high school varsity tennis tryouts

[GOOOOOGA]

im a freshman trying out for varsity (tryouts begin in a couple of days). What do you think of my chances? Don't worry I definitely won't sugarcoat my "tennis abilities". Our team (a Maryland school) went undefeated last year, but 3 of our 4 singles guys graduated (they were all top 10 Mid-Atlantic ranked players). Our singles players this year arent quite as good, but our number 1 this year went undefeated last yr in the number 3 spot. Anyways, becuase we graduated 4 srs and 1 jr left the school, there are 4 or 5 spots for the team. The coach is giving one to our JV's #1 and another to JV's #2. The remaining 2 or 3 spots are toss ups. I'm the only freshman trying out. My forehand is actually very reliable, a weapon. In pressure situations, I'm not worried about it faltering. My onehand backhand is decent, i'll get the ball back nice and deep with topspin, but it's not as great of a weapon as my forehand. My volleys are pretty good and my serve is like a schizoprenic; one day it'll be heavenly, the next day, it'll be a little b**** (sry, haha). I'm fast and move around the court well. I can very nearly beat several returning varsity players. In self-evaluation, though, my biggest problem is confidence. I'm telling myself I'm better than everyone trying out, but deep inside, i'm actually crazily nervous. I know i want it more than anyone else, but that may become a problem as my nerves kick in during matches. I'm guessing the coach'll want a good netplayer b/c the new varsityers probably wont crack singles. During tryouts, should I serve and volley alot more? Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Scheiner]

I was Varisty 1st Doubles last year (my freshman year), but it also depends on how other people are. Dont worry about it.

 

[Scheiner]

I was Varsity 1st Doubles last year (my freshman year), but it also depends on how other people are. Dont worry about it.

 

[JackD]

First of Goooga....good luck you've got nothing to lose. I think its good that you recognize the coach may be looking for more then just singles results. However, because you openly admit that nerves may be a factor don't rush into the net. The first thing you wrote about is your forehand, I'd start there. In the first few games try to get comfortable with "your" game(sounds like ripping the forehand). As you play you will probably start to relax and then I'd say show off your all court game and mix in some serve and volleys.

Before tryouts remember you can practice your serve on your own and spend some time working on it. Consistency is often in the toss. Also make sure you have a serving ritual. (ex. 2 ball bounces, exhale and serve) Practicing the same little ritual before you serve can help relax you and keep nerves out of the equation, and it keeps you from rushing your normal pace.

Remember your only a freshmen and really have nothing to lose. Relax and enjoy the experience. If you don't make it you should have a great idea of what it takes and what you need to work on to get to the next level.

 

[Marius_Hancu]

Check
Wanting to improve my Tennis and make the varsity team

Boy's Varsity tryouts coming up...

 

[gts072]

As JackD said, try to relax in your tryouts. I know everybody is fighting for a spot on the team but don't put unnecessary pressure on yourself. Play to your strengths and exploit your opponent's weaknesses. Don't let a current varsity player intimidate you. And enjoy yourself too while you're at it.

I remember a long while back I tried out for my HS varsity team as a freshman, I got no further than JV#1 which is basically good enough for doubles or alternate singles. I moved up to #4 varsity the next year and then #2 varsity my senior year. Persistence, patience, and plenty of practice pays off!

 

[Marius_Hancu]

as you seem to need advice on the mental side, I'd suggest running a search at:
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/search.php?
keyword: mental
Search in Titles Only
and you will find several threads with mental tips there.

 

[GOOOOOGA]

thanks guys. i heard that one way to cool urself down when ur gettin a little hotheaded in a match is to put ur racket in ur lefthand in between pts. does that work?

 

[Perfect]

thanks guys. i heard that one way to cool urself down when ur gettin a little hotheaded in a match is to put ur racket in ur lefthand in between pts. does that work?

The thing that does is just putting your racquet in your nondominant hand which will prevent you from throwing it. I don't believe that though

 

[JackD]

Perfects right I can do some damgae with the raq in either hand.

 

[moosryan]

that just makes your right hand less tired. i treid it for one tourney and now its become a force of habit. grows on you quickly.

 

[TommyGun]

As a high school and JUCO coach for the past 20 years, I also say congratulations and good luck!

In my mind you have to do three distinct things to make the varsity:

1. Show ENTHUSIASM! Always be positive, be happy to be trying out and possibly making the team, and give your 110%, even when the coach says pick up the balls at the end of practice, or if he tells you to hit with someone of lesser ability, or if he asks you to get his lunch! (LOL) I have often taken a kid of great enthusiasm over a slightly better player who thinks they are a prima donna or have crappy attitudes.

