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Tryouts! Just the word can make an athlete’s heart start to race and their stomach to begin doing flips. 

Tryouts can be an incredibly nerve-racking time for a lot of athletes. They desire to play well, showcase what they’re capable of, and impress coaches. However this pressure can easily make them do the opposite in the short time they have!

Below, I outline a plan athletes can use to go into tryouts feeling confident and ready to play their best!

Before Tryouts: 

Visualize: In the days leading up to tryouts, you’ll want to make sure you’re preparing by getting mental reps. With as much detail as possible, put yourself in the space that you’ll be doing your tryout. See yourself performing skills confidently, bouncing back from mistakes, playing competitively, and feeling good. The more detail you can add in the better!

Reframe Nerves as Needed: You’ll be nervous! And guess what? That’s actually your body’s way of PREPARING you for competition! Nerves are a good thing if we choose to view them that way. Once you feel them come on, welcome them. They are there to help you.

If you feel like they are overpowering you and interfering with your ability to play, make sure to implement breathing techniques to calm your nervous system. Box breathing or simply breathing slowly in for 6 seconds and exhaling for 6 seconds can be very effective. 

Get to the tryout early: Show that you are prepared by getting to the venue early, introducing yourself, and start getting warmed up and getting in touches right away. This will also help ease some of the excess nervous energy and get you into a groove faster. 

During Tryouts:

Focus on Your Strengths: Be sure to really showcase the skills that you are most competent and confident in. Most coaches will be looking for players that can fill specific positions with specific skill-sets. Make sure to allow yours to shine! 

Take Risks: Yes, taking risks puts you at greater risk of failure (but more on that next!). Don’t be afraid to try new things, be the first to demonstrate, and play all-out. Those are the players that get noticed!

Have a Way to Recover From Mistakes: You will make mistakes! Coaches aren’t looking for you to be perfect, but rather how you respond to setbacks. Make sure you have a reset word that you can say to yourself in combination with a deep breath to get you back on track and feeling confident when you make mistakes. 

HUSTLE! Run between stations, during drills, and bring that energy to those around you. It makes a huge difference!

After Tryouts:

Thank the coach: This shows that you are invested, appreciative, and will keep you on their mind during the decision making process. You can also ask for feedback as a bonus!

Reflect and Let Go! Reflect (and write down) three things you did well and ONE (only one) thing that you can improve on from the tryout. Build on what you did well, and make a plan for what you can improve on. After that, let go of worrying, replaying, and wondering. The decision is out of your hands! 

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There you have it! Exactly how to go into your tryouts feeling confident and ready! I’m so excited for all of you to CRUSH your tryouts!

If you’re looking for more ways to help your athlete daughter show up as the most confident version of herself on and off the court/field, be sure to join our free Facebook community for female athletes, moms, and coaches! You’ll learn tips,  strategies, and resources as well as weekly trainings to help your athlete cultivate confidence and unlock her potential. Join here: www.kristinabreanne.com/community