As the spring season approaches, so are many tryouts. Tryouts are not an easy thing to undergo, and nerves can often stop athletes from doing the best they can. Nerves are something you can never truly overcome, but having an insight on what tryouts are like and what coaches may be looking for can help.

A common denominator for joining any sport here at Taylorsville is that you must be registered on “Register My Athlete” and have all your paperwork done, and you must have pretty good grades. For most teams, you need a 2.0 and no more than one ‘F’, but for more professional teams such as drill, a 2.5 is required.

Depending on the sport there are different activities to do for the coach to see how you play.

Jace Hymas, Head Coach for Boys’ Golf and Softball, said “Golfers are the easiest to choose because they play and turn in their scorecards. I simply keep those that score low or show promise if they are Freshman or Sophomores. Softball is a little different because most players play accelerated ball all summer. They are compared to each other in the categories of hitting’ throwing, catching, running and coachability.”

For sports like track and field, and swim going to clinics followed by the first few practices is what gets you on the team. Usually, teams will have athletes play matches against each other to determine how good an athlete is. Making it on the team doesn’t mean that you are the best in your field, it means that you showed the most potential and worked well with the others on the team.

Sometimes coaches prefer a younger athlete. Quinn Allred, Head Coach for Boys’ Tennis and Assistant Coach for Girls Tennis, said “Tryouts for tennis are very straight forward. It comes down to if you can beat the other guys that are trying out, what grade you are in and your attitude. We only keep 18 guys and tend to not keep Seniors or Juniors that aren’t playing Varsity or at least towards the top of JV.”

Trying out for teams when you are a freshman or sophomore can strengthen the chances of you making that team. Now, while perfection may not be the reason you make the team, having experience and practice is something that will strengthen your chances 100%.

“The best thing you can do to make the tennis team is play tennis. Go to the park and play with a friend or your family. Success in tennis really comes down to how many tennis balls you have hit in your life. A good portion of the players we keep, in boys and girls tennis, are first time players, so if you have played before you have a really good shot at making the team,” said Allred.

When trying out, it is important to listen fully to all of the coaches instructions. Coach Hymas said, “I look for work ethic, coachability, academics, fundamentals, teamwork, and desire in my athletes.”

Most coaches will look at if you can follow directions well and play nicely with others. “I am really looking for dancers who are kind, have a great work ethic and are dedicated. I would invite anyone that meets those qualifications to tryout. Drill is hard and is a big time commitment but the rewards from being on such a prestigious team will out way those hard days. The girls practice often and by the end become more like sisters,” said Head Drill Team Coach Alisha Lee.

“I will share information on our Instagram, Facebook page, and send reminders through the “Remind App”. Anyone is welcome to contact me with questions about the process and what it’s like being on the team. I am really looking for dancers who are kind, have a great work ethic and are dedicated. I would invite anyone that meets those qualifications to tryout.” said Lee. Taylorsville High is always looking for hardworking, coachable, and kind athletes.