My last two articles have discussed important factors that come into play when trying to impress a coach at tryouts. This series spawned from my recent experience as an evaluator in our State District Camp; where I realized that many players didn't know how to carry themselves in ways that would showcase their abilities and impress an on-looking coach. In this 3-part series, I hope to give players an "insider's look" at what coaches are watching for. This knowledge, applied properly, should help give you the edge you need going into tryout season. Off-Ice Strategy On-Ice Strategy On-Ice Performance This article (part 3) is all about optimizing your performance on the ice. Let's hit it! Make Yourself Stand Out! Part of showing well in a tryout is doing things that…

I recently had the opportunity to serve as an evaluator in our State District Camp. There were four groups, and our job was to decide which players would move forward to the regional camp at each age group. As I watched the various sessions, it was interesting to see which players understood how to look good in a tryout, and which players didn't. You know how some people do well in school because they're "good test takers?" Well, doing well in tryouts works the same way, to a certain extent. Yes, it's important to have talent, but you need to "showcase" your talent in a way that will help the coach see your value to the team. We're going to address this topic in 3 parts: Off-Ice Strategy On-Ice Strategy…