So we all know talent, athletic ability and team needs are all crucial components in what it takes to make a softball team. However, often times a player's talent is hidden when a coach has a large group of athletes trying out. Sometimes players can be confused for other people from day to day. An attitude could make a break a person's shot at making the team regardless of the talent level. So many factors can be at play to make or break your chance at making a team. Below are 10 things you can do that will help to give you the best opportunity to have your talents seen by the coach and will help to give you the leg up on another player of equal ability.

Give yourself the best shot at making the team.

1. Say Hello! – You would be surprised how many girls do not say hello to the coach as he or she walks in. Take a split second at the beginning of the day to say hi to the coach or even introduce yourself. A coach will not forget that you made the extra effort to say hello. Take yourself away from the group of girls you are talking with or get yourself out of your comfort zone and take advantage of the first opportunity to be noticed by the coach.

2. Arrive 15 minutes Early and Offer to Help Set up- The first people that come to the tryout are the first to be noticed. As my college coach said it best, "15 minutes early is on time. To be on time is late and to be late is unacceptable." Whatever the scheduled time is that the event starts, pretend like the real time you have to be there 15 minutes earlier. A coach will always remember those who get there early! A coach is often times scrambling to get things set up at the last second while people are interrupting and asking questions. You might only have the field or gym space for a limited amount of time, so ask a coach what you can do to help get the space ready for tryouts!

3. Be the most efficient at cleaning up stations- Everyone dreads cleaning up stations. Be the person who cleans up and cleans up quickly. A coach can tell when someone moseys around to pick up one softball while a bunch of other people are picking up as many as they can carry. Be the one to pick up quickly and efficiently. It might seem minor, but it will go a long way and says a lot about your character. It tells a coach that you value his or her time and you want to be there to play softball.

4. Communicate!- I cannot emphasize this enough! A coach wants to have leaders on his or her team that are not afraid to be loud and confident. Communication is the key to a successful team. If you can be loud and confident when on defense, this will be extremely appealing to a coach. Be the one to include everyone, encourage others and uplift those around you.

5. Wear a shirt with a name on the back!- This is a tip that I never really thought of until I became a coach. When the coach does not know who you are, you do not want to be confused for someone you are not. By wearing your first or last name on your shirt, this will ensure that the coach does not get your name wrong when assessing you against others. It is frustrating for a coach to have to figure out names, assess talent and see everything they want to see in athletes in a limited amount of time. Help to make the process easier by wearing a shirt with your name on it if you have one!

6. Be coachable- make the adjustment! – In softball there are two types of athletes: Those that want to learn and those that think they know more than the coach. Believe it or not coaches are keenly aware of this. After advice or correction is communicated to an athlete, if there is no adjustment made, the coach can assume one of two things: Either you have no clue what the coach is talking about or you do not agree with the coach. Obviously, we don’t want to give off a bad attitude to the coach, so we should try to make the adjustment. Do something differently the next repetition you receive. If you do not understand what the coach is talking about…look at the next step below!

7. Ask questions!- If something is unclear, if you don’t understand what a coach told you or you are simply confused, ask the coach questions! The majority of coaches LIKE when someone asks questions so that they can further implement what they have said into their skills. Remember that when asking questions do so in an inquisitive manner instead of a condescending manner. NEVER say things like, “Well my other coach told me to do it this way.” Even if another coach told you another way of doing something, bite your tongue and do what this coach says. When a player disregards what a coach has said, it shows immediate disrespect because you are showing that you are devaluing their knowledge.

8. Hustle EVERYWHERE- It is easy to get caught up in what everyone else is doing when they walk from one place to the next. Be the one to HUSTLE. Be the first one to each station. Be the one to pick up the most softballs. Take the speed of the practice to the next level. Challenge those around you to hustle. Coaches notice this every time and it makes you look good.

9. Eye Contact- There might be a lot going on around you. You might be tired. You might be nervous. Whatever the case might be, make it a point to maintain eye contact and an interested look when a coach is speaking to you individually or to the team. If you were talking to someone and you saw their eyes glaze over and head go down would you feel respected and that they were valuing what you were saying? Probably not. You might think that the coach is not paying attention to that sort of thing, but they absolutely are noticing those little things.

10. Say thank you- At the end of practice or tryouts, of course you will help clean up. Once that is over REMEMBER to thank the coach. The coach has given you an opportunity to try out for a sport that you love. There is no greater feeling than being appreciated for the time and dedication that you put forth. Take some time before you rush out of practice and voice your thanks to the coach when you have the coach’s full attention.

BONUS : ALWAYS BE DOING SOMETHING- Never get caught standing still or not working on something. Even if you are next in line you can be slowly going through your swing, practicing going through what your coach just corrected you on or getting ready to jump in on the next rep. Always keep yourself busy!

When I was a player, no matter for tryouts or for practice, I would always try to be the first to practice and last one to leave. I wanted to soak up every minute that I could with information and appreciation for the opportunities I had. Be an example and try to do the same whenever possible!