What are your coaches looking for during tryouts?
Knowing what someone expects of you can be the key to your success. Let's take a peek into a coaches' head during tryouts...
1. How aggressive is she?
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Photo from snugd.com
via Google images |
Timidity in the sport of volleyball is never a good thing. Coaches have a keen eye for an aggressive player, and can typically spot one the second they walk into the gym. Be sure that you are playing aggressively. This includes calling the ball loudly, no matter WHEN you're passing it. A big mistake many athletes make is getting out of the "I got it!" habit when they are in single-phase drills. Just because you may be the only person passing that ball is a poor excuse not to call it. This goes back to the fundamental aspect of "you play like you practice." Always practice with the proper technique, form, and attitude and this will carry over come game time. Coaches are aware of this, so they look for athletes who play in this manner.
2. Does she have good court awareness?
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Just because you can go up and bang a ball doesn't necessarily mean you are guaranteed a hitting position on a team. Swinging as hard as you can at every ball will create a high error percentage; coaches are looking for low-error, high-success hitters. This means they need someone getting a large margin more kills than they are making errors. Coaches really look for smart athletes who have good placement with the ball; be it a hit, serve, pass, or set. Always be aware of both your side of the court
and the other side, making sure you take into account what is happening around you. A player who adjusts mid-play is a player every coach is looking for.
3. Is she afraid to make mistakes?
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Fearing making a mistake is a mistake in and of itself. Coaches are looking for a "go big or go home" player. Never be afraid to make a move because you think you might not be successful. If you think your jump float serve will get an ace because of the serve receive pattern on the other side of the net - GO FOR IT! This goes back to being aggressive. Always perform your task with the expectation that you WILL succeed, not with a fear that you won't.
4. If she makes a mistake, what is her response?
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This is a theory that 15s coach and Amarillo Juniors Director Stephanie Bankhead calls "The Duck's Butt" theory. When a duck gets wet, the water rolls off his back smoothly and swiftly, leaving no trace of it in its wake. This is the mentality coaches expect you to have when it comes to mistakes on the court. When you make a mistake, be a "duck's butt" athlete - let it roll off and focus on your next job! A popular name for this is "next ball mentality" ... but we think duck's butt is cuter. :)
5. How does she relate to the other athletes on the court?
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Photo from 123rf.com via
Google images |
Are you encouraging the other athletes on the court? Are you cheering them on when they do something good and lifting them up when they make a mistake? This may be the most important thing of all to a coach, because these actions show coaches whether or not you will be a good team player. The bottom line is that each team must be focused on the "we" and never the "me." Your attitude towards the players around is a big, flashing sign to the coaches. It's your choice whether that sign says, "I'm a winner and a team player who will do my very best for the betterment of the TEAM" or, "I'm mainly worried about my own performance and myself so I don't take into consideration the athletes around me." It's up to you, so make it count!
Good luck to our 15s-18s teams this weekend at tryouts. And remember, "duck's butt!"
- Amarillo Juniors
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rumor squasher:
AMARILLO JUNIORS TEAMS ARE NOT PRE-FORMED. No team selections are made until tryouts are completed. In the older age divisions specifically, it is true that the coaches have typically seen the athletes play during school season and former club seasons, but their teams are not yet chosen. Help us out and be a
rumor squasher!
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