Navigating trials and the recruitment process

The summer is usually a time for lighter evenings, warmer days and iced coffees.

 

The reality for grassroots and academy clubs and players, though, is that they have entered a time of year I often call ’silly season’ or ’The Wild West’.

 

I am, of course, talking about open trial season, which, in many cases, can be a player’s only real chance to impress a potential new club.

 

I wanted to explore why this process happens, as well as some giving clubs some tips to hopefully make this pre-season slightly less chaotic for themselves and any potential additions, as well as smoothing over the recruitment process. 

 

Why are open trials so prevalent in the women’s game?

Open trials do, of course, exist in boys’ and mixed football.

 

However, due to the relative infancy of the professionalisation of girls’ talent pathways compared to the boys’ game, talent ID and player recruitment can often look very similar in grassroots football as it does in the professional academies.

 

This is mainly due to a lack of dedicated recruitment staff and a lack of a talent ID and recruitment strategy. 

 

There is, however, some changes beginning to occur in this area, with some girls’ academies having a dedicated recruitment team; something that I predict will start to become the norm, with player recognition fees and the level of investment now entering the women’s pyramid.

 

Developing a recruitment strategy

When people hear the word ‘strategy’, it can often sound daunting. 

 

However, one way to simplify everything, and begin to create a strategy, is to try and answer this question: if Fifa, or your federation, banned open trials, how could you recruit players?

 

A recruitment strategy doesn’t have to a 100-page document with depth charts, positional profiles, physical benchmarking data and player lists from other clubs. It can just be a simple framework that outlines how you will identify, attract and recruit players in the future – and, yes, it can absolutely include an open trial process.

 

Don’t underestimate the size of the operation 

Whether you are expecting 10, 20 or 50 players during a trial period, engaging with them and their parents for the first time can be overwhelming.

 

You can ease the recruitment burden by stretching it over a longer time period than one weekend or week.

Below are a few simple solutions I have learned over the years...

 

• Send all relevant information in one email or document, supported by an ‘FAQ’ page answering some of the potential queries you may receive. Responding to multiple individual questions in the lead-up to trials can be difficult.
• Be confident that you are aware of the expected numbers and ensure there is a pre-booking method. You will always have players bringing unexpected friends, but this can easily get out of hand and affect pitch sizes, equipment or player-to-staff ratios. It can also lead to a general first impression of overcrowded chaos.
• All medical and permission forms should be done remotely, if possible.
• A self check-in QR code system, on several posters around the facility, can help shorten queues.
• Assigning very clear roles and responsibilities to staff will ensure a smooth delivery.
• Set out a method of identifying players throughout the trial – with bibs, a numbering system or name tags.
• Write an automated message to all participants explaining what the next steps are – the sooner you can get this out, the clearer your inbox will be.