Tryouts and Team Evaluation

A tryout is a short-term evaluation where a captain tests whether a player fits their team before offering a roster spot. Tryouts protect both sides: the captain avoids rushing a permanent add, and the player gets to feel out the team's style, communication, and scheduling before committing. This guide walks through the full flow from both angles.

When Tryouts Happen

Most tryouts start from one of three triggers: a captain browsing the LFP (Looking For Player) board finds a player who matches their needs and invites them, a player replying to an LFT (Looking For Team) listing gets invited back, or a captain reaches out directly based on reputation or a recommendation. In all three cases the result is the same: a tryout invitation appears on the player's dashboard.

Receiving an Invite (Player Side)

Your dashboard shows tryout invitations in a dedicated section with the team name, captain, format they play, and an optional message from the captain. You can accept (move to scheduling), decline, or leave it pending. Most captains follow up within a few days if they are serious; no response for a week usually means the slot was filled elsewhere.

Before accepting, read the captain's note carefully. Teams often describe the position they are trying out for, the schedule they expect, and the kind of player they want. If any of that is a mismatch for you, politely decline - it saves everyone time.

Scheduling the Tryout

Once accepted, the team captain proposes one or more time slots. You mark your availability, and the captain confirms a specific slot. Tryouts are usually single scrim sessions or a small run of games; multi-week tryouts happen but are rare. Some captains skip the built-in scheduler and arrange everything via Discord - either path is fine as long as both sides know when to show up.

If you no-show a confirmed tryout without notice, the captain can log it as a violation - repeated no-shows degrade your reputation across the platform. See the Rules Violations help article.

Evaluation and Captain Notes

During and after the session, the captain writes private notes: how you communicated, what positions you played, whether your scheduling overlaps with the rest of the roster, strengths and weaknesses. These notes are visible only to the captain and any co-captains on the team.

A good captain gives honest feedback even when the decision is "no." A short note like "strong mechanics, but our schedule doesn't overlap enough" is more valuable than silence.

The Decision

The captain closes the tryout with one of three outcomes: accepted (a roster offer is sent - you review and join if you agree), declined (the slot is closed, you remain a free agent), or withdrawn (rare; captain backs out without a decision, usually because priorities changed).

Accepting a roster offer makes you an official member of the team - you count toward their roster minimum, appear on their profile, and can participate in series. You can leave later, but the captain's note log persists.

Tips for Both Sides

Captains: write clear invite messages, confirm scheduling promptly, and give a decision within a reasonable window. Ghosting a player after a tryout hurts your recruitment reputation.

Players: be honest about your availability, show up on time, and ask questions. Even a rejected tryout can be valuable practice against a team you do not usually play with.