When youth sports clubs list the equipment required for tryouts, they are usually referring to the items players need to bring. While it’s important for athletes to bring the necessary equipment, uniforms, and other necessities, it’s just as important for coaches, directors, and others on the sidelines running evaluations to have the essentials during youth sports tryouts.
Take a look at some of TeamGenius’ sideline favorites of things you need to bring to tryouts to survive.
1. Mobile Device
Phones or tablets can benefit team personnel on many levels. Club officials should also keep phones nearby in case they need to contact other team administrators or personnel during evaluations to share information, answer questions, and discuss any issues. Phones should also be carried in case of emergency so team officials can quickly call for help if needed.
Make sure you have everything. Download the tryout prep checklist.
In addition, TeamGenius customers can access the application from their mobile device to track real-time results from tryouts. This allows coaches and directors to see current rankings and scores and can help guide which players they want to observe more closely. Not already a TeamGenius user? Click here to read why you should be.
Use your device to keep time
It’s crucial to keep tryouts running on-time. Therefore, all coaches and directors should have their devices handy or wear a watch to be able to track how long drills are taking and when to move groups along to the next station or exercise.
Don’t forget your charger
Club officials should bring fully charged mobile devices to tryouts, but just in case batteries run low, chargers should also be kept on-hand. Teams want to make sure all mobile devices are up-and-running throughout tryouts to prevent a lapse in communication and to ensure team administrators and evaluators are able to access the TeamGenius app.
2. Stopwatch
Coaches and directors should bring a stopwatch to tryouts in case they want to time an athlete’s speed. Even if evaluators aren’t tracking time, coaches or directors might still want to clock some players’ speeds in certain situations.
You can of course, use your phone’s stopwatch, but we recommend an actual, standalone stopwatch for ease of use.
3. Whistle
From time-to-time team officials might need to halt a drill or get players’ attention. One of the easiest ways to do so is with a whistle. All team staff members who are running stations should have one handy at all times in case they need to quickly stop or pause a drill.
Looking for drills to run at your next youth sports tryout? We’ve got you covered:
- Tryout drills for soccer.
- Tryout drills for baseball
- Tryout drills for hockey
- Tryout drills for volleyball
4. Binoculars
Occasionally, coaches and directors might need to take a closer look at a player’s technique. While the result of the play might be visible from the sidelines, club officials might want to see how the player made the play, including his or her footwork and form. In these cases, binoculars can be used to look closely at an athlete’s technique in the field or across the court.
5. Dry-Erase Board
Coaches and directors should keep a dry-erase board in their bag at tryouts. These can come in handy when trying to explain a drill, draw up a play, or offer instruction to evaluators or those running the drills. Markers and erasers should also be kept in the bag.
6. First-Aid Kit
Safety should always be top-of-mind for all team personnel. Even if medical trainers are on-hand, all team administrators on the sidelines at tryouts should be equipped with first-aid kits and supplies. In case of emergency, the faster an athlete can get medical attention, the better, so having all staff equipped with supplies can make a difference. These first-aid kits can help an injured player until a trainer or medical professional arrives.
7. Player Emergency Contact Information
Team personnel should have easy access to player emergency contact information throughout tryouts. A list of phone numbers can be kept in a coach or director’s bag so it can be grabbed quickly in case of emergency. Teams should ensure the list is accurate during the check-in and registration process.
8. Sunscreen (if applicable)
For outdoor tryouts, coaches and directors should keep sunscreen in their bag. This can help protect team personnel from strong rays, and can also help players who are showing signs of sunburn.
9. Water
Team personnel should keep water in their bags during tryouts. In addition to helping keep club officials hydrated during long tryout sessions, it will also help coaches or directors who might find themselves shouting throughout the sessions to direct players from drill-to-drill or yell instructions. Read more on the importance of hydration in youth sports, here.
10. Back-up Supplies
Teams should consider having staff carry extra equipment and supplies in their bags in case key items like a ball, cones, or bibs are lost or damaged during tryouts. This will allow the drills to continue on schedule instead of stopping play to locate new equipment.