Tryouts can be a stressful, but exciting, time for both players and parents alike. Whether you’re wondering what you can do to best prepare yourself for tryouts, whether that’s physically or mentally, both on and off the ice, or if you’re wondering what to do now that tryouts are over, this podcast has the answers for you.

Youth Hockey Hub’s Tony Scott interviewed APX Director of Player Development Wes Jirovec and tryout evaluator Brad Thompson to talk about all things tryout-related including what to expect pre, during and post-tryout, what you can focus on in your training to best prepare yourself, what evaluators are looking for at these events and how parents can best conduct themselves.

"Yes, you need to be able to make plays and finish and be responsible with the puck, but if that’s the only avenue that you’re really motivated about then you have an incredibly limited impact in a game,” said Jirovec on the show while talking about some of the ways that athletes that can improve their game. “You have to be obsessed with winning in any and all contributions on the ice. I think a better way to put it, probably a little bit more positive speaking, I think you want to be in love with making an impact in the game in all these different areas.”

The three contributors also discussed how athletes are spending a majority of their time away from the puck during most games and how skaters need to be able to find ways to be impactful in their offense and defense in those situations and how athletes can and should play with purpose.

“It’s not enough to just pay money and show up - what are you doing to take advantage (of the situation)? A smarter man than I said that details build empires and we live off of that,” he added, talking about how details are emphasized at APX. “Whether it is what you’re doing at home on your own or what you’re getting from us, it doesn’t matter if you don’t have the right mindset to take advantage and you don’t have the diligence to want to invest in details the right way. That’s a massive, simplified take away that young people sometimes struggle to take to heart.”

“Sometimes it is bare bones when it comes to just what you do with your hands and your feet, but so much of it is purpose and that’s something that we’re really proud of,” said Jirovec, while discussing some of the things that are focused on while training at APX. “Soft skill, hard skill, skating, situational awareness, positioning, and a lot of fun dialogue to make sure we’re connecting the dots with the boys and girls.”

Watch the full podcast below or check out the audio-only version on your favorite streaming service to catch the entire episode.