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How to Run Soccer Tryouts

Running a high-quality youth soccer tryout is equal parts planning, design, and empathy. You’re not just ranking players; you’re creating a safe, fair, and development-minded environment that reveals technique under pressure, game intelligence, and coachability—without turning the day into chaos or a marathon of clipboards.

1) What great tryouts optimize for

  • Touches, decisions, and repeatable moments. Players need many chances to receive, turn, combine, defend 1v1, and finish. Small-sided formats are the bedrock of U.S. youth development for a reason: they concentrate touches and decisions at age-appropriate field sizes. 

  • Fairness by design (not by “feel”). Use bib numbers instead of names, multiple independent evaluators, a common rubric, and a schedule that rotates all players through the same activities. This mitigates bias and keeps selection defensible.

  • Safety and preparedness. Bake in a proper injury-prevention warm-up and clear heat/hydration protocols. 

  • Age-appropriate rules. If you’re evaluating younger players, align the session with small-sided standards and follow heading restrictions for U.S. programs.

  • Player & parent experience. Clear instructions, tight timing, friendly check-in, and fast communication of results turn an anxious day into a professional one—and reflect well on the club.

2) Pre-tryout prep (7–10 days out)

A. Define the roles

  • Tryout lead (one point of contact; owns timing and safety calls).

  • Station leads (1 per activity).

  • Evaluators (2–4; neutral if possible).

  • Check-in & bibs (2 people).

  • Medical/safety lead (first-aid, ice/cold towels, hydration).

B. Nail the paperwork & data flow

  • Registration & waiver (collect player name, birth year, preferred/secondary position, parent email, emergency contact, medical notes).

  • Bib number list (pre-assign or assign at check-in).

  • Evaluator packet (rubric + quick cues for each criterion).

  • Google Sheet (or paper backup) with one row per player and pre-formatted scoring columns + auto-totals.

  • Communication templates (accept/decline/waitlist emails ready to send).

C. Field layout

  • Reserve space for:

  • Warm-up lane,

  • Two technical stations (first touch/receiving; 1v1/2v2),

  • Finishing station,

  • Small-sided game grids (see Section 4),

  • A shaded hydration area and safety table.

D. Equipment checklist

  • Bibs numbered clearly, cones, mini-goals, full-size goals for older ages, balls (1 per player), pinnies for GK if needed, clipboards or tablets, wristwatches/timers, first-aid kit, ice/cooler, water.

E. Publish the player briefing

  • Arrival time and location pin, what to bring, color socks/shorts request (for contrast), parking, weather plan, and a clear timeline (“you’ll rotate through 4 stations plus small-sided games; everyone gets equal minutes”).

Girls During Soccer Practice

3) Safety, warm-up, and player flow

A. Injury-prevention warm-up (10–12 minutes)
Open with a progressive routine (mobility → activation → controlled plyometrics → short acceleration). The FIFA 11+ Kids program has strong evidence for reducing injury rates in youth; adapt an age-appropriate version for tryout day.

B. Heat/hydration
Set scheduled water breaks.

C. Heading restrictions
For U.S. youth, be mindful of age-based heading rules (no heading at 10U and younger, restrictions in training for 11–13). Avoid heading drills during tryouts for these ages and make sure small-sided games align.

4) The activity design (by age group)

The goal: consistent, age-appropriate constraints that surface first touch, awareness, speed of play, 1v1 duels, combination play, finishing, and basic defensive habits.

 

U8–U10 (Primarily 4v4 to 7v7 environments)

  • Station 1 — First-Touch Square (6–8 min): grid with servers playing into a central player; score on first touch quality and body shape (open to the field, receive across body).

  • Station 2 — 1v1 Lanes (6–8 min): short lanes with mini-goals; rotate quickly, count wins and ability to create space with feints.

  • Station 3 — 3v2 to Goal (6–8 min): attack in numbers, observe decisions (pass vs. dribble vs. shoot) and timing of the pass.

  • Small-sided games (4v4/5v5, 2×8–10 min): constant rotation, quick restarts, coach is silent observer; evaluate scanning, spacing, and basic transition.

U11–U12 (7v7 to 9v9 environments)

  • Station 1 — Receive & Play Forward (8–10 min): target player checks off a mannequin/cone; receive on back foot; play to mini-goals.

  • Station 2 — 2v2+Neutrals (8–10 min): keep-away to end zones; watch combination play and defensive compactness.

  • Station 3 — Finishing Carousel (8–10 min): alternating cut-backs and through balls; evaluate technique, first-time finishing, composure.

  • Small-sided games (6v6/7v7, 2×10–12 min): introduce offside if age-appropriate; assess spacing, pressing cues, and simple build-up. USYS Florida

U13–U15 (Full 11v11 environment coming into view)

  • Station 1 — Rondo → Break Lines (10 min): 4v2 rondo that expands to penetrate to a target zone; judge scanning, angles, tempo.

  • Station 2 — Functional 3v3+1 (10 min): channels by line (backs/mids/forwards) with tasks (e.g., switch point of attack).

  • Station 3 — Finishing under pressure (10 min): pattern → defender released; evaluate decision speed and execution.

  • Conditioned games (8v8/9v9, then 11v11, 2×12–15 min): evaluate positional sense, transition work rate, and coachability (do they adapt to quick cues?).

5) Evaluating fairly (what to look for and how to score)

Core technical/tactical indicators (all ages, weighted by band):

  • First touch & ball mastery (receives cleanly, prepares next action).

  • Scanning & awareness (checks shoulders, chooses good options).

  • Passing & combination play (weight, angle, timing).

  • 1v1 attacking & defending (moves, balance, recovery).

  • Finishing (technique, composure, shot selection).

  • Positioning & transition (finds space, recovers when possession changes).

  • Work rate & resilience (competes, responds to mistakes).

  • Coachability (listens, applies a cue quickly).

  • Physical qualities (speed, agility, balance—age-relative).

Bias controls

  • Use bib numbers only on scoring sheets during the session.

  • Each player is seen by at least two evaluators in small-sided games.

  • Same activities for everyone; same time on the ball.

  • If a player is injured/late, schedule a make-up slot (consistency beats convenience).

Goalkeepers

  • Give keepers a mini-circuit (handling, footwork, distribution) plus minutes in small-sided games. Score separately on: shot-stopping, 1v1s, set position, feet, communication.

Football Match

6) Roster building (after the session)

  1. Aggregate scores (Google Sheet auto-totals; see template below).

  2. Segment by role (FWD/MID/DEF/GK) and by age; a balanced roster beats one stacked with only attacking talent.

  3. Coach room: allow short qualitative notes to break ties (e.g., “reads game well as 6,” “fits high-press style”).

  4. Culture & commitment check: consider reliability and communication history.

  5. Decide early who needs a callback or a second look (especially late bloomers or injured players).

  6. Communications window

 

Send accept/decline/waitlist messages promptly and give a clear reply deadline (e.g., 72 hours). Friendly tone, direct next steps, and a development option for non-selected players (camps, clinics) keep goodwill high.

Long Island Soccer Blog

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