Surviving High School Soccer Tryouts: A Guide For Newbies

Surviving High School Soccer Tryouts: A Survival Guide for the Newbies

So, you’ve decided to dive into high school soccer, and it's crunch time to pump yourself up for tryouts. Congratulations! You’re about to embark on a week-long journey that will test your stamina, your skill, and your ability to put yourself in an uncomfortable situation. You've possibly been attending "captains' practices" periodically throughout the past month, but let's be honest, those are a bit more relaxed and involve scrimmaging for an hour. It's time for the real deal. If you were to ask the juniors and seniors, you'll notice they don't carry the same stress over tryouts that they once did, as their focus has now gone onto trying to get recruited to play in college. The important thing to recognize here is, the stress is relative! This is new territory for you, but not something you can't navigate. With some simple tools and reminders, we're here to tell you that you'll be JUST FINE! To help you navigate this high-stakes rite of passage, we’ve put together a humorous guide to surviving high school soccer tryouts. Spoiler alert: It involves sore legs and a good attitude. 

1. Embrace the Pre-Tryout Ritual

Every soccer player has their pre-tryout ritual. It might involve a special meal, wearing your lucky socks, or chanting motivational slogans in front of the mirror while flexing (jk, kinda). Whether you’re full volume listening to your favorite song or doing a “serious” pep talk with your dog, make sure it’s something that will pump you up and get you in the zone—just do us a favor and don't skip breakfast. Trust us, on this.

2. The “I’m Totally Ready” Face

As you walk onto the field, adopt the “I’m Totally Ready” face. This is the expression you’ll wear while internally questioning every life choice you’ve made leading up to this moment. Seriously though, carry yourself with confidence. You deserve to be there and you CAN do this. The way you carry yourself is contagious to the rest of your body...if your mind believes it, the rest of you will follow. So look confident, even if you’re secretly wondering if you remembered to wear matching socks. Bonus points if you can maintain this expression while tripping over the ball.

3. Introduce Yourself to Coach

Make this part of your warm-up on the first day. The whole point of a tryout is to try and become memorable to the coach (hopefully for something good and not getting megged, WHOOPS). Go introduce yourself and shake their hand; it can be as simple as that. Then win them over with your attitude, work ethic, focus and desire to become better

4. Don't Sweat The Mistakes

Tryouts will have a variety of drills; some you are great at, and others you aren't so great at. That's OK!  There will be drills that looks deceptively simple but are designed to get you exhausted. And then there will be drills that make you showcase your ball control while everyone watches (EEEEEKKKK). If you’ve ever dreamed of performing a one-person comedy routine involving soccer balls and flailing limbs, this is your moment. You're going to make mistakes during tryouts! But the point is, everyone is in the same boat and you're not alone. If you do mess up, no biggie; just win the ball back or don't let it shake your confidence. 

5. The Coach’s Eye

The coach’s watchful gaze can be intimidating, but let’s face it: coaches are people too. They were once in your cleats, running drills that made them question their life choices. So, give it your all, show enthusiasm, and maybe toss in a smile. Coaches appreciate effort and a good attitude—even if you accidentally pass the ball to the wrong team. Oops!

6. The Post-Tryout Reflections

After the tryouts, you’ll probably gather with friends to discuss the day’s events or vent in out in the car with your parent on the drive home. This is the time for exaggerated retellings of your heroic (or hilariously disastrous) moments. Did you accidentally score an own goal? Perfect! That’s a story for the ages. Remember, the best tryout stories are the ones that make you laugh later. Get all the frustrations and mishaps from day 1 out, because tomorrow is a new day and a fresh start! And if you had a great first day of tryouts, keep that momentum going!

7. The Waiting Game

As you wait for the results, occupy yourself with activities that don’t involve checking your phone every five seconds. Go for a walk, hang with friends, or binge-watch a soccer movie. The waiting period is your time to relax and remind yourself that tryouts are just one part of your soccer journey. You did the hard thing which was putting yourself out there and trying out for a team.

Final Thoughts

Whether you make the team you wanted to or not, you’ll have gained valuable experience by putting yourself in an uncomfortable position. Be proud of yourself no matter the final decision. Remember, one coach's opinion of you does not define you as a player. You can make a positive impact no matter where you are, whether that's on varsity, on jv, on the bench, as a manager, or someone who took a risk and tried out for a new sport.

Good luck—you’ve got this!