2. BE A TEAM ORIENTED PLAYER! Its team tennis at your level. Be willing to do whatever the coach askes for the good of the team, even if its you sitting on the bench (learn to juggle if you do, its a valuable skill and it also comes in handy at parites.)

3. Be willing to learn. Listen carfully to the coaches, to better players, to teachers and parents. You can learn a lot, and I will tell you I'd rather have a player that can learn and I can teach then one who thinks they know it all.

Now, having said that, at the high school level there are about .01 percent of the people who can and will play the net. Since you are a freshman, odds are you will play doubles. I suggest you show how well you can volley. You don't have to play serve and volley, but at every good opportunity get to the net. You might also want to find someone else who is trying out and see if they might want to play doubles with you, then spend a couple of days learning how to play doubles correctly. Learn how to do that and you will win, your coach will notice, and you have a better chance of making the team.

Here in NJ I give part of the high school coaches clinic most years. Every time I do I always remind the coaches that in our format (3 singles, two dubs) the dubs points are more critical then the singles. And anyone who actually knows how to play dubs always will get the nod over someone who doesn't know how, even if they individually are better players.

 

[Serve-And-Volley]

Good luck and stay confident, I tried out for my high school team a few weeks ago as a freshman and am going in as the 3rd of 4th seed. Relax, and stay calm, and make sure and keep your eyes on the coach and stay focus to what he/she is saying. You'll be fine I have faith in you. Best of luck.

 

[Scheiner]

As a high school and JUCO coach for the past 20 years, I also say congratulations and good luck!

Here in NJ I give part of the high school coaches clinic most years. Every time I do I always remind the coaches that in our format (3 singles, two dubs) the dubs points are more critical then the singles. And anyone who actually knows how to play dubs always will get the nod over someone who doesn't know how, even if they individually are better players.

What schools do you teach at?

 

[GOOOOOGA]

thanks again. i'll keep posting for any progress/questions that come up. i called up a returning varsity player and we'r gonna play on sunday. i guess depending on how well i do against him will indicate my chances of making the team. and how do u join a USTA TeamTennis team in ur area?

 

[PurePrestige]

Gooooga, do you have a Mid-Atlantic Ranking?
Who were those Top 10 midatlantic guys.
I'm a Northern Virginia player, something like 87 Midatlantic.

 

[GOOOOOGA]

yea, pureprestige, it was farhat muhawi and elliot bisnow. mebbe if u look at the national standings, u'll see them, too. farhat was like 90th and elliot was 60th. one of our singles players didn't play for most of the year with an injury, and so we had a jr take his place (fornaciari). northern virginia? have u heard of treat huey? him and farhat have had some sweet matches last yr. farhat's only losses came to treat. as for myself, i just started playing b16s, so my ranking isn't too high, i've played in 2 satellites (my ranking is like 290) but in b14s i got as high as 80th (a little bit of luck, too, cuz i wasn't nearly as good then as i am now and most of my wins/pts in b14s came from defaults).

 

[TommyGun]

Scheiner,

I don't teach, but have been able to coach for a long time. I was an assistant at Wall High ('90 and '91 Division champs), Point Pleasant Boro, and Head at Lakewood Prep. I was the Men's and Women's coach at OCC until this past year. Tough to keep up with the schedule if you are not a teacher and have a "real" job (not a shot at teachers, please, just the reality that if you have to be places from about 8-5 it is hard to schedule and execute practices and a good match schedule without a lot of juggling.)

 

[Scheiner]

Oh alright. I am playing Varsity at Secaucus High school in Northern New Jersey, about 5-10 minutes out of NYC

 

[moosryan]

gooooga, you a landon kid? I used to go to gds, but go to whitman now.

 

[TommyGun]

Scheiner,

I'll keep an eye on your team this year. Make sure your team calls in all their scores to the Star Ledger.

What is your grip size, and what do you currently play with? Also, what position do you currently play?

Coach Tommy Gun

 

[Scheiner]

Err... sign ups are Monday and I sort of broke my racquet Wednesday. I was power serving at my school, so I hit one and both sides of the frame shatter.

I am pushing myself to play 3rd Singles and we arent the best team in the regular division, but I am planning to push my team to States in 3 years.

 

[GOOOOOGA]

moosryan, yea im a landon-er. i was just curious to see what my chances were on makin varsity as a freshman by posting on this site. u go to whitman, huh? thats an upgrade over GDS. that skool (GDS) was HORRIBLE at sports , xept for mebbe "synchronized swimming". u play varsity at whitman? our varsity scrimmages u guys in the middle of march.

