Trying out for Varsity Soccer an Intimidating Process, Especially for Freshmen

Girl’s soccer tryouts began the week of Feb. 15. Both the varsity and junior varsity teams have very high standards. For the past two years, the varsity team remains the reigning state champions while the JV team has always finished with a winning season. Clearly freshmen girls trying out must be somewhat nervous.

Sydney O’Brien and Lauren Kohan, both freshmen, tried out for soccer with the hopes of making a team and receiving the maximum amount of playing time.

O’Brien actively plays club soccer on a CASL Challenge team (teams practice two times a week, with some travel on the weekends).  Obviously, playing for a club team helped prepare O’Brien for tryouts.

“I went to workouts every Thursday,” said O’Brien. “They really helped me keep my skills, and I got to meet some of the girls.” On average about twenty to twenty-five girls attended the biweekly winter workouts.

There was a mandatory meeting before tryouts began that split the girls into two fields, a varsity and JV field.  “The meeting was kind of an awakening call that tryouts are really soon,” said O’Brien.

“I was placed on the JV field. I don’t really care about playing varsity freshman year,” said O’Brien. “I want to get the most playing time I can.”

“It would be nice to move up to varsity at some point, but it is not my biggest concern,” she continued.

On the first day of JV tryouts, the tryout was somewhat relaxed.  “The first day of tryouts is when it really set in [that I was trying out],” said O’Brien.

The girl’s participated in some drills to enhance touch, scrimmaged and ran a few sprints at the end of tryouts.

The second and third day was more or less the same. “I was more relaxed on the second and third days,” she said.

“A few girls came down from the varsity field, but for the most part we did the same thing,” said O’Brien. The girls scrimmaged more than the day before.

“On the fourth day I was freaking out again because that’s when we found out if we made the team or not,” said O’Brien. “We did a simple shooting drill and Ms. Riggs told us one by one if we made the team or not.”

At the end of tryouts, O’Brien ended up making the JV team. “I am in love with the team,” said O’Brien, “everybody is so nice and we have great talent and potential on the team.”

At the meeting, Kohan was placed to tryout on the varsity field. “I was nervous at first, but I knew if I was there, I deserved to be there,” she said. “Knowing that I would be going up against girls four years older than me was a scary thought.”

Kohan plays competitively for CASL on the 94 Spartan Premier team (teams practice three times a week and travel nearly every weekend). “I went to almost all the winter training sessions,” she said. “The sessions really helped me get to know the girls as well as Coach Dink.”

Although initially placed on the varsity field, Kohan remarks that she is more interested in getting playing time. “I don’t really care what team I make, although varsity would be awesome. I just want to play, whichever team gives me the most playing time, is the team for me,” said Kohan.

Kohan remained on the varsity field for the first two days and reported playing well. “As tryouts continued I felt more confident in myself, and in return performed well,” said O’Brien.

The third day Kohan was placed on the JV field. “Getting moved to the JV field was bittersweet,” she said. “I would love to be on varsity, but I would probably get more playing time on JV.”

“I ended up being fine with the move; I was proud of myself for playing well and lasting a couple of days on the varsity field,” said Kohan. “Also, knowing that Dink saw something in me was encouraging.”

Kohan ended up making the JV team. “It would have been nice to make the varsity team, but I think JV is a good fit for me this year,” said Kohan.

Both girls transformed throughout tryouts. Starting out both nervous, each girl improved their confidence throughout the tryout process. Although neither made the varsity team as freshmen, both girls are thoroughly excited about what is to come for the JV season.

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