Preparing for a Tryout with a New Club

Trying out for a new club can be very nerve-wracking when you don’t know exactly what the coaches are looking for. Yes, you know you have to show you’re ready to make their team better. The problem is, you’re not entirely sure how to do it. 

To help you prepare for your next try-out, here are a few specific characteristics coaches want to see in new recruits:

1.  Quicker Reactions

Players set themselves apart in tryouts by having a faster speed of play. When they receive the ball, they are already onto the next action – be it making a pass, taking a shot, or dribbling into space. They aren’t afraid of making a mistake as they will recover quickly and fight to win the ball back if they lose it. 

The truth is, a coach would rather see you react quickly and potentially make a mistake than see you react slowly, because that’s already a mistake in itself. When you take your time to decide what to do, you give the other team more time to catch up and offset your momentum. 

Reacting quickly ultimately shows that you’re not afraid to make mistakes, and this is a key component of a high-level player. 

2.  Constant Movement  

High-level players don’t stand around when they’re off the ball. They’re constantly moving around and changing their position on the field to either create a chance on goal or prevent the other team from getting one. They’re simply making a decision as to where the ball will most likely end up and how they can help the team win.

Coaches don’t want to see you standing still. They want to see you watching what’s going on, predicting what will happen next (to the best of your ability), and acting on it. 

3.  Positive Body Language

Coaches will be looking at your body language, mainly for two things: First, they want to see that you’re pushing yourself, because this shows that you care, and you’re ready for the physical demands of high-level competition. 

Second, they want to see positive body language and communication. This shows that you genuinely enjoy what you’re doing, and it’s also conducive to the team’s success. Getting upset after making a mistake doesn’t help the team. Coaches want to see players who clap for their teammates and commend their efforts, even when something goes wrong. 

4.  Professional Behavior Off the Field

First impressions are huge for try outs. So, when you get to the try out, walk up to the coach and introduce yourself like a true professional with a nice firm handshake. 

Next, what are you doing before the scrimmage starts? Your desired coach is building their first impression of you, so make sure to do a solid warm up: juggle, stretch, pass the ball back and forth with someone else trying out. After all, if you really want to win, you’d be priming your body and mind for a standout performance. 

At Beyond Goals Mentoring, we know how intimidating it can be to try out for a new club. That’s why we’re dedicated to helping young athletes develop the mental tools to thrive in high-pressure situations. Over the course of our careers, we’ve seen many young players who possessed the physical requirements for high-level soccer, but the mental requirements - like the ability to overcome adversity – were always few and far between. 

So, if you want to ace your next try out and advance to a new level of competition, let’s set up a mentoring session today.