Atlanta, Georgia
How to Prepare
for Soccer Tryouts

The players who make the team aren’t always the most technically gifted ones on the field. They’re the ones who show up ready — mentally and physically — and make sure the coach can’t help but notice them.

Here’s exactly how to prepare, broken down into what actually gets a player noticed.

Part 1 — The Mental Game

Confidence a Coach Can Actually See.

Coaches are watching 20-plus players at once, often for the first time. They can’t evaluate technique they don’t see — and a player who hangs back, stays quiet, and waits for the ball to come to them is very easy to miss. This is the part of tryout prep most players skip, and it’s often the difference-maker.

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Be Brave
Take the first 50/50 challenge fully. Try the pass that might not come off. Ask for the ball in tight spaces instead of avoiding them. Coaches remember the player who took a risk far more than the player who played it safe and stayed invisible.
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Be Loud
Call for the ball. Talk to teammates you’ve never met before. Organize the players around you. Communication is a skill coaches actively look for — it signals game intelligence and leadership, and it’s something a quiet, technically gifted player often gets passed over for.
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Don’t Be Shy
Introduce yourself to the coach before it starts. Make eye contact. Ask a question if you have one. A coach who has a name and a face to go with a player’s number is far more likely to actually watch that player closely for the rest of the session.

One more thing that matters more than players expect: being coachable. If a coach gives a correction during the tryout, apply it immediately and visibly. Coaches aren’t just picking the best player right now — they’re picking the player who’s easiest to develop over a season. Showing you can take feedback in real time is a genuine advantage.

Who’s Evaluating You

What a Scout Is Actually Looking For.

Mirko Dieseler — UEFA B Licensed Coach and Talent Scout

I’m Mirko Dieseler, UEFA B licensed coach and talent scout. Over the years I’ve watched well over 1,000 players across tryouts and training sessions — and if there’s one thing that separates the players who get remembered from the ones who don’t, it’s decisiveness.

It doesn’t matter how a player stands out. Maybe it’s raw pace that no one else on the field can match. Maybe it’s dribbling that makes defenders look wrong-footed. Maybe it’s a strategic mind with passes that split a defense before anyone else even sees the gap. All of those get a player noticed equally.

What doesn’t get a player noticed is hesitation — the pass that almost happened, the run that almost started, the challenge that almost got made. A player has to actually commit to whatever their strength is and let it show. That’s the single biggest thing I’m watching for.

Have a question before tryouts?
Just text me directly — I’ll get back to you.
💬 Text Me: (854) 444-9971
Part 2 — The Basics, Done Well

Train the Fundamentals Before Tryout Day.

Tryouts rarely reward flashy tricks. They reward players whose basics are so clean and automatic that they can focus entirely on decisions, not execution. These three areas are exactly where that shows up first.

Touches & First Control
First Touch
The single most-watched skill in any tryout. A clean first touch that sets the ball in the direction you want to go — under pressure, on both feet — buys time and space that a heavy touch gives away instantly.
Practice: wall passes, receiving on the move, cushioning a driven ball dead in one touch — with both feet, not just your strong one.
Ball Comfort
Juggling
Juggling isn’t a party trick — it’s the fastest way to build genuine comfort and feel for the ball on every part of your foot. Players who juggle regularly develop a noticeably softer, more confident touch in real game situations.
Practice: a little every day beats a lot once a week. Start with a target number and build it up steadily — consistency matters more than any single session.
Range of Passing
Long Balls (Laces)
A driven ball struck with the laces — not the inside of the foot — is what lets a player switch play, clear danger, or find a teammate over distance. It’s a technique many young players never actually get taught properly.
Practice: plant foot beside the ball, ankle locked, strike through the center of the ball with the laces, and follow through toward the target. Start close, extend the distance gradually.
Part 3 — A Simple Plan

Two Weeks Out? Here’s What to Do.

You don’t need hours a day. Fifteen to twenty focused minutes, most days, beats one long unfocused session — and it’s realistic to actually stick to.

Every Day
✓5 minutes of juggling — both feet, thighs, head
✓Wall passes or rebounder work for first touch, both feet
✓10 long-ball strikes with the laces, focusing on technique over power
A Few Times a Week
✓Small-sided games — 1v1 or 2v2 — for game-speed decisions
✓Practice calling for the ball and talking out loud, even in low-key training
✓Work your weak foot deliberately — touches, passes, and shots
Tryout Day

The Practical Checklist.

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Cleats, shin guards, water — packed the night before
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Arrive early enough to warm up properly, not rushed
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Bring full energy from the very first minute, not just after warming up
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Play with a smile — coaches notice players who look like they love it
Want Help Getting Ready?

We Train This Every Week.

Touches, first control, long balls, and the confidence to actually use them — it’s exactly what our sessions are built around, with UEFA-licensed coaching behind every rep.

📞 +1 854 300 6170 See Additional Training →