Student Athletes Prepare for Upcoming Soccer Tryouts

Hands clasped tightly while nails digging into skin. Sweat from exertion and nerves drip down her forehead and neck. All the work, passion, and dedication for months leading up to that moment, could be praised or it could be for naught. The decision isn’t hers to make, but rather the coaches who stand stiff in front of her, holding the clipboard with all the answers.

“Tryouts are 3 days long the week we get back from Thanksgiving break,” senior Beth Salak said.

However, in order to compete in the tryouts, players must pass the initial cut at the very beginning of the year to make it into the class period.

Players begin prepping daily from the first day onward in class. During the tryouts, the players must complete a physical test that requires both athletic and mental abilities.

“For our fitness test we run what we call ‘20 40s’,” Salak said. “We have to sprint the length of the field in 20 seconds and then jog back in 40 seconds. For junior varsity B, they’re expected to be able to run 7, junior varsity A is 10, and in varsity we run 15.”

The environment during tryouts bring all different types of emotions. The ability to control them is another challenge the players must face.

“During tryouts, everyone is normally nervous at first, but I think it’s just because of the jitters that come with those kinds of things because once we start going people start to relax and just play how they normally do,” Salak said.

Relaxing isn’t an option for everyone, some feel the pressure on and off the field. 

“I play club with a lot of people who are on the higher teams, so since I play club with them I want to make the same team as them,” junior Megan Vigil said.

At the end of tryouts, players must compete in a full scrimmage to show the coaches and their potential teammates their ability to cooperate together. Those aspiring to be a captain, show their leadership. When it’s all said and done, returning players receive their news in a group, but new players must go one by one to hear their decision. Once the team has been decided, it’s straight into season preparations. 

“It’s my last year playing and I don’t want to play in college, so I’m really excited for this year because I think our team is going to be really good,” Salak said.