Five Tips for Successful Tryouts

Operating tryouts for your youth sports club can be daunting. If not planned correctly, an exciting, hope-filled day can turn into an organizational nightmare. Try these five tips to prepare for tryouts and ensure that coaches, parents, and players all have a great experience and are on the same page.

Five Tips for Successful Tryouts

Prepare in Advance

Taking the time to prepare sets your tryout event up for success before it even begins. Regularly hold planning sessions with all those involved so you can assign tasks and troubleshoot issues the day of the event. In addition to event logistics, planning sessions help to identify the type of criteria you are evaluating on. It also determines what types of players you are looking for, depending on age. For example, with older athletes, you may be evaluating heavily on ability and skill level, but for younger players you could be looking for a positive attitude and zest for the game. These planning sessions should achieve the following: 

• Confirming the date and times for tryouts 
• Volunteer availability
• Coach availability
• Scoring criteria
• Deadline for scoring and evaluating to be completed
• Acceptance dates
• When coaches will notify players who did and did not make the teams respectively

Organize Tryout Registration

Of course, there are no tryouts without hopeful participants. Organize your tryout registration to maximize the number of players joining. A tryout registration form helps your club gauge member interest so you know how many players are coming in advance and can plan accordingly. Use TeamSnap for Clubs & League’s registration solution to build your forms for measuring player interest. This app helps to start your registration season right by bringing everything under one roof. With TeamSnap, make registration the entryway to an integrated and seamless experience with rostering, communication, and overall team management—with up-to-date information in a single location.

Create a Concise Schedule 

For successful tryouts, set the schedule way ahead of time. Determine the specified events and establish the drills you will evaluate well before the day of tryouts. Create a legible copy of the schedule and distribute it among all volunteers and participants. Make sure that everyone involved in the operations of the tryout understand the event breakdown and sessions. Additionally, assign volunteers ahead of time and notify each judge who will be evaluating and on what. 

Set Clear Expectations 

It can be nerve-wracking to try out for a youth sports league. Help your participants stay calm and collected by setting specific expectations throughout the process. This includes a schedule for the day of tryouts and timelines on notification of acceptance. Communicate all relevant information (and then some) to all players’ parents to mitigate confusion and maximize fun. 

Make it Fun and a Positive Experience

Boost morale leading up to tryouts by sending encouragements to players. Additionally, remind participants that good attitudes are required, and negative talk of any kind will not be tolerated. The tryout process is stressful enough, there is no need to create more tension through poor attitudes. At the beginning of tryouts, remind players that they should be proud that they showed up. Praise all efforts and remember to thank participants at the end of the tryout session.

Do you or someone you know need help managing their sports team or club? Sign up for a free 21-day trial today. Or check out our club and league solution, TeamSnap for Clubs and Leagues if your team is part of a larger sports organization.