1. Hydrate that Body!
First and foremost, hydration is key to feeling and being your best during exercise. Water regulates your body temperature, delivers nutrients to the cell, and improves sleep, mood, and cognition. At breakfast, hydrate. In your free period, hydrate. Even when you are not thirsty, hydrate. It will keep you from tightening up before the big week ahead of you. Plus, the healthier you are, the better are your chances of making the team you want!

2. Make sure your MSHSAA forms are printed and filled out!
Make sure you have all your forms printed and ready to go on tryout day. Trust us when we say that you do not, I repeat DO NOT, want to be the only one unprepared with the one of the few things you were asked to bring. If that form is blank on that first day of try-outs, you immediately are three steps behind everyone else. Worse case scenario, the coach will not let you play until that sucker has every line filled!

3. Eat those Greens!
Drinking gallons of water and clean eating basically go hand in hand. If you are doing one of them, might as well do the other for the same reason: improving your chances of that big promotion to the team of your choice! During this week, consuming enough carbohydrates, protein, fruits, and vegetables is necessary for performing at your best. Consider peanut butter banana toast or avocado toast as breakfast or lunch. The protein hidden in that turkey sandwich you have in your lunch bag will pack a huge punch as you are running past the others.

4. Display your best attributes!
When you are at tryouts, no one expects you to be perfect at everything. Do that one thing that you do well on the field, whether that be you showing your speed, your endurance, or your craftiness on the ball. On the flip side, try not to exemplify what you need to work on, it will not be pretty. For example, if you are trying out for soccer and you may or may not have two left feet when it comes to juggling, stay away from juggling for as long as you can! But, if you are the leading goal scorer of your team, take those shots like your life depends on it!

5. Hustle! Hustle! Hustle!
Tryouts are not the place for excuses! Display your very best, and push yourself a little extra because you have one week to prove yourself. Do not leave any regrets on the field because your efforts could cause you to make or get cut from a team. As hard as it may be to believe, those two hours of tryouts per day are not a long time. Along with the ten to twenty others that are trying out right next to you, the coach will sometimes only pay attention to the stand outs that are breathing so hard that they cannot hear themselves think, leaving you in the nosebleeds. By giving 110%, there will be less “what if’s” stirring in your head once the week is over and more props to yourself for trying your hardest.

6. Selfish= See ya!
Do not be caught up in doing everything perfectly. Be a part of the team and contribute however that be. By being that one girl who seems like they think they are better than everyone else will be a way of making an awful first impression to not only your potential teammates, but also your potential coaches. The ones that you are trying to impress do not only just see the skills that go into the week, but also how you get along with the girls around you. On the track or the field, no one likes an attention hog who refuses to give anyone else the spotlight for a few minutes. Passing the ball every once in a while, does not make you less of a stud that you are, and the coaches will recognize that.

7. The Early Bird…
As we said earlier, your first impression is important and showing up on time, prepared for tryouts automatically leaves the coaches with an impression of commitment and dedication. If you are the first one there, that gives you more time to stretch, and more importantly, time to de-stress. With the extra minutes that are available, familiarizing yourself with your surroundings will calm those nerves in the pit of your stomach.

8. Who cares if you make a mistake … Move on!
Everyone makes mistakes. It happens to everyone. But how do you react after you make a mistake? If you want to make the most of the week, try to brush it off as fast as you can. The longer that you dwell on it, the longer you will be off your ‘A’ game. Like the wise Hannah Montana once said, “Everybody makes mistakes!” Chances are, the girls around you are going through the same thing and have messed up right beside you. Plus, coaches understand that one mess up does not define you as an athlete.

9. Be a Positive Polly!
Your attitude says a lot about the type of player you are! Whether you are on the bench or on the field, being a supporter on your team is necessary for your team’s success. Whether your team is not performing well or is losing, a positive attitude is noticeable and a vital contribution on any team. What is even more apparent is the frown on your face when you screw up. The coaches will remember that blunder much longer if you make a big deal about it, so by being positive throughout the week will have a bigger impact on the coach’s decision more than you can possibly imagine!

10. Get PUUUMPPEED!
While some nerves may be inevitable, get excited about tryouts as well. Think about why you are there… you love the sport! Tryouts may seem stressful or difficult at times, but think about the dedication and passion you have for the sport. Use your love for the port as fuel to be your best person and player on the field. Motivate yourself to push through the week and the rest of the season will be golden!
Good Luck!