 

[TommyGun]

Scheiner, please email me through the member directory here. I might be able to solve your racquet problem...

 

[moosryan]

gds sports are pretty bad...their tennis team was actually decent when my brother was there. i'm a freshman though, but i'm hoping to make varsity

 

[GOOOOOGA]

sweet, same here. mebbe i'll play u in the scrimmage, tho thatd be kinda awkward. ur chances r probably tougher, tho, right? i mean, landon isn't gonna be too good this yr plus im the only relatively "good" freshman (the other froshes trying out rn't even guaranteed to make JV). whitman probably haslike a bunch of good freshman. good luck, tho. when do ur tryouts start? ours start tmrw but we'r gonna be rocked the next few days with snow. NO SCHOOL! hehe. btw, since this is a safe place ( ihope), im Ammar. who're u? i mightve heard of u. Is ur name like Moose Ryan or somthin? lol. i dunno.

 

[moosryan]

my name is sam. whitman is gonna be tough, but i got hopes, i just have to play well. we're not allowed to start til tuesday by county rules, but with all this snow, who knows...

 

[GOOOOOGA]

PROGRESS- the coaches r making first cuts tmrw, but so far im 0-5 in matches, all but one of the matches by 3-6. the annoying part is that all the people I played are either borderline returning players or people trying out who r pretty much guaranteed a spot on varsity. Meanwhile, some of the other guys trying out have gone 4-1 or somthin because they'v played people I KNOW i could easily beat. So, is this unfairness on the part of the coaches or is it a good sign (that they r matching me up with good players)?

 

[MegacedU]

Hey goodluck. It all depends on how large your school is. My tennis team sucks and they still only let juniors and seniors on varsity and nonetheless only let the seniors play. But do your best and take the net often. I made varisty this year, I'm a junior and I was the only non-senior to play. Don't be too discouraged if you dont make it, join JV and be #1 I was number 1 for 2 years before I was able to play on varisty.

 

[GOOOOOGA]

thanks Meg. yea our school isn't too big (about 700 or 800 kids) but we have a strong tennis program. I think i wouldn't have any problem making the team if there wasn't the issue of "seniority". i guess i'll only understand this "seniority" thing when I'm myself a Sop****re trying out for Varsity (granted that i dont make it this year).

 

[Kaptain Karl]

Watching your progress with great interest. Remember, attitude is huge. (I am a HS Coach in Colorado. I'll take a kid with a good attitude over a snotty know-it-all.)

- KK

 

[GOOOOOGA]

tryouts ended a couple of days ago, and sadly i got cut. for some reason i just wasn't playing as well as i usually do, which was odd b/c on the USTA-tournament scene, i'm very relaxed and am able to play my game. it might've been the fact that i was playing people i knew well, or mebbe i just choked thinking about my chances of making varsity. i missed a huge opportunity (there were 5 spots open and next year only 2 will be open with 2 good rising freshmen coming up). next year's tryouts will be alot more competitive, with at least 9 guys with an equal chance to make the team. i'll use this season on JV to improve my game. Maybe if i play 1 or 2 singles on JV, the V coach'll notice me and i'll get a favorable standing next year.

 

[sebastiaN911]

sorry but im from canada, can someone tell me what grades are varsity

In canada, we just say grades like 8 9 10 11 12,
where i live, this is the first year our school is having a tennis team lol and i just started playing 1 month ago, our tryouts are next week,


whats JV and V

 

[Kaptain Karl]

Be the best JV player you can. Be an encourager and a leader on the team. Be the player who ******** the others to cheer-on a struggling teammate. Have a great JV season.

- KK

 

[GOOOOOGA]

KK, thanks for ur support

sebastian, varsity and junior varsity (JV) are the two "interscholastic" high school teams in a sport. the best guys normally go to varsity and the guys a notch down usually go to JV. thats how it's supposed to work. normally what happens is that Varsity is for decent 12th graders, good 11th graders, pretty good 10th graders, and great to amazing freshmen. JV ends up being pretty much a "10th and 11th grade team" that rarely, if ever, has seniors and several freshmen. it all depends on how good the school is at that sport. hope this helped

 

[sebastiaN911]

thank's GOOOOGA that helped alot,

ur sports thing is crazy cuz u can have young grade 9's on a team with gr 12's lol
guess that would be fun if ur a gr 9


that would be super rare here cuz the gr9 would have to be super atheltic and very skilled

 

[Kaptain Karl]

that would be super rare here cuz the gr9 would have to be super atheltic and very skilled

It is not common on US HS teams. It does happen, though.

- KK