In this solo YouTube monologue, the speaker shares five actionable strategies for maximizing performance at soccer tryouts, whether for college or professional opportunities. The tips cover (1) befriending teammates early to increase ball possession, (2) contacting coaches weeks before the tryout with a highlight video and references to stand out, (3) constant on‑field communication to draw coaches' attention, (4) staying present and enjoying the experience to play confidently, and (5) shaking hands with coaches after the session to build lasting connections. The speaker draws on personal experience—eight open tryouts before turning pro and fifteen before earning a college spot—highlighting the importance of networking across the PDL, USL‑2, and MLS pathways. He concludes by offering personalized assistance for players needing help with outreach, emails, or highlight reels, inviting viewers to comment or contact him via the link in his bio.
Chapters
How to mentally perform— how to perform best at your next tryout. Whether it be for college or even going pro, here are 5 tips that will help you perform at your best. Number 1, make sure that you make friends with the players. You're going to be put on a team within the first half an hour of that tryout. You want to get to know the names of the players you're playing with and become friendly with them. Remember, the game you play in is really not about who wins. It's about who performs well, and you need the ball to perform well. So if you can get to know the names of your teammates, you are more likely to get the ball more often. Number 2, make sure that before the tryout even begins— I'm talking about weeks before— you reach out to the coaches with your highlight video resume, and a reference that the coaches can call to confirm you are a good player. This will make a world of a difference when you get to the tryout because now the coaches aren't just going to see you, they're going to look at you and they're going to study to see if you are a player that fits their team. Number 3: Talk a lot. Communication is everything. When I used to go to open tryouts, in which it took me 8 open tryouts to finally go pro and 15 to go play college soccer, I was constantly communicating. Man on, turn. Sometimes I would I would even yell, "Yes!" when I scored a goal. That way the coaches knew who I was and where I was playing. Grab the attention of those coaches. Number 4, be sure that you enjoy the moment. This is a fun experience. How often do you get to play 11s against competitive players with college coaches and pro scouts maybe watching you? This is a very exciting time. Live in the present, be yourself, and you will play fantastic. 5. And finally, make sure that after the tryout you go shake the hands of those coaches. These coaches have come a long way and you may not see them again. Make sure you shake their hand, get their contact information, and say thank you very much for having me at the tryout. Remember, you never know how the soccer world works. The coach I play for now at Richmond Kickers coached me when I was playing PDL or USL 2 with with the Seattle Sounders. The same ladder you go up to go pro, it's the same ladder you're going to come down, and you need to have those connections. So you never know, that coach may remember you from that tryout years from now and go, "Oh, I really liked his style, but I couldn't afford him," or "I already had a player like him, but you know what, now I need him." So make sure you shake the hands of those coaches. One of the things I love doing is giving customized advice. So if you don't know what to email, if you don't know what to say, if you already have a highlight video but you're not gaining the attention of coaches, that's where I come in. You can contact me, you can comment below, and I will see if I can help you.
