Showing Up Ready to Go: The Defender’s Checklist for School Tryouts

Back in June, we released a blog on how defender’s can stand out at summer events such as tournaments, prospect days, and showcases.

As we approach tryouts for players around the country, it feels appropriate to revisit these concepts as many of them contain similar advice as to how I would urge defenders (and all players, really) to approach their team’s tryouts and season.

In fact, Nelson Rice at US Lacrosse just repurposed a portion of this blog in the same fashion. I recommend checking it out here [coming soon] as many of these concepts are universal and will apply to the spring season as well. He did a great job of condensing and highlighting key ways defenders can make an impact and get noticed while still adding value to the team. After all - even more so in school tryouts than summer events - coaches want players that will make the team better.

The aforementioned summer blog gives a “checklist” for overrated / underrated things a defender can do on the field. I have summarized a few of these points at the bottom of the page. In addition to the checklist, I want to touch on how players can show up to tryouts physically and mentally prepared to show their best. I have distilled these thoughts into 3 major points that I believe will help any player approaching a tryout or practice.

1. Framing Your Mindset: Add Value – Don’t try to “Just Make the Team”

Perspective matters and the framing of your mindset can do a lot more for you than you think. Wanting to make a team is an understandable goal, but if your mindset is to “just make the team”, you are limiting your potential. Rather, frame the mindset to When you constantly look at your tryout and practice effort through the lens of “how do I make my team better?” the important little things will never be too small for you, and these things matter. If we focus too much on making an impact and standing out, we may overlook critical things that a coach deems important. As a current PLL player and Varsity HS coach, I wear both hats and am able to notice the differences in myself.

Tell yourself everyday that your objective is to make the team better and you are willing to do what it takes to do so. This mindset is one that encourages defenders to communicate as loud as possible, to pick up teammates, to set an example by hustling after loose balls, and ultimately be the type of player that coaches want to coach and peers want on the team.

2. Show Up Prepared: Skills and Conditioning

In life we can only control certain things – the best take charge of these things to get what they want, while the rest make excuses. There are many factors we can’t control in sports. Size, athleticism (to a degree), competition at your position, certain innate abilities and more are examples of less controllable factors; however, there are many things we can control.

3. Stick Work + Strength & Conditioning = Controllable

Show up to your tryout with sharp stick work, in good shape, and mentally focused on the team’s systems. This is low-hanging fruit for a coach to assess the commitment of their guys. Nearly every coach starts off tryouts with a fast-paced stick work drill to assess the status of player’s stick skills and conditioning. Naturally, there are many dropped balls and out of breath players. Make sure you are not those guys. Come in prepared with excellent stick work and in great shape, and you will make an impression of the start.

Take advantage of all the time you have before the season gets rolling. Get out to throw with some friends, hit the wall daily, move your feet to simulate realistically scenarios, work with your strength and conditioning coach. It will pay off when the season rolls around. Knowing you put in this work will instill a level of confidence in you when you step on the field. You will feel prepared.

4. Developing Presence: Be the Communicator and Take Charge

I remember my sophomore year of high school at Loyola Blakefield trying out for the varsity team. I didn’t have a ton of confidence compared to some of the older defenders, but I told myself I would be the loudest player on the field. Similarly, my freshman year at Maryland I only got time as an off-ball defender. I was nowhere near as athletic and physically dominant as some of the older All-Americans on our team; however, I tried to be the best communicator on the field. Making it a focal point to step out of my comfort zone and communicate opened up playing opportunities for me. This is in your control. Be the communicator when you step on the field.

In addition, every defense needs at least one player (ideally more) to take charge on the field during the plays and in between. The coach needs to know that at least one of the guys on the field will get the guys focused and organized (this is often contagious). You can feel guys like this on the field, they have presence. If you have great presence on the field, your teammates will feel you, your coach will feel you, and your opponents will feel you. Having great presence is one of the most consistent factors of great defenders – people know when they are on the field.

5. Defender’s Checklist for Tryouts

Here is a quick list summarizing points above and a few others that defenders (and all players) ought to focus on when preparing for tryouts:

1. Frame Your Mindset: Adding Value to the Team
2. Be Prepared: Stick Work + Strength & Conditioning = Controllables
3. Developing Presence: Teammates, Coaches, and Opponents feel you

1. Be the Loudest on the Field: use names and clear direction
2. Take Pride in All Roles: on-ball and off-ball equally as important
3. Tough GB’s: own the crease before leaking into transition
4. Clear the Ball! (make the easy pass – see blog about Maryland’s clear here )
5. Balanced Aggression: do not be passive, but do not allow your aggression to be a weakness
6. Bring Positive Energy: be the guy that people want to be around and have on their side
7. Have Great Body Language: no palms, no slamming the stick – have the “get the next one” mentality and show it in the way you carry yourself

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