What tryouts actually test
Here’s the honest part first. Most of what a coach sees at tryouts was built months ago. A week of extra drills won’t turn a 60% shooter into an 80% shooter. If your skills are behind, this week won’t close that gap, and that’s OK. It means the week is about something else: arriving fresh and showing everything you already have.
Coaches usually have a lot of players and very little time. So they lean on signals they can read fast: who sprints between stations, who listens and fixes the thing they were told, who talks, and who is back in position one second after a bad rep. Every one of those is a choice, not a talent. A simple pre-game routine helps you make those choices under pressure. For the full list, read what coaches look for at tryouts.
| Coaches watch | What it looks like | Your move |
|---|---|---|
| Effort | First to the next station, no walking | Jog every transition, all day |
| Coachability | Hears a correction and tries it on the next rep | Eye contact, “Got it, coach,” then do it |
| Response to mistakes | Back in ready position fast | One cue word, then the next play |
| Communication | Calls the ball, calls screens, encourages | Talk on every rep, even in drills |
| Skill and fitness | Clean basics under fatigue | Rested legs, sharp basics, nothing new |
The week-before plan, day by day
Sports medicine experts at Children’s Health put it simply: arrive physically prepared and appropriately recovered, because arriving overworked can leave you drained. This plan sharpens early in the week and backs off late. Count back from your tryout day.
| Day | Body | Mind | Off the field |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 days out | Normal training, include sprints and jumps | Write the three things you want coaches to see | Confirm time, place, forms and sports physical |
| 6 days out | Skill work on your basics at game speed | Pick your cue word for mistakes | Try on cleats, shoes and gear |
| 5 days out | Conditioning in short, hard bursts | Two minutes of visualization: see a good rep | Set a steady bedtime and wake time |
| 4 days out | Skill work plus a pressure rep or two | Practice your reset after a missed rep | Test your tryout-day meal on a training day |
| 3 days out | Lighter session, quality over volume | Rehearse the day-of routine start to finish | Screens off an hour before bed |
| 2 days out | Easy movement, short touches on the ball | Visualize the first drill and the first mistake | Water bottle with you all day |
| 1 day out | Rest or a light 20-minute touch session | Read your script once, then stop thinking about it | Pack the bag, lay out clothes, early bed |
If the nerves are already loud, start with how to calm tryout nerves. Nervous energy before tryouts is normal. It usually means you care.
Sleep, food and water: the easy edge
These cost nothing, and most athletes skip them. Children’s Health notes that short sleep can mean slower sprints, less endurance, less focus and a worse mood.
- 01
Bank sleep all week
Teens 13 to 18 should aim for 8 to 10 hours a night, per CDC guidance cited by Children’s Health. Same bedtime, same wake time. One great night before tryouts won’t make up for five short ones.
- 02
Eat a familiar meal two to three hours before
Morning tryout: scrambled eggs, wheat toast and fruit. Afternoon or evening: a turkey sandwich, an apple and pretzels. No time for a meal? A banana, orange slices, pretzels or a bagel.
- 03
Skip heavy, greasy and brand-new foods
Fried food, fast food and high-fiber salads can leave you feeling heavy. Tryout day is not the day to test a new snack or drink.
- 04
Show up hydrated
The American Academy of Pediatrics says thirst is not a good gauge of fluid needs. Start well hydrated, drink more if your urine isn’t pale, and sip often. Most teen athletes should drink about 8 ounces every 20 minutes during intense work, and the AAP suggests switching from water to a sports drink after an hour.
- 05
Skip the supplements
The AAP notes supplements aren’t tested and regulated like prescription drugs, and that young athletes’ needs are best met by a balanced diet.
What to bring and what to wear
Wear clean, plain practice clothes that fit and let you move. A bright shirt or one in the team color can help a coach remember you, but skip anything with jokes or slogans. Wear shoes or cleats you’ve already broken in. New cleats on tryout day mean blisters by the second session.
| Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Signed forms and sports physical | Many schools won’t let you on the floor without them |
| Broken-in shoes or cleats, plus a backup pair of socks | Comfort for hours of cuts and sprints |
| Sport gear (glove, shin guards, kneepads, mouthguard) | Check fit a week ahead, not the night before |
| Two full water bottles | Fountains get crowded, breaks are short |
| Simple snack (banana, pretzels, granola bar) | Multi-session days burn through breakfast |
| Hair ties, tape, athletic tape, small towel | Small fixes keep you from missing a drill |
| An index card with your cue word | Your reset, in your pocket |
Your tryout day routine
Children’s Health suggests staying focused on what you can control, and not watching other players’ tryouts if you can avoid it. Comparing pulls your attention off your own next rep.
- 01
Arrive 20 to 30 minutes early
Check in, find the bathroom, see the space. Being early removes the panic of being late.
