enhance an athlete’s performance and prepare them for tryouts.    Pay attention  One of the most important things you need to do during tryouts, as well as practice and games is to always pay close attention to your coaches. When a coach is talking, make sure you are giving good eye contact. Doing this shows coaches that you care, and are willing to learn.    Always hustle Another way to make yourself stand out to coaches is by always hustling. Jogging from station to station looks much better to coaches than walking. Also, helping coaches pick up cones, or other equipment after drills will show them that you are willing to help the team in any way possible.    Be a good teammate There’s something about a positive athlete that really stands out to coaches. During tryouts, you are competing against others to make the team. However, that shouldn’t stop you from encouraging the others. Showing other athletes some love after they make a good play will stand out to coaches, and show them that you are a great teammate.     Ask questions If you are confused about something or want a further explanation of what the coaches are asking of you, do not hesitate to speak up and ask! Coaches will view this as you caring and being proactive rather than just going through the motions and messing up the drill.    Be confident The most important thing to remember during tryouts is to always stay confident. Mistakes happen from time to time, but don’t dwell on your mistakes! Your attitude will speak volumes to coaches, and coaches will monitor how you react to adverse situations. Always remember to have fun, stay confident, and just play the game!   Sports tryouts can be a bit nerve racking, but they don’t need to be! Preparing yourself mentally and physically, giving good eye contact to coaches, hustling whenever possible, being a positive teammate, asking questions and playing with confidence are all things coaches will be looking for other than athleticism and skill. Use these strategies to make the best first impression to your coaches.  At Warren Academy, we offer sport specific training programs to help athletes prepare for their upcoming season. This program focuses on the fundamentals and techniques of whichever sport you are looking to improve in. To learn more about our sport specific training programs or to sign up for a session, visit our website today!