The elite NRL Calgary RATH have all been there many times—team tryouts.
Ringette players love their sport, and work to be at their best for team tryouts. Here are some inspiring strategies and tips (Off-Season and On-Ice) from a few Calgary RATH current and prospective athletes:
• Be physically prepared. Even if you aren’t going on the ice prior to tryouts, make sure that you work on your fitness, agility, strength and speed in the weeks leading up to tryouts. Coaches respect those athletes who are committed enough to prepare properly. - Paul Geddes, RATH Head Coach
• Ensure that in the weeks heading into tryouts, you are eating well, drinking lots of water and sleeping properly. - Terese Mazurkewich
• I use visualization. Envisioning all the plays I’m going to make. If I’ve already done it in my head, I don’t get nervous when it’s actually time to perform! - #11 Sarah Lesperance (Forward)
• Spend some time thinking about what you’re good at. No one is great or outstanding at absolutely every aspect of ringette. And tryouts are about showing off the skills that make you great. So make sure you know what you’re good at before you get on the ice! - #18 Christianne Varty (Defense)
• Train hard, push through the tough training sessions and imagine your last name on that jersey. - #95 Leah Wells (DAP Forward)
• Tryouts can be very nerve-wracking. Think about why you love playing ringette, and get excited for the season ahead. Not only will you perform better, but you will also enjoy these first few ice times of the season a lot more if you show up excited to be there! - #15 Paola Romeo (Defense)
• Try to get on the ice at some point before tryouts, it gets the first ice jitters out and helps you to feel confident on your skates again. - #14 Lindsey Geddes (Forward)
• Don’t focus on having the perfect ice time or tryout. That’s too big of a goal and pretty much impossible. Set yourself smaller, more manageable goals during the ice time. - #31 Bobbi Mattson (Goalie)
• When tryouts start, be confident in your skills and do your best. This is a time where you get to be on the ice with some of the best in the city, use it to make you better. Show the evaluators all you have and believe in yourself, if you do this, whether you get selected or not, you can be proud that you left everything you had out there. - #14 Lindsey Geddes (Forward)
• Stand out with hard work: hustle to the bench, race to every ring, check until you get the ring back. Skills like shooting can be taught and refined - attitude and hard work are much more difficult to coach, so make it clear that you’re the player who will work the absolute hardest no matter what. - #18 Christianne Varty (Defense)
• During drills or during the hard lap make sure you don’t cut corners. - #6 Nicole Prokop (Defense)
• Don’t be too hard on yourself. Coaches care less about your mistakes than what you do after you make them. So chase down the ring that you didn’t stab, go pick up the ring you shot that missed the net, and absolutely never quit even one second before the last whistle. - #9 Shaundra Bruvall (Centre)
• Make sure your mind doesn’t quit before your legs do. Even when you think you can’t possibly go anymore, go harder. - #9 Shaundra Bruvall (Centre)
• During the scrimmage, I like to talk with the other girls on my bench about plays we could try. If we know what each other likes to do or wants to try, then we can put it into play on the ice. It’s a win-win for all of you. - Terese Mazurkewich
• Hustle. Every time you are called in, going to get a drink, or skating to the bench to change. This will show that you are engaged and that you are there to play! - #15 Paola Romeo (Defense)
• Be positive and supportive of your fellow athletes and most importantly, have fun! - Paul Geddes, RATH Head Coach