A 90-minute high-school tryout, a six-line evaluation sheet, and the four parent questions you should answer before anyone asks them. Print it. Run it.
90-minute tryout
Two fields if you have them. Same plan on both. Staff does not stand in a clump. One person owns the clock.
0–10 min
Arrival rondo
4v2 or 5v2. Watch who finds a ball, who hides, who talks.
10–25 min
1v1 both ways
Channel. Attack, then defend. Score the 1v1, not the tour.
25–45 min
4v4 + targets
Two mini-goals. First look after a win. Who scans?
45–55 min
Water + notes
Staff only. Three names you already know, three you don’t.
55–80 min
8v8 or 9v9
Real shape. Corners if you have time. Do not invent extra rules.
80–90 min
Close
Thank them. Tell them when the list goes up. No speeches.
What you actually score
1–4. No 7-point scales. If you cannot explain a 2 vs a 4 in one sentence, the sheet is too clever.
First touch
Does the ball die, or does it go somewhere useful?
1v1 defending
Side-on, delay, no dive. Recovery if beaten.
Scan
Head up before the ball. Knows the next pass.
Work after a loss
Nearest three jump, or a walk.
Coachable
Changes on the next rep. Not the loudest, the one who adjusts.
Competitive
Wants the ball in a 50/50. Doesn’t sulk after a miss.
Parent meeting — four answers
When is the roster posted?
Give a day and a time. Then hit it. Silence is what starts the email chain.
Will playing-time be equal?
No. Say it once, calmly. Development happens in training. Minutes in games are earned.
Can we talk after tryouts?
Not in the parking lot. Office hours, 10 minutes, player present if they are in high school.
What should my kid bring?
Cleats, shin guards, water, a ball with their name on it. No jewelry. Pinnie if you issued one.
Need the actual sessions after the roster is up? 12-week preseason pack or the drill library.