For high school students, school sports are a great way to stay in shape, have some fun, and compete with others. Whether you move on to the collegiate level or just play in high school for fun, you will have to get passed the first step to even get on the team: tryouts. Most freshmen teams in high school will take everyone who tries out, but junior varsity and varsity involve some talent to make the team. To get on the team, you need to succeed during tryouts, so here are some tips for making the team!
Stick out as both a team player and a star player.
The best athletes can blend in with and support the team but also shine on their own when necessary. In high school, coaches are bound to recognize that kind of skill and maturity in a player, so you will find yourself on the team if you display such traits. No sport can be won without a team effort when teams are involved, but a star player is also required from time to time. It doesn’t matter if you are playing soccer, football, baseball, or something else. On the other hand, you can be a star in something like track or cross country.
Go to every tryout meeting and any extra but optional meetings.
Obviously, the coaches won’t be getting a look at your abilities if you don’t show up for tryout meetings. Do your best to not miss them because some coaches will give up on kids that they think can’t show up for all meetings and games. Also, attending optional games is a great idea. The more exposure you get with the coaches, the more you will be in their mind as a potential maker of the team. With that in mind, you need to do everything in your power to secure a spot on the team, so start by showing up!
Try out for your best position, even if it’s not the actual one you want to play.
For sports that have multiple positions, you need to try out for the best position you can play, even if you don’t want to play that position. It’s much easier to make the team for a position that you play strong and then switch to your preferred spot later. Conversely, only attempting the position you want can backfire if someone else is much better than you are. Therefore, you need to always go for the position you play best to avoid not making the team.
Talk with the coaches after practice if possible.
Converse with your coaches whenever you can without seeming too pushy or flattering. On that note, you should definitely talk to the coaches if you have something to say. They can get to know you better, and you can increase the likelihood that they will keep you in the back of their minds during tryouts. Coaches like potential players that are confident enough to bring up concerns and comments to the coaches. Still, you can’t talk to coaches so much that you start to annoy them.
Compete for a vital role on the team, even if you might not get it.
To get yourself noticed even more at tryouts, you should compete for one of the more vital roles on the team. If you can stay in contention for that spot after the first round of cuts, then your coaches will definitely start to admire your skills. Competing well for a high position is a great way to get noticed during tryouts and remembered too. In the end, you might not get the position, but your effort will be well-worth it.
Trying Out at Tryouts
It isn’t too difficult to get through tryouts for high school sports if you have some skill at that particular game. Otherwise, you might find yourself on the list of cuts if you lack said skills. Either way, you can’t make a high school team without trying out. It might seem pointless to some people, but everybody has to earn their place on the team – no matter the sport.
For more information, visit High School Sports.
