Five powerful tryout lessons learned from coaching
The forecast says it’s going to be 60º with rain but it may drop to 30º with snow. The days are getting longer and the nights are getting shorter. Winter sports are wrapping up and fields are getting lined. This only means one thing—spring sports are upon us and tryouts are set to begin. For years March 1st has basically been a holiday to me and my family, and this year is no different. While COVID restrictions are still impacting sports in a big way, March 1st is still the date athletes begin to lace up their cleats and step onto a field, diamond, or track. In an effort to help you prepare, I wanted to share a few lessons I’ve learned over the years from being a coach during tryouts.
1. BE A “TRY HARD”! There is not one coach that will cut you for working too hard. It’s ok to make mistakes, but make them full speed, keep your head up, and keep working! I hate, absolutely despise when I hear people laughing at other athletes, calling them a “try hard”— in an effort to take a dig or insult them. Go into tryouts with the mentality that you will outwork every.single.player. on every field in the world. Go out being the hardest player you can be.
2. Don’t quit. The first week is “hell week”—only way to describe it. When in season, most teams get their game-like conditioning during drills, but the first week is primarily focused on conditioning with the idea that the weak-willed players will quit—only the strong will survive! Me personally, I don’t care how good you are, if you give up during conditioning in the first week, how can I rely on you down the stretch when the game is on the line?
3. Don’t be that guy. Every team has at least one very good player who is lazy in practice. They are slow to get dressed, they walk through drills, and they think they can skirt by with minimal effort. Great teams have less of these players than good teams, but most teams have at least one. Do not follow their lead! If you are one of these players—be an example to the younger players and motivate them to get better by improving your own game. If you are the new player on the team, it’s important to remember that everyone has to try out. It doesn’t matter who you are friends with, or if you made the team the year before. Every year is a fresh start, a clean slate—every player is treated as if they are the “new player”. Trying to take advantage of your prior status, or trying to look cool doesn’t help solidify your place on the team, or make you valued by your peers.
4. Trust your coach. Trust the process. Some coaches have tactics you may not understand when they are first presented. You can’t see why you’re doing something until it all comes together later in the season. Trusting your coach and the process from start to finish is what helps bring everything together—it’s a critical element to having a successful season. Do your part. Believe that it will all come together in the end.
5. Lead by example. During preseason or tryouts, it’s not just the coaches that you are winning over—it’s your teammates as well. Every great team has great leaders who do what they expect others to do. Michael Jordan is notorious for being extremely hard on his teammates, but he makes it clear that he does not ask anyone to do anything he wouldn’t do or hasn’t already done. There is not just one leader on a team. You might not be a captain, but people are always watching you. If you go full tilt, others will match your intensity. It might not happen overnight, but eventually it will happen. Practicing with intensity at full speed is how a good team becomes a great team.
In case it’s not obvious, all five of these things have to do with attitude and effort. Skill-work should have been completed in the off-season and at the end of the day, skills only take you so far. Attitude and effort really is everything. How you carry yourself on the field, how you react to a mistake, how you influence and lead others are equally, if not more, important than how well you play. Outwork every single player on the field, show that you have a great attitude, show that you’re coachable, and prove that you can influence others in a positive way. Making all of these things a priority will significantly improve your odds of making the team. I have no doubt I will be seeing each of your names mentioned by the media after the hard work you put in to prepare for this season. Best of luck to everyone!
- Coach Tom