1. What this Program Type is
Tryout Programs are used to collect sign ups and any required fees from players who want to try out for a team in a given age group. They are focused on the evaluation stage only. Players register for a tryout session, attend, and are then evaluated for placement in a Core Program.
Tryout Programs must be connected to an existing Core Program. The Core Program is where selected players will eventually be rostered and participate for the season or year.
Tryout Programs are always Open Programs and do not use teams, since the goal is to evaluate players rather than place them on a roster right away.
2. When to use this Program Type
Use a Tryout Program any time you select players for your main teams through an evaluation process.
Typical use cases include:
Open tryouts for travel or competitive teams
Evaluation events for academy or pre academy teams
Select team tryouts by age group or birth year
Tryout Programs are a good fit when:
You need a clean way to track who registered for which tryout
You want to collect tryout fees and waivers in a single sign up flow
You plan to move accepted players into a Core Program once selections are made
If you are running a training event where every participant who registers is expected to attend (such as a skills clinic or camp) and there is no selection process, a Supplemental Program or Training Sessions Program may be more appropriate.
3. How registration works with this Program Type
Tryout Programs are always set up as Open Programs. Players who meet your eligibility criteria can register for the tryout without an invitation.
A key requirement is that a related Core Program must already exist:
You must create the Core Program first.
For this purpose, you only need the basic Core Program rules in place.
You do not need to create registrations for the Core Program yet.
Once the Core Program is created, you can create the Tryout Program and tie it to that Core Program so that selections and offers later point to the correct destination.
Registration behavior in Tryout Programs:
Families see the tryout option based on age group and other eligibility rules you define.
The registration collects player information, waivers, and any tryout fee you wish to charge.
Players are registered for the tryout event but are not yet assigned to a season team.
You can use a single Registration if you are running one tryout per age group, or multiple Registrations if you want to separate tryout dates, locations, or levels.
4. How teams and rostering work
Tryout Programs do not use teams.
Key points:
There is no team assignment step when configuring a Tryout Program.
Players are not rostered to traditional teams as part of the tryout.
Grouping during tryouts is typically handled through event assignments and evaluation lists rather than team rosters.
Once tryouts are complete and selections are made:
Accepted players are moved into the associated Core Program.
Rostering to teams happens in the Core Program, not in the Tryout Program.
This separation keeps evaluation and team placement as two clear phases in your workflow.
5. How this Program Type connects to other features
Tryout Programs connect strongly to the Tryouts workflow and to the Core Program where players will ultimately land.
Core Program connection
A Tryout Program must be linked to a Core Program.
The Core Program defines the season or year where accepted players will participate.
Once offers are accepted, players are registered and rostered in the Core Program, not the Tryout Program.
Tryouts tools and evaluations
Using the Tryout Program type gives admins access to the Tryouts specific tools for managing sessions and evaluations.
You can track attendance, record evaluations, and use those results when deciding which players receive offers into the Core Program.
Calendar usage
Tryout events are manually created on the Club Calendar and tend to be separate from the actual registration so everyone knows when tryouts are occurring
As with other Programs, events tied to the Tryout Program must fall within its Start Date and End Date.
Once tryouts are complete, most ongoing scheduling will move to the Core Program and its teams.
Reporting
Separating Tryout Programs from Core Programs allows you to report on:
How many players registered for tryouts by age group or year
This helps you evaluate interest and selection trends across seasons.
6. Related articles
For more context on how Programs work and how they connect to each other, see:
Programs Overview
Program Lifecycle & Visibility
Program Management for Admins
You may also want to review these Program Type articles in the Types of Programs section:
Core Programs (where accepted players are rostered)
Supplemental Programs
Training Sessions
FAQs
Can Tryout Programs be Invitational?
Tryout Programs are always Open Programs and do not use invitations.
Do I need to create the Core Program before the Tryout Program?
Yes. Tryout Programs must be connected to an existing Core Program.
Do Tryout Programs use teams?
No. Tryout Programs do not use teams, since the goal is evaluation rather than rostering.
Can I create multiple registrations for a Tryout Program?
Yes. You can use multiple Registrations to separate tryout dates, locations, or levels.