At 8 to 10, we’re not grading soccer touch or baseball technique at tryouts. We’re watching four things. Skill isn’t one of them.
The four things we watch
Coachability
Does the kid listen to the instruction and try it right away? Do they ask when they don’t understand? Kids who nod and do what we said move up the list, and kids who nod and then do their own thing don’t.
Effort
Are they running hard on every rep and staying engaged when the play is away from them? A kid at 80 percent for the whole session beats a kid at 100 percent for thirty seconds who then checks out.
Wanting the ball
Do they go get the play, or wait for it to come to them? Do they try to win the rep? That tells us whether they want to be there.
How they treat teammates
Do they talk to other kids and celebrate when a teammate does something good? At this age we’re building a team, not an elite travel squad, so we need kids who like being together.
Where skill fits
Skill is last. The kid who can’t kick or throw well yet but is coachable, works hard, and makes friends moves up a spot every month. The kid who can kick but ignores us stays stuck.
If you want to know what each station is testing, how to read the tryout drill breaks it down.
What to tell your kid
Keep the night before calm and the message short: “I want to see you try hard, listen to the coach, and have fun with the other kids.” Then mean it when they come home, whatever the list says.