Participating in sports tryouts is a nerve-wracking experience, especially for the first time. From the intimidating veteran players to the menacing glare of the coach’s clipboard, it’s easy to think that your chances of becoming a Northwood athlete are slim.
“Even though there are three teams [for tennis], I’m worried about whether I will be selected when I’m compared against other people,” freshman Aditya Krishan said. “I’m also worried because I don’t really have an idea about how good people normally are, like there are people I don’t know about who might be really good as well.”
However, regardless of your experience, the odds of securing a spot in the lineup may be better than you realize.
“Looking back now, it wasn’t as hard as I made it out to be,” swimmer junior Adam Elkostauf said. “I think I was so worried about how I measured up to everyone else that I forgot about all the work I put in beforehand. If you just focus on yourself and showing off what you can do, you’ll be able to get on the team pretty easily. ”
Oftentimes, feeling nervous or inadequate is the biggest hindrance to athletic performance during tryouts rather than a lack of skill or effort. Countering these emotions by keeping a positive mindset is an essential part of a successful tryout.
“I kind of went in accepting that I would make mistakes, but also that I wouldn’t let those mistakes affect my playing,” varsity girls lacrosse player junior Alexis Low said. “I feel like being able to pick yourself up and recover from a bad shot or a missed ball makes all the difference in your results.”
Aside from your proficiency in the sport, there are also other important criteria that coaches consider when determining your placement.
“Players can make a strong impression by being themselves— not pretending to be an amazing one-of-a-kind star player, but rather being honest and realistic with yourself,” tennis head coach Kayla Almazan said. “It is important to have players that have potential, positivity, and have an improvement mindset, as the team dynamic relies on that kind of inspiration.”
It’s important to recognize that tryouts aren’t a cutthroat contest focused solely on winning. By providing a competitive environment to apply skills learned from training, tryouts are a valuable opportunity to help prospective athletes grow.
“Don’t be scared to try out, even if you’re new,” Elkostauf said. “Trying out for a sport is a great way to get a feel for whether or not it’s right for you, regardless of how you perform; it feels better to try out than to not try at all.”
Interested in trying out for a sport? Here’s a list of tryout dates for spring sports you can check out for more information.