Navigating tryouts can be one of the trickiest parts of managing a youth soccer team. The process of selecting players is both exciting and stressful. This is true whether you’re a seasoned soccer club coach or a first-time team manager.
But there’s a method to the madness. Running a smooth, professional soccer tryout is often the catalyst to a successful season. It helps everyone feel confident and supported from the first whistle.
Ready to start planning tryouts for your youth soccer team? Let’s get right to it!
Preparation before tryouts
Successful tryouts don’t happen by chance. They require meticulous planning and preparation. Behind the scenes, a team of soccer coaches, managers, and volunteers work to create an environment where players can showcase their abilities.
The preparation process generally looks something like this:
Planning logistics and registration
First things first: Pick a date and location. Make sure the date you choose doesn’t conflict with other major local events. Weekends and evenings after school are usually the most convenient times for players and families to attend tryouts.
Once you have a date, choose a field that has ample space. Make a list of all the equipment you’ll need—soccer balls, cones, and soccer goals—and assign one of your coaches or team managers to bring it to tryouts. You’ll also need clipboards, scorecards, and pens or pencils for your evaluators.
When registering players, sports league management software is a huge time saver. You can collect all the information and waivers you need from players and parents, managing it seamlessly from one platform. It saves you the headaches of paperwork and manual data entry.
Communicating with players and parents
Other benefits of online player registration include automated reminders and centralized communication. Online platforms enable instant communication with parents and players.
Through platforms such as Jersey Watch, you can send out automated reminders about tryout dates, required documentation, registration deadlines, and payment schedules. This helps ensure you don’t have to go digging through emails to find the information you need, and parents know exactly how to contact you if they have questions.
Promoting team tryouts
Spread the word about your tryouts in the community. You can do this by posting to social media, sharing updates to your website, or emailing your contacts. To maximize your reach, use multiple channels.
For example, you could boost awareness with a captivating Instagram post featuring a fun photo and a convenient sign-up link. Leverage Facebook by creating an event for parents and players to RSVP, and encourage them to share it within their networks.
Don’t forget to prominently display a tryout banner on your team website and include a brief mention in your monthly newsletter. A week or so before tryouts begin, a text message reminder can also help you get more players on the field.
How to structure tryouts
Now you have a group of excited young soccer players. They’ve laced up their cleats and they’re ready to show you everything they’ve got! How do you prepare them to demonstrate their skills on the field?
1. Warm-up session
Start with a quick warm-up session. It will help players shake off nerves and prevent injuries. Your warm-up doesn’t have to be anything intense—just something to get the blood flowing and clear the mind.
Dynamic stretches like jogging, high knees, and arm circles will loosen up players' muscles. Light ball drills like circle passing and dribbling commands will help them transition into more intense activities and drills.
2. Skill drills
This is when you’ll start getting a better idea of players’ abilities. You‘ll want to assess individual skills alongside position-specific skills. Knowing players’ strengths, weaknesses, and potential will help you build a well-rounded team after tryouts.
As you’re scouting the field, pay attention to each player’s ability to dribble and control the ball while moving. Assess their accuracy, power, and decision-making when passing the ball. As they shoot the ball, gauge their power, accuracy, and technique. Certain drills can help reveal a player’s fit for a specific position—like finishing drills for forwards or shot-stopping exercises for goalkeepers.
3. Game-like scenarios
After you’ve run some drills, small-sided games can help you envision your team in action. It’s a great way to see how players work together, make decisions, and adapt in real-time match situations.
The beauty of small-sided games in tryouts is that they give players more touches. With fewer players on the field, participants get more chances to interact with the ball. Fewer players also force better communication and cooperation. The top teams are successful because they have the technical skills to win matches and know how to work well together.
4. Physical fitness tests (optional)
Soccer is a physically demanding sport. Every player needs speed and endurance to keep up during a game. Fitness tests give coaches a more detailed look into a player’s physical capabilities so they can make more informed decisions about player selection and development.
But many leagues consider these tests optional. If you plan to assess players’ physical fitness, be sure to choose age-appropriate tests for your youth players.
Top drills to use to evaluate soccer players
We’ve covered the importance of warm-ups, skill assessments, and small-sided games. Now let’s review some specific soccer drills that can help you evaluate young players during soccer tryouts.
Here are some drills to consider adding to your tryout sessions:
- 1v1 dribbling challenge: Set up a small grid with goals on both ends. The attacker starts with the ball and has 30 seconds to score against a defender.
- Passing accuracy test: Create a series of targets using cones or small goals at varying distances. Have players attempt to hit the targets with passes.
- Shooting under pressure: Place balls around the edge of the penalty area, and have players sprint to the ball, turn, and shoot at the goal.
- 3v2 possession game: Three attackers try to maintain possession against two defenders in a 15x15 grid. Rotate the players after 60 seconds.
- Goalkeeper reaction drill: Set up a rapid-fire shooting drill where shots come to the goalkeeper from different angles and heights.
How to evaluate and score players at tryouts
Your coaching staff’s job is to determine which potential players should make the roster. No pressure, right?
These guidelines will help you simplify the player evaluation process.
Creating an evaluation system
To objectively evaluate players, you need a clear evaluation system. Make sure your coaching staff and evaluators understand the system and scoring criteria. Fair and comprehensive evaluations typically assess multiple areas: technical skills, game awareness, physical fitness, and mental strength. When everyone understands the evaluation system, it’s much easier to leave biases at the door.
Observing beyond skills
In youth sports, teamwork and coachability are paramount. These skills separate exceptional players from merely skilled ones. Players who demonstrate optimism and resilience on the field positively impact team dynamics. Those who cheer on their teammates and put team goals above their individual achievements help build successful teams. Your best team player isn’t always the one scoring all the goals.
Involving multiple evaluators
Everyone involved in your organization, from your coaches to your volunteers, has a range of experiences and specialties. Diverse viewpoints are invaluable during the evaluation process. One evaluator may spot a skill or unique quality another evaluator misses.
By allowing multiple evaluators to weigh in, you avoid overlooking talented players based on a single evaluator’s oversight. You also level the playing field, giving players many opportunities to showcase their skill level to different observers.
Get organized for youth sports tryouts in minutes with Jersey Watch
Youth soccer tryouts are a pivotal moment for players, coaches, and organizations. Clubs can create a more fair, structured tryout process and save themselves the administrative hassles post-tryout if they have the right tools.
Jersey Watch gives youth soccer teams everything they need to build a successful program. The platform’s robust registration, communication, and management features transform the tryout experience into a smooth, positive event for players and their families.
That simplicity carries over into the soccer season. Teams can build a website, register players, collect payments, and send messages from the all-in-one Jersey Watch platform.
Sign up and try it for free today!
