02
March
Tryout Success Starts With The Six P’s: Proper, Prior, Preparation Prevents Poor Performance
Posted by Greg Carter
Playoff games can be stressful, but ask any player or parent, and they will tell you that when it comes to stress, tryouts are at the top of the list. Players are no longer competing with their buddies against another team during tryouts, they are now facing each other, competing for a limited number of spots on a team. I have evaluated tryouts for many years and noticed that players seem to fall into a few different categories: those that rise to the occasion and tryout really well, those that don’t tryout well for a variety of reasons, and then those in a middle group that don’t do much to hurt their chances, but also don’t do a whole lot to shine and really help their chances of making the team.
So do tryouts bring out the best in you, or the worst in you? Or are you somewhere in the middle group? What is interesting is that the players that seem to have their best stuff during tryouts, are also the players who have a calm and collected demeanor. In other words, they come to the rink prepared and in a good mindset, ready to compete and showcase the skills that they have developed.
The “Six P’s” can apply not only at tryout time, but also with school, work and just about every task that presents itself. Proper, prior, preparation is all about making sure that you are in the best position possible to succeed. It is often said that a big part of stress is directly attributable to simply not being prepared. When it comes to hockey, and tryouts, how prepared are you? Are you hitting the ice with enough rest to perform at your peak? Have you paid attention to your diet so that you have the fuel that you will need to bring the energy necessary to outwork the competition?
How about your hockey skills? Have you put in the necessary time required to improve the skills in your game? As we have noticed at our Massachusetts-based hockey school, as players advance through the various levels of youth hockey, the skill level of players increases dramatically, and no where is it more evident than at tryouts where dangles and snipes can be the difference in whether or not you make the team.
What I really like about the six p’s is the word proper. Preparation can mean many different things to players, and the key is preparing the proper way. If you need to work on your skating, you need to understand the proper fundamentals of power skating. If you are working on your stick handling, you need to practice the proper mechanics, such as keeping your head up. If you prepare in the proper manner, you will reap the benefits. Practice like a champion to perform like a champion.
Good luck with your tryouts and we look forward to seeing you at one of our hockey schools this summer!