The Tryout Pack

Ten questions to ask at tryouts

A club that answers all ten without flinching is a club worth considering. Tick them off as you go — the questions are printed with checkboxes so you can work through them in the room rather than trying to remember afterwards.

• Who exactly will coach this team — and can we meet them first?
• How many players will you roster, and what's your playing-time philosophy?
• Which league and division will this specific team play in?
• What's the all-in cost — dues, uniforms, tournaments, travel, everything?
• Do you offer need-based financial aid, and how do families ask?

…and five more in the PDF.

The all-in cost worksheet

Dues are almost never the real number. The worksheet gives you a column per club and a row for every line that actually hits your bank account — dues, kit, tournament fees, fuel, hotels, meals on the road, extra training, winter indoor. Fill it in for two or three clubs and the comparison becomes obvious in a way that a conversation never is.

What it really costs in Michigan

The last section is the going rate at each level, from rec through the national platforms, with a note on what you're actually paying for. Cost tracks travel distance and platform branding far more than it tracks coaching quality — which is worth knowing before you assume the expensive option is the better one.