- 02
Warm up like you mean it
Coaches often watch warm-ups. Full effort, good form, talk to the player next to you.
- 03
Breathe before the first drill
Slow inhale, short pause, long exhale. Count while you do it. Three rounds.
- 04
Win the transitions
Sprint to the next station. Be first in line sometimes. Pick up loose balls without being asked.
- 05
Reset after every mistake
Feel it for one breath. Say your cue. Get to ready position. The next rep is the one they remember.
- 06
Thank the coach on the way out
Eye contact, first name, “Thanks for the look, coach.” Then leave the gym and stop replaying it.
Tryout prep by sport
The plan above works for every sport. What changes is the test and the mistake you need a plan for.
| Sport | Often tested | Mental job | Full guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soccer | First touch, passing under pressure, small-sided games | Win it back for five seconds after a lost ball | Soccer tryouts |
| Volleyball | Serve, serve receive, movement to the ball | Call the next ball early after a shank | Volleyball tryouts |
| Basketball | Ball handling, shooting, defense, scrimmage | Sprint back after a miss | Basketball tryouts |
| Baseball | Fielding, throwing, hitting, sometimes a timed run | Next ball is mine after an error | Baseball tryouts |
| Softball | Fielding, throwing, hitting, base running | Glove down, ready position after a bobble | Softball tryouts |
| Football | Speed, agility, position drills, effort | Finish every rep through the whistle | Football tryouts |
After tryouts: the list, either way
The wait is often the hardest part. Get back to normal life: school, friends, sleep. If you made it, ask the coach what to work on before the first practice. If you didn’t, it can sting for days, and that’s normal. When you’re ready, ask the coach one question: “What two things should I work on to be ready next time?” Then build your next season around the answer. Start with didn’t make the team: what to do next.
Most tryout nerves fade once the first drill starts. If worry about sport is constant, hurts sleep or school, or doesn’t ease after tryouts end, talk to a doctor or a licensed mental health professional. In a crisis in the US, call or text 988.
Practice the reset before you need it
Every athlete at tryouts will make a mistake. The ones who stand out have already practiced what happens next, so the reset is there when a coach is watching.
That’s what reset is built for. It’s the mental training app for athletes: two minutes a day, three steps. Notice. Name. Return. Try a 2-minute reset, or join the waitlist.
Frequently asked questions
What should I wear to tryouts?
Clean, plain practice clothes that fit, broken-in shoes or cleats, and any required protective gear. A bright or team-color shirt can help coaches remember you. Skip new shoes and loud slogans.
What should I bring to tryouts?
Signed forms and your sports physical, broken-in footwear, your sport gear, two water bottles, a simple snack, tape and hair ties, and extra socks. Pack it the night before.
What do coaches look for at tryouts?
Skill and fitness, plus effort, coachability, communication and how you respond to mistakes. The last four are choices you control on every rep.
Should I train hard the day before tryouts?
No. Go light or rest. Children’s Health experts say athletes should arrive physically prepared and recovered, since showing up overworked can leave you low on energy.
How do I stop being nervous before tryouts?
You don’t need zero nerves. Use slow breathing with counting, a short visualization of a good rep, and a cue word for mistakes. Nerves usually drop once the first drill starts.
By sport
Go deeper
- How to prepare for soccer tryouts
A 14-day soccer tryout plan: drills with reps, what coaches watch, what to bring and a reset for mistakes.
- How to prepare for volleyball tryouts
A two-week volleyball tryout plan: serve and pass reps, what to bring, what coaches watch, and a reset for mistakes.
- How to prepare for basketball tryouts: a four-week plan
A four-week basketball tryout plan: drills with reps, conditioning, what to bring, and what to do after a miss.
- How to prepare for baseball tryouts
A four-week plan, station-by-station drills, a gear checklist and a reset for the error every tryout has.
- How to prepare for softball tryouts: a four-week plan
A four-week softball tryout plan with station-by-station drills, a gear checklist and a reset for bad reps.
- How to prepare for football tryouts: a four-week plan
A four-week football tryout plan: combine tests, position drills, heat safety, gear list and a reset for the rep after a miss.
- What coaches look for at tryouts, and what you control
Skill first, then effort, coachability and how you handle mistakes. What coaches watch at tryouts, by sport.
- How to calm nerves before tryouts: scripts for the night and the day
Night-before and day-of scripts, three breathing patterns and cue words that calm tryout nerves enough to play.
- Didn’t make the team: what to do next
What to do after getting cut: the first 48 hours, asking the coach why, a 30-day plan and parent scripts.
- How to help your child prepare for tryouts: a parent’s plan
A parent’s day-by-day tryout plan: the week before, the night before, the car ride there and home, and what not to say.