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When tryouts usually happen.

1 min readLast reviewed

Tryouts come earlier than most families expect — fall sports often evaluate in the summer, before school even starts. Here’s the typical timing for each sport in Southern California, and when Elevate schedules tryout intensives so athletes have time to practice what they learn.

Fall season

Aug – Nov

Winter season

Nov – Feb

Spring season

Feb – May
Sport by sport

Typical timing and when to prepare.

Volleyball

High school season
Fall (girls) · Spring (boys)
Typical tryouts
Girls: typically late July – mid-August (some programs hold summer evaluations earlier) · Boys: typically January – February
When to prepare
We schedule volleyball tryout intensives in the 2–6 weeks before typical tryouts, which usually means June and July for girls and around winter break for boys.
Junior high
Middle school volleyball timing varies by district and school, so check the school website or ask the athletic office as soon as the school-year calendar is posted.

Soccer

High school season
Winter
Typical tryouts
Typically November, with some programs starting in late October
When to prepare
We schedule soccer tryout intensives in the 2–6 weeks before typical November tryouts, which usually means late September and October.
Junior high
Middle school soccer timing varies by district and school, so check the school website or ask the athletic office early in the school year.

Basketball

High school season
Winter
Typical tryouts
Typically late October – November
When to prepare
We schedule basketball tryout intensives in the 2–6 weeks before typical fall tryouts, which usually means September and October.
Junior high
Middle school basketball timing varies widely by district and school, so check the school website or ask the athletic office early in the school year.

Softball

High school season
Spring
Typical tryouts
Typically January – February
When to prepare
We schedule softball tryout intensives in the 2–6 weeks before typical January – February tryouts, which often includes winter break.
Junior high
Middle school softball timing varies by district and school, so check the school website or ask the athletic office during the fall semester.

Baseball

High school season
Spring
Typical tryouts
Typically January – February
When to prepare
We schedule baseball tryout intensives in the 2–6 weeks before typical January – February tryouts, which often includes winter break, with throwing volume built up gradually.
Junior high
Middle school baseball timing varies by district and school, so check the school website or ask the athletic office during the fall semester.

Flag Football

High school season
Fall (girls)
Typical tryouts
Typically late July – mid-August, though timing for this newer sport is still settling and varies by school