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Dear Dish-It: I’m a Scared to Join the Team!

Dear Dish-It,

I’m thinking of joining a hockey team. I’m a decent skater but the only time I’ve actually picked up a stick was in gym class. I’m afraid I’ll embarrass myself. Any advice?

Ninjaloon

Hockey Team Try-Outs

Dear Ninjaloon,

I’m happy to hear that you’ve decided to try out for a hockey team! Joining a sports team is a great way to stay fit and healthy, and make new friends! I know you’re nervous, but that’s totally normal when you’re about to do something new. Besides, I’ve got some great advice to help you feel calmer and more prepared for trying out …

Write it Out

Think about all the reasons you feel nervous about trying out for the hockey team, and write them down. Sometimes this really simple exercise can put things into perspective? What do I mean by that? Well, once you’ve written your list and read over it, you may find that the things you thought you were nervous about really aren’t that big a deal! That’s step 1 …

Try Out with Friends

If you’re still super nervous about going to try-outs alone, why not take a buddy or two along with you? If you don’t have any friends who want to play hockey, maybe ask a kid from your gym class? It can really help to have the extra support of someone you know there when you go to try out for a sports team!

Practice Makes Perfect

Well, it may not make you the greatest hockey player alive, but getting in plenty of practice before the big day can’t hurt your game, right? If you feel up to it, you could even ask your gym teacher or the coach of the hockey team to give you a few pointers on the game. I definitely think that all these tips will help you prep for the try outs and, once you get there and get it over with, you’ll probably look back and think, “What was I so worried about in the first place?!”