Going through tryouts in any sport is a time of true challenge for players, especially at the youth levels. With so many options out there for players, it at times can become somewhat overwhelming to put yourself in a position of potential failure. As we all seek to achieve greatness in the game of soccer we inevitably must endure many tryouts throughout our careers. Whether it's to make the next team up in your division, a school team, collegiate squad, or the pros. We all will face a tryout with many emotions, some of which can be hard to handle at times.
For many of us, we know that tryouts are an opportunity to show what we've got to offer a new team. Many times though that mentality leads to a situation that inadvertently encourages players to play outside of who they truly are, to perform actions that may not be the norm. For goalkeepers especially we face a challenge unique to no other positions on the pitch because of the nature that only one keeper can play in net at a time. This situation adds an element of pressure to goalies that have a tendency to weigh on us during the weeks and days leading up to a huge tryout.
Today's episode will introduce a few strategies that our keepers can use to ensure they prepare themselves mentally as much as possible leading up to tryouts. Tyler takes a few moments on a couple of these tips to also break down what parents and coaches specifically can do to reinforce these strategies to encourage our players and kids ready themselves for the opportunity ahead!
