We will see do colleges have open tryouts for sports or not in this article.Any form of sports can be a talent or a mastered skill, with consistent practice and passion for the game. Sometimes, students participate in high school sports to obtain scholarships, if their parents are not financially capable of handling their tuition. Some of them may not be so skilled but are willing to practice and become better at their game. Other times, some students who did not play for their high school team may want to try out for their college team. This student has the talent, but could not apply it in high school for one reason or the other.
Yes, many colleges have open tryouts for students who are willing to find a chance to join the college teams in various sports. College sports teams and coaches hold these walk-on tryouts for new students who are not on scholarship but want to join the college team. If you think you are talented enough, you can talk to the coach in charge to get a shot. Although coaches take more interest in students with athletic scholarships, a student without an athletic scholarship who is good enough can get a chance to play on the scout team.
Benefits of a college tryout
If you are a talented athlete and you dream of joining standard teams and playing big leagues, little steps like a college tryout can get you closer to your dream, as coaches love the game experience. With a college tryout, an athlete can:
- Work on strengths and weaknesses and have a shot at joining a standard team, alongside participating in standard competitions.
- Get to interact with scouts and coaches of a high standard, another step forward to achieving your sports dreams.
- Get an athletic scholarship if they perform exceptionally well and are recruited to the college team.
- Earn a mini-ticket to your dream league if they want to pursue a particular sport as a career.
How to get a shot at joining the college team after participating in their tryouts
Get good grades
Although most schools offer athletic scholarships, one of the major criteria for joining the college squad is to get high grades. As a college athlete, you must understand time management and organization and be able to stay top in every academic area. Aside from a good sporting reputation, good academic status is a good recommendation for the college. Therefore, coaches look for students with good academic ratings to keep the school’s academic prestige.
Outstanding display
As the saying goes ‘seeing is believing,’ you should make use of every opportunity you have to showcase your talent and skill on the field, track, or court. If an athlete can impress the college coach during a tryout and make him see reasons why he would be missing out without giving you a shot, then you have a good chance of joining the college team.
Sometimes, high school must have given recommendations for athletes who have done a good job with their respective sports, but the college lacks the financial capability to take care of their tuition. These athletes may join the college team based on their records.
Communicate with the coaches
If you were not in your high school team and you are part of a non-academic squad in a part of your city, you can go to talk to the college coach about your talent. Keep in mind that there are no guarantees for an instant opportunity or an automatic slot in the tryouts, but if the coach needs to upgrade his team, he might remember that he had a conversation with an athlete. Once in a while, some coaches go to the street clubs to scout for players who have not had the opportunity to showcase their abilities.
Things to keeping mind when participating in a college tryout
Keep an open mind
When allowed to participate in a college tryout, it is important to keep an open mind to avoid extreme disappointment. Give it your all and enjoy your opportunity, but do not keep high hopes. Always remember that it can go both ways, meaning that you may get to be on the team or not.
No Promises
Even when you interact with the coach before the tryouts, there is no guarantee that you would make it to the college team. Apart from athletes who are on scholarships, high schools also recommend some athletes who are not on scholarships to colleges. So, most coaches would work with the preferred walk-ons than the regular ones. Speaking to the coach only helps him remember if he wants to scout to strengthen his squad.
Try to enjoy your game
As much as you want to impress the college coach to get a shot at the team, try to enjoy your game anytime you are given the opportunity. The college coaches want to see your abilities when you are relaxed. You can only try one or two skills during the tryouts, as you are also there for your personal development.
Talk to college team members
If you have the privilege of meeting the college team, you can talk to some of them and find out more about their tryouts and scouting opportunities. You may also get to know if there are tryouts in other colleges and your odds of transferring. Communicating with people you aspire to be like motivates you and helps your personal development.
Keep Fighting
If you are successful with your tryout, your battles do not stop when you have joined the team. You fight for playing time, travel, and competitions along with other players who also made the college team. Keep doing your best and have fun with your games at every opportunity.
Conclusion
Since many institutions or colleges try to support and build their sports squad with every chance they get, they hold open tryouts for athletes to showcase their talents. Although some college coaches may hold these tryouts for the books, things can change if a player performs excellently. The coach can get the player in the college team or a scout team to get better competition and build to better games and playing time.