Supporting Your Athlete Through Tryouts: A Parent’s Guide
Tryouts can stir up all kinds of emotions—for athletes and parents alike. Your daughter might be buzzing with excitement one minute and battling nerves the next. And as a parent, you’re probably balancing your own worries while trying to say the right thing.
The truth is, you can’t control the outcome of a tryout. But you can influence how your athlete experiences it. Here are six ways to help her walk in with confidence and walk out feeling proud—no matter what the results are.
1. Focus on what she can control
Effort, attitude, and coachability are always in her hands. When her mind spirals to the “what-ifs” (What if I mess up? What if the coach doesn’t like me?), gently redirect her. Remind her that her power lies in how she shows up and how she responds—not in predicting the outcome.
2. Keep the car ride light
Skip the last-minute pep talks and critiques. Instead, keep the mood easy—play her favorite music, chat about something unrelated, or let her lead the conversation. The vibe in the car often sets the tone for how she feels walking into the gym or onto the field.
3. Use visualization
If she knows the tryout space, encourage her to picture herself there: walking in calm and ready, competing with confidence, bouncing back after mistakes, and being the hardest worker out there. Visualization isn’t about perfection—it’s about priming her brain to step into the moment with steadiness and belief.
4. Normalize nerves
Butterflies don’t mean weakness—they mean she cares. Teach her to take a couple of slow, deep breaths and channel that nervous energy into focus and fuel. Nerves can actually sharpen performance when framed as excitement rather than fear.
5. Reflect after—don’t ruminate
Post-tryout doubts are completely normal. Resist the urge to immediately dissect everything. Instead, let her decompress first, then guide her to name three things she did well—effort, attitude, resilience, hustle, leadership, or even bouncing back from a mistake. This shifts her brain from replaying errors to recognizing growth.
6. Stay grounded yourself
Your calm is contagious. If you’re anxious, she’ll feel it. Take your own breath, keep perspective, and remember: one tryout never defines your child. This is one step on a much bigger journey.
Tryouts test more than skills—they test mindset. By focusing on what’s in her control, keeping the energy light, and modeling calm confidence yourself, you’ll help your athlete walk away knowing she gave her best. And in the long run, that’s what builds resilience, confidence, and joy in sport.
Do you need extra help with this type of work? Is your athlete heading into a big tryout and could use a boost? We offer 1 hour power hour sessions for a quick hit! But our preferred method is our tried and true 8 week program that will deliver deep and lasting results to your athlete. Find out more about our strategy and curriculum through a free strategy call with Coach Margaret. Book your spot here.
