Assuredly, a football trial isn’t just for experienced players or players unattached to clubs. For most, you may get called on for a trial before playing for any team. A football trial is an opportunity to impress scouts, coaches, and new clubs with your skills.
If you’ve been invited for a football trial session, get ready to showcase your talent before a panel of recruiters. They will want to see how good you’re on the pitch during the games. If you’ve can’t prove that you’re the player they are looking for then you miss out on playing for their team. For this reason, it’s key that you adequately prepare for the trials if you want to ace the trial be it a live assessment or exit trial.
In this article, we share with you the best tips for nailing your football trial.
- Learn from feedback
Ken Blanchard once said, “Feedback is the breakfast of champions.” The feedback your coach gives you is one of the tools which will help you nail your football trial. On the pitch, you’re likely to receive different types of feedback i.e. technical feedback which can either be descriptive or prescriptive. On the descriptive side, the coach may directly tell you what they’ve witnessed and then tell you what not to do. Prescriptive feedback offers detailed information on how a player can improve their skills. Through feedback, your coach passes on the knowledge that can help improve your performance on the pitch. Coaches can see areas that need improving. It also allows them to gauge how you’re performing to their expectations. So the next time your coach says something about your dribbling skills, take in that feedback and do as they say because it will help you nail your trial like a professional.
- Train
There couldn’t be a better form of preparation than training. Develop a training program while covering the core areas of the football academy framework which includes training your mind. Here, you test your brain by visualizing how the football trial is likely to be. Dream of that moment when you dribble past the defender and score a goal for your team. It doesn’t seem like so much to do however, the first step to winning is visualizing the trial before it happens. In addition, only keep around people that speak positively. People who will always tell you they believe in you and you will make it. The other important part revolves around technical preparation. Here you work on polishing basic skills such as passing, dribbling, shooting, ball manipulation, and close control. In addition, is tactical preparation where you focus on how professional footballers from around the world play. Pay close attention to how they communicate with other players, their style, and how they handle the ball. The main point is also to focus on players in your position.
- Be Experienced
Being an experienced footballer means a lot of physical preparation. You need to prepare the same way you prepare for a match and more. How can this be achieved? Firstly:
Physical preparation is essential. An experienced footballer must put in the work on their physical fitness. Visit the gym and work out as often as possible. Your goal should be to improve your flexibility, speed, cardiovascular endurance, strength, and acceleration. The importance of all this is because oftentimes recruiters pick athletic players. Training an athletic player on new skills is much easier than one who isn’t fit.
Feed your body because your physic needs to be in its best shape. Pump up your body with enough carbohydrates at least three days before the trial match. Carbohydrates include oats, brown rice, sweet potatoes, and quinoa. Make sure to include vegetables and fruits in your diet as well.
Have plenty of rest. Having a proper sleep pattern especially after having your carbohydrates helps store enough energy before the trial happens. You’ll even feel more confident physically and mentally when on the pitch. On the days towards your trial stick to one sleeping pattern every night. Make sure that your body rests for at least 8 hours for better results.
- Look the part
Just like a job interview how you show up for the football trial affects recruiters. You want to be considered as a professional footballer, not someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing. This however doesn’t mean you have an entire makeover on expensive football equipment. What you need here are basics such as a reasonable sports bag, clean football boots, training tracksuit, water bottle, shin pads, shorts, socks, and t-shirt among other things. Having the right football attire helps get you into the right mindset. The recruiters will be taken by the way you carry yourself in a professional manner which is more than a bonus point for you.
- Don’t be late
There’s nothing that can disqualify you like when you arrive late to a football trial. Not only does this look bad for you in front of recruiters but it also messes you up. You must arrive early so that you can stretch up and become one with the environment. It also gives you a chance to meet and chat with some of the recruiters. All this will help ease up the tension so you can visualize the trial and make a good impression.
- Believe in yourself
Technical football skills can be taught to almost anyone, however, confidence must come naturally to any player. Recruiters are well aware of this and are sure they’ll look out for this trait as you showcase your talents. So, make sure to apply confidence when playing and leave all your fears behind. Work as hard as you can and even if you make a mistake, correct it immediately so can appear professional.
To sum this up……
Any footballer planning to go for trials will always experience nerves. Rather than scaring you away, let it be motivation to even work harder while applying these tips. Make sure you eat well, sleep enough, train physically, exercise your brain, take in feedback, look the part, and above all don’t be late!
