Tryouts
Tryout questions for the player you have
Roster size, playing time, who coaches next year, how players move up — chosen by your player's temperament and goal.
Bring six questions, not twenty. Which six depends on the player: a newcomer needs the roster count, a kid who lives for minutes needs the written playing-time policy, and a player aiming at college needs to know where last year's oldest team went.
If your player is new to competitive soccer
- How many players are on this roster, and how many dress for a game?
If your player cares most about playing time
- Is there a written playing-time policy for this age group? May I see it?
If your player takes time to settle in
- Who coaches this team next season, and how long have they been with the club?
If your player wants to be pushed
- How do players move between your teams, and how many moved up last year?
- Which coaching license does this team's coach hold, and from which organization?
If your player plays other sports too
- What happens when a player misses practice for another sport in season?
If your player is aiming at college
- Which showcases does this team enter, and where did last year's oldest team go?
If your player is joining a club that ran a deficit
- Did fees or charges change during last season?
Always
- What did a family on this team pay last year beyond the posted fee?
- How many players tried out for this team last year, and how many were offered a spot?
- May we watch a full practice with this team's coach before we decide?
A straight answer is a number or a document. Cost questions are in 10 questions to ask before signing.
Quick answers
- What should I ask a soccer club at tryouts?
- Three questions always: what a family on this team paid last year beyond the posted fee, how many players tried out against how many were offered a spot, and whether you may watch a full practice with the team's coach. The rest depend on the player — roster size for a newcomer, the written playing-time policy, who coaches next season.
- How do I know if a club is right for a shy or new player?
- Ask how many players are on the roster and how many dress for a game, and who coaches the team next season and how long they have been with the club. A number and a name are straight answers; a philosophy is not.
- What should a player aiming at college ask a club?
- Which showcases this team enters and where last year's oldest team went. Where strong players gather says something; a club's promise says nothing.
Find your club's costsUpdated September 25, 2026