The day before volleyball tryouts is weird a mix of excitement and nerves … I really understand how you are probably feeling right now!
Well, if you are wondering how to make the most out of those remaining 24 hours … This short article will help provide you with some gold nuggets that could make all the difference.
Let’s dive in!
Key Takeaways
- It is important to focus on optimizing energy and muscle function by prioritizing light physical exercises, stretching, and proper nutrition.
- You should not take mental readiness for granted … Visualization and positive affirmations could help.
- By organizing your logistics and gear early you will significantly minimize anxiety and help enable full focus.
Let’s Start by Physical Preparations: Light Workouts and Stretching …
Light Workouts
- Cardio: Engage in a short, steady-state cardio session. A good example for that is a 20 min jogging. This will help you fully maintain your stamina without really exerting.
- Bodyweight Exercises: Squats, lunges and push-ups for functional strength are more than enough. Try to limit repetitions to avoid muscle fatigue.
Important Tip: In addition to the exercises I share in this article, I highly recommend practicing a little bit your vertical jumps. Indeed, I highly recommend using a Vertical Jump Trainer as it will also help strengthen both your legs & hips. You can have a look at this Quality Vertical Jump Trainer to have an idea … It is useful if you want to practice in the comfort of your home!
Stretching
- Dynamic Stretches: The goal here is to activate major muscle groups and improve mobility. You can do so by implementing leg swings, arm circles and torso twists.
- Static Stretches: Are very important to calm key muscles and promote recovery … Hamstring stretch, quadriceps and calf stretches can really help.
Keep in mind that the goal is to always remain primed without exhausting your body.
I recommend having a look at these tips to get in shape for volleyball tryouts!
Nutrition a Day before tryouts are important
Don’t eat too much or more than usual …
What should you eat:
- Carbohydrates: are useful for your endurance … Examples include whole grains, brown rice, and pasta.
- Proteins: are a key element to help repaid muscle tissue. Everybody focus on meat (I can’t hate or that) but I personally prefer vegetable proteins (this is just my opinion!)
- Fats: Are also great to sustain your energy. Nuts and Olive oil are my go-to!
- Vitamins & Minerals: Fruits and vegetables of the season are a great resource!
What should you Drink:
- Water: Hydration is extremely important for muscle and overall body function. Aim for at least 7 glasses of water.
- Juices: I personally prefer Orange Juice. But you can drink juices of whatever fruits you enjoy!
Try to avoid the following elements as much as you possibly can:
- Excessively salty or sugary foods.
- Large meals.
- Eating close to bedtime.
You can learn more about what you should eat before volleyball tryouts!
Don’t forget your Mental Preparation for tryouts!
- Visualization: Try to visualize game scenarios. This is a nice way to reduce unpredictability.
- Positive Affirmations: To be honest I am not a big fan of positive affirmations. However, since many people recommend that I’ve chosen to include it … Yes, this can help replace self-doubt with constructive self-talk. Saying things like “I am prepared,” “I am built for this,” “Tomorrow’s gonna be my day” can help boost your confidence.
- Relaxation Techniques: There are so many, but the one I like the most is deep breathing exercises. This is essential not only a day before volleyball tryouts … But also, during your sport career in general!
- Journaling: I am a big fan of journaling … Indeed, when you write down things that make you anxious before the big day, this will somehow separate those bad thoughts from your mind and help you view those thoughts more objectively. Try that out, it will definitely help!
- Rest: A Full 7-8 hours of sleep are crucial to rejuvenate your mind.
Gathering Necessary Equipment and Gear the day before
- List Everything: List all essentials gear like your shoes, uniforms, protective gear (pads, sleeves …), water bottles …
- Condition Check: Make sure all the gear you have is in the right conditions to avoid any bad surprises. Makes sure your shoes have the necessary grip and structural integrity. For the knee pads, for example, make sure the padding is right.
- Pack in Advance: I personally hate the morning rush … It is important to organize items in a designated bag the day prior.
- Backup Essentials: Few people do that … Indeed, I honestly believe that not Packing extra shoelaces, socks, or hairbands is a sort of lack of professionalism! What do you think?
- Documentation: In case it is required you can carry documents like identification, medical forms as well as any other required docs.
Those simple steps will help reduce your anxiety and increase your focus!
Setting or refine your Goals for the Tryout …
Some pro players and coaches recommend setting goals for tryouts … Here you should focus on goals that matter and that can help you stand out … Aim for specific goals rather than general ones … A good example would be to improve serving accuracy to the back row.
Make sure your goals are realistic, yet don’t obsess too much over them, let things come on their own!
Talking to Experienced Players can Help!
Experienced players have gone through the process many times! They know what’ up!
If you have the chance to talk to someone try to seek for practical advice and maybe some obscure tips that can help get the coach’s attention (You can check what coaches are looking for during volleyball tryouts)
Such a conversation will incredibly increase your self-confidence!
Keep in mind that in general having a mentor who have gone through it all can make all the difference in your volleyball career!
Organize Logistics beforehand …
Confirm the tryout’s exact location and time (being late is a bad sign/aka: a red flag in some coaches’ eyes) … If you have the opportunity, try to familiarize yourself with the venue by considering a brief visit or virtual tour (if available) … If not possible, try to have a look at available online pictures or videos of the venue, this will help give you a feel of what to expect!
Also, plan your transportation and try to be there at least 30 min earlier!
Final Thoughts …
In this article I’ve tried to gather the most important elements you should focus on in those 24 hours prior to tryouts …
If you find that somewhat overwhelming, then just focus on the ones you feel are the most important and relevant to your situation!
Good Luck !!
Lastly, I recommend having a look at these solutions in case you miss volleyball tryouts!
