Every year student athletes devote hundreds of hours of work and dedication to getting selected to play for school sports teams. With the return of in-person learning, more students are considering trying out to play for the first time.

Some athletes have been preparing for this moment for many years after playing for leagues or middle school teams before arriving at high school. The process of trying out is a complex process that requires students to learn how to balance their school work with many hours of training needed to earn a spot.

The basketball and soccer seasons are currently getting underway after conducting tryouts, making athletes very busy.

Coaches have a lot on their plates, but one of the most difficult things is making cuts.

“I wish I could keep everyone but I also know that whoever wants to make the team will have to put in hours outside of our program…I believe in competition,” Girls Varsity Soccer Coach Katia Castellanos said.

Boys Varsity Basketball Coach Rashad Culver said “making cuts is probably one the hardest parts of the job.”

Players and coaches both said developing a positive attitude about work is just as important to make it on a team.

“Hustle and heart sets you apart” is a big mindset for a lot of coaches and athletes. “When I’m playing basketball I try to focus more on just having fun instead of focusing on winning,” freshman, Zoe Gregg said.

Making a team with a limited amount of spots open can add on extra stress.

“Out of the 3 teams we have, I look for 14 to 16 girls for each team,” Castellanos said. Most of the athletes on campus can agree that to be a good team, you have to work as a whole to be successful. Helping one another is one of the most important parts of a team sport.

“One of my favorite parts of tryouts is that I get to see new faces and meet new people who made the team,” junior Camron Morrow said. “I like being able to play with new people and meeting new people and making them better.”

Everyone has a favorite and least favorite part of tryouts.

“One of my favorite parts of tryouts is meeting players who I’ve never met and seeing students show their passion for the sport. But it is hard knowing I can’t keep everyone who attends tryouts,” Culver said.

For some people, putting yourself out there is a scary thing to do, but others are OK with going all out on the court or field.

“For me, tryouts aren’t really scary,” sophomore Lauren Carroll said. “They are more unnerving than anything, but once you start, it goes away.”