Youth Soccer Club Tryout Shirts

Youth soccer club tryout shirts let coaches evaluate players by visible numbered tee instead of remembered names, and let the club staff sort age groups across multiple tryout fields at the same time. Pro Shops prints one shirt per participant with a unique tryout number on the front and back, ships in about a week with no minimum, and the family keeps the shirt as a souvenir of the day.

Why Numbered Tryout Tees Replace Sticker Numbers

The traditional tryout setup: paper bib numbers safety-pinned to whatever shirt the kid wore. The numbers fall off in scrimmage drills, the coach evaluation sheet loses two players to bib mixups, and the player throws the bib in the trash on the way to the car. Numbered tryout tees fix all three problems. The number is printed, not pinned. The shirt is the souvenir, not the trash. The coach can read the number from across the field at 30 yards.

Best Tryout Tee Style and Layout

• Bear Grips Youth Airlume Cotton Athletic Tee or Sport-Tek Youth Moisture-Wicking Performance Tee. Cotton is cheaper and softer; performance dries faster on hot tryout days. Pick the one that fits the season weather.
• Large number on the front and back. 8-inch number on the back, 6-inch number on the front. Coach can read either side as the player moves.
• Club crest small on the upper chest. Keeps the club identity present without competing with the number.
• Color-coded by age group. Royal blue tees for U10, kelly green for U12, navy for U14, etc. Coaches and field directors instantly sort players to the right field.

Bear Grips Pro Shops: Custom Apparel for Your Team. No Minimums. Free Shipping.

How to Set Up Tryout Tees in the Club Store

1. Set the tryout-tee template once in the club store: design layout, number placement, age-group colors.
2. Open tryout registration. The registration form asks for the player’s age group and assigns a unique tryout number.
3. Each family pays for the tryout-tee at checkout (or the club covers the cost out of tryout fees).
4. The shirt ships to the family’s door before tryout day.
5. Players show up to tryouts already in the right shirt and number.

For clubs running tryouts on short notice, the standard 1-week print and ship window means orders need to go in 2 weeks before the tryout date with a 1-week safety buffer.

Cost and Pricing for Tryout Tees

A youth Airlume cotton tee at VIP base $19.88, priced at $25 retail through the club store, leaves $5 of margin per tee. For a club running 200 tryout participants, that is $1,000 of tryout-day revenue at zero inventory risk. Some clubs roll the tryout-tee cost into the tryout registration fee ($35 to $50 per player) so the family does not pay separately. Others let families opt-in to the tee or use a generic tee they already own.

Frequently Asked Questions

How early should a youth soccer club order tryout shirts?

About 3 weeks before tryout day. Set the template, open registration, assign numbers, and place orders 2 weeks out to leave room for print, ship, and any last-minute adjustments.

Can the same tryout tee be reused for evaluation events later in the season?

Yes. The numbered tryout tee works for spring evaluations, mid-season skill assessments, and end-of-season player development sessions. Keep the design template in the store year-round.

Do families keep the tryout shirt?

Yes. The numbered tee is the family’s shirt to keep. Most kids keep it as a souvenir of the tryout day, especially the ones who made the roster.

What if a player registers for tryouts at the last minute?

Last-minute registrations either wear a generic numbered bib on the day (less professional but workable) or pay for an expedited ship-to-tryout-venue order. Most clubs hold 5 to 10 spare numbered tees on-site for walk-up registrants.