Tryouts are done...now what?

Mid-June.

By now many of the teams have had their tryouts, offers made, many accepted. Hopefully you found a team that you are happy about, with a good coach, nice kids, nice parents and good philosophical fit. Tryouts are stressful for parents and players so congratulations on getting through it. (Note - I'll throw a little tryout primer at the bottom for those of you already thinking about next year!)

There are probably a number of families new to premiere teams wondering what's next.

In my experience, the coaches may want to spend the summer building a sense of "team" and trust. Many teams will continue to practice regularly, with varying degrees of commitment level. Our rule is that, if you are in town, you should be at practice. The coaches have always had two teams so by doing joint practices you almost always get enough to play. If you have a team with on 12 kids, that might be less likely, however. Teams may also have mini camps or full blown residential camps. You might scrimmage from time to time. Some teams even do summer tournaments - but let's hope they are up north in cooler air! As you get into August, practices become less optional.

If you are new to a team, get to as many practices as possible. Tryouts only give the coach a suggestion of what the player is capable of. Now is the time to show it. Also, if you can't get to practice due that two week trip to the beach - take a ball and practice.

The biggest areas for improvement that I've seen when players come from rec or classic teams are 1) being able to use both feet, 2) trapping and 3) reading the game and adjusting to the speed of game. #1 and 2 can be worked on somewhat on your own but #3 will require your kid to be at practice at game speed as much as possible.

Registration - the team managers have a major headache over the summer...registration. This involves getting registration forms, photos, medical forms, code of conduct forms, proof of age (original birth certificates!), all signed by parents and players (while navigating the MSYSA's constantly changing and poorly documented online system). Remember - your team's manager is a volunteer. Get the them for when they ask for it. Fill it out carefully and completely. Sign it in the right spots. Make sure you kids sign it in the right spot. Don't make the manager hunt you down. If you'll be out of town for a long period of time in August....let them know. Got it? Good.

Remember - the off season is the manager's busiest time. They've got registration for leagues and tournaments, uniform orders, budgets, late tryouts trying to fill one or two spots, etc. They also want to have vacations and enjoy the weekends. Plus, they work full time jobs. Be considerate!

Otherwise, enjoy! Invite some teammates and their families to a cookout or pool. Get to know these people because, come Labor Day, you'll spend more with them than anyone else!

Here's my tryout primer...

On a rec/classic team and want to join a premiere team? Your best bets are when teams are being initially formed at U8 or U9 and then between the U12 and U13 year because rosters expand. Check the league sites and club sites for tryout notices in March. You can join teams at other years but spots are limited so competition is much fiercer. Also - be on the look out for clubs forming new teams from time to time.

Also - take the time to go to practices and games of the teams you are interested. Everyone website says the same thing about quality soccer and maintaining fun but you need to see the coach in action. What is the style of play? Be wary of any coach that touts win/loss records above all for any team younger that U13. Contact a manager or the coach and ask if you child can practice with that team over the winter and see how welcoming the players/parents are. The manager should be willing to ballpark costs and commitment levels for you - ask lots of questions.

Finally, ask around. I've mentioned before, it is a small world. But...take comments from parents with a grain of salt. Not every coach fits every player and what is a great experience for one child is not good for someone else. Rumors also fly around pretty fast about coaches so try to find someone who has first hand experience doesn't start a sentence with "I heard...".

Finally, be open about your plans with your existing coach. If your child is ready for the next level, the coach should agree and ideally be the one pushing the child on. The coach would also be a great asset to finding the right team. In any event, don't hedge your bets by holding a spot on one team while looking at others. Tell the coach that you'd like to look around but give them a date by which you'll let them know your plans. It is impossible to sneak around the soccer community in Montgomery County. We've a number of players come from other teams and leave for other teams. Not a single one of them was a surprise. There is nothing wrong with leaving a team if it isn't the right fit (I have other thoughts on leaving a team because of a bad season but that's for a different time) but there is a right way to go about it.

However, this isn't free agency. Coaches want players who want to play for them. While it is unfair for a coach to demand an on the spot acceptance of an offer, it is also unfair for a player to take more than a few days to give an answer. Both are probably signs that it isn't the right team. Do your homework in advance.

Enjoy your new team!