With spring tryouts quickly approaching, excitement and nervousness for potential team placement and success enters the bodies of students all around St. Joe. Additionally, this year presents an extra barrier as COVID-19 is a major factor; in fact, COVID-19 was the reason that the Spring season was canceled last year, so these teams have not played together in a year. Whether track, soccer, or lacrosse, these sports all require commitment and a large amount of running. Therefore, how can students best prepare for this upcoming season?

1. Stay hydrated!

Hydration is one of the most important steps for feeling best. While hydrating constantly seems repetitive, it really can be vital as success. If proof is necessary for convincing, when athletes exercise, body temperature rises, which results in sweat. Sweat helps the body avoid overheating, and hydration replaces the water lost during sweating. This helps maintain body temperature and prevent cramps. Therefore, hydration is definitely one of the most important steps for having success during tryout week.

2. Work on personal fitness now.

It is important the week of tryouts to leave everything on the track or field, and the best way to do this is by working on personal fitness and practicing now. Stay active during this time because the worst feeling is having regrets. Therefore, fight through any exhaustion and tiredness now because it will be worth it in the end.

Ella Kertz, a soccer player and senior this year at St. Joe, believes that personal fitness is the most important step to soccer tryouts.

“I always know that I will be running a lot during tryout week, so I try to focus on my fitness in the upcoming months, even more than ball skills sometimes. I go to cardio-focused classes at my gym like cycling, and I run sprints quite often too,” Ella said.

In the end, working on fitness now will pay off in the long run.

3. Focus on your best attributes!

It is important to showcase your best qualities. For example, if a soccer player is extremely technical and skilled, continue to improve those skills because those skills can set that player apart from others at tryouts. If a lacrosse player is extremely fast, continue to work on speed, and that can set a player apart as well. 

Obviously, continue to work on everything, but it is also extremely beneficial to continue improving on the best qualities.

4. Complete the MSHSAA form.

This is a requirement, so if any student intends to play a spring sport, get this out of the way now. 

Emily Lally, a senior lacrosse player, discussed how she needs to avoid completing the form at the last minute this year.

“I tend to procrastinate and fill out the form the night before tryouts every year, so I will be completing MSHSAA form early this year. It will save a lot of stress the night before tryouts,” Emily said.

As annoying and tedious as the form can be, it is important for personal wellness and health in the case of any injury or important healthcare information. 

5. Stay positive!

Lastly, sometimes the component that sets players apart lies in their attitude. Keeping a positive attitude throughout the entire week can be vital for what team a player makes, and coaches love to see it. When players make mistakes and immediately fight to win the ball back, that action speaks to who a person is as a player, and it can positively spread to the entire team. Most likely, things will not go perfectly, so stay positive and keep working hard. 

In the end, as nervous as athletes get during spring tryouts, it is important to stay calm, stay positive, and show up prepared. With the uncertainty of COVID-19 still in the air, leave everything on the field or on the track, and work to make every day better than the last. With these five steps, it is almost guaranteed that athletes will obtain success during tryouts week.