A lot happens during the process of making it onto a school sports team. From having good gear to impressing the coach, the steps can be stressful. However, with these tips, you will be able to make a great impression and possibly earn a spot on the team.

The first tip you should always remember is to have good sportsmanship. Coaches pay attention to your attitude and your sportsmanship, and sometimes, they even prefer behavior over skill. Some ways to demonstrate this is cheering on your teammates. Showing that you are supportive and good with the other players is also important. After you mess up or make a bad play, it’s crucial that you just dust it off and keep going.

Secondly, being punctual is extremely important, especially for tryouts. Not only should you be on time, you should be early! This can be effective because you’ll make a good impression on the coach. Being early can also mean helping the coach set up, giving you more one-on-one time with him or her, which can help you later on.

Another thing that can help you out is bonding with your teammates. Don’t be afraid to talk to varsity players. Bonding with the other players can help you out as well. The coaches may see that you play well together and that can turn the odds.

When trying out, you could be a really good player and have amazing skills, but some others don’t. This tip goes hand in hand with sportsmanship; helping others shows the coach that you are a team player. If you understand a drill well, but someone else is struggling, help them out. Coaches love people who help others and aren’t just full of themselves.

This tip is more for before and during the actual season. Staying healthy is always critical when playing sports. You should eat protein, carbs, fruits, and vegetables. Eating well is important because getting off track with your diet can reduce your stamina, which is hard to redevelop.

Equally as important as eating healthy is drinking well. When playing sports, you need to remember to stay hydrated with water. Not drinking enough water can weaken our bodies and give us heat stress.

Another thing to do if you really want to make the team is to try every position. This tip is mainly for team sports like soccer and basketball. If there’s a lot of competition in the position you play, and you really wish to make the team, try out for more than one position. You never know if the new position is the one you will play.

Furthermore, when you’re playing sports, you need to stretch. Stretching is essential, but a lot of athletes skip it. If you forget this step, it can be dangerous and lead to major injuries. So, in tryouts and practices, take your time to stretch, and don’t just rush it to be done first.

Before tryouts, always practice. You won’t just get better overnight. Work on things you aren’t the best on and improve your skills. As an athlete, you are never done practicing; there is always something new you can learn or practice. Practicing, of course, makes you better, and during tryouts, you want to showcase the best of your abilities.

And lastly, always be positive. Along with cheering for your teammates and being nice to them, make sure you are nice to your coach as well. After practices, always thank the coach. Even if you don’t end up making the team, you should still thank them because they will remember that the next year you try out.