by Brian Lo
With tryout season on the horizon, I figured I'd share a few thoughts for those of you thinking about trying out.
Next week: Part 2: What We're Looking For
- Go. This is the first piece of advice that often gets neglected. If the team is holding open tryouts, then go. (And if it's invite only, ask for an invite.) Every team's leadership hears the same excuses every year why someone's not gonna come to tryouts: I don't think I'm good enough, I heard the team's all jerks, I heard there weren't any open spots, I'm leaning toward another team or not playing at all, etc. Open tryouts are like open houses for home buyers. Just come on in and check things out. Make up your mind after you've seen things for yourself. You never know, you might just...
- Have fun. This is ultimate afterall. We all love this sport. Make plays. Make friends. Have a blast.
- Learn. New settings and new people bring opportunities for new discovery. I've been doing this frisbee thing a while now, and i'm still learning new things all the time. Maybe you get a tip on your flick huck. Maybe you do a cool drill you've never seen and bring it back to your college team that you play on/coach. Maybe you learn how to click with someone you've never played with before or learn how a different team does things. Maybe you learn how to whip and nae nae. Come with a student mentality and you'll soak up a ton.
- Go hard. Good things happen when you give it your all -- physically, mentally, and emotionally. You'll get out what you put in. So pour yourself into the experience.
Next week: Part 2: What We're Looking For