5 Ways to Stand Out at a Softball Tryout
Most softball teams who participate in club ball will hold their tryouts for the following year after the conclusion of the summer season before fall ball starts. Community-based organizations are also following suit in an attempt to keep the teams together for longer and to grow and develop through the fall and winter months before the next summer season kicks off.
Trying out for a new team for the first time can be intimidating. Most tryouts will have evaluators standing around with clipboards and take notes on the participating players. Depending on the club or association, it is common that each player will be assigned a bib with a number on it. Some of the bibs may be different colors, separating the players into groups.
To the evaluators, coaches, and spectators watching, each player is merely a color and a number. It’s up to the players to find a way to stand out on their own. Below are five ways that players can stand out at an upcoming softball tryout.
Wear a Bright Shirt and Pants: Depending on what club or team you are trying out for, chances are there will be 20-100 players at any tryout. Everyone is going to dress in a similar way, likely in a softball tournament T-shirt and softball pants. Try to find a bright color shirt to wear to separate yourself from others. Coaches and evaluators are more likely to remember the athletic shortstop in the neon pink shirt who made a diving grab. Also be sure to wear softball pants. Wearing pants will make the tryout more game-like, and you will be mentally and physically prepared to run, dive, and slide into bases.
Introduce Yourself: When you get to the tryout, it’s important to put yourself out there by introducing yourself to whoever is in charge or the coach of the team you are trying out for. Don’t rely on your parent to introduce you. It means so much more coming from the player and shows the player’s maturity level and confidence. Greet the person in charge or the coach with a firm handshake and eye contact, introduce yourself, and thank them for giving you the opportunity. If you miss out before the tryout, stick around and make it happen after.
Hustle: It doesn’t matter if you are taking a water break, or moving from station to station, always be sprinting and showing hustle when you are at a softball tryout. The evaluators aren’t just watching your skills when you are going through the stations and drills. They are also watching your effort and hustle when you don’t think you are being watched. The players who hustle at all times on tryout days are the players that coaches are going to want on their teams.
Be Vocal: Coaches and evaluators are also going to be looking and listening for vocal leaders at the tryout. Most players, especially the first-timers, will be shy, quiet, and to themselves. The players who are vocal on the field and who show positive encouragement to others, whether they know the other players or not, will be the ones who stand out. Vocal leaders are just as crucial to a team as are the tone-setters and the most outstanding players.
Take Chances: Sometimes you will only get one shot at a tryout, so you better make the most of it. This means taking a chance on yourself, in group stations, at the plate, in a scrimmage, take a risk. Even if you lay out for a ball and miss, the coaches and evaluators will notice the effort rather than the outcome. The players who lay it all on the line and give 110% effort in everything they do on the tryout day, are more likely to stand out and make the team.
