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Tryouts

The Next Steps After Being Cut from a Team

By Ontario Minor Hockey Association, 04/26/17, 3:30PM EDT

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There are plenty of positives to take away from Tryouts

Tryouts can be tough. It’s a short period of time to be at your best on the ice and sometimes those timelines don’t match up. There are a limited amount of spots on each team and not everyone can make the cut. Plenty of emotion is involved from coaches, parents and players but tryouts shouldn’t be viewed as the be all, end all of the season.

Bumps in the road are all part of being an athlete. Not everyone is crowned a winner at the end of the season and there will be ups and downs during everyone’s time playing hockey. How a player handles not making a team shouldn’t have an effect on how they view the game and their attitude towards the upcoming season. This situation doesn’t have to be a negative and there are many ways to turn it into positives.

Don’t get Discouraged: Tryouts are not a defining moment in your hockey life. They are meant to place players with similarly skilled peers to ensure the most competitive hockey experience. It’s okay to be upset about not making a team but keep it in perspective. Find someone to talk to about

Move on and Focus on This Year: The tryouts are now a part of the past and you have a new team to focus on. Find out what your next steps are and the next team in your area to try out for. Give just as much effort as you would for any of your teammates no matter what team you’re playing for.
 
Never Stop Improving: No athlete will say they having nothing in their game to improve on. Keep working hard on your skills and you’ll notice the amount of effort you put in will pay off over the season. There are a number of tools and resources available such as the OMHA Players Club that offer skill-building challenges to help improve your skillset in different areas.



Don’t Point Fingers: The decision to cut you from the team was not personal. It’s not the coach’s fault and not necessarily yours either. Maybe the skills you offered to the team weren’t a fit on the makeup of the roster. Review what the coach’s expectations of the tryouts were and see where you can grow your game.

Take any disappointment you may be feeling and turn it into motivation to do better next year. You won’t improve your skills by not taking the time to work hard on them. Use the lessons you’ve learned over the tryout process and work towards your goals for next season. But don’t forget to have fun this year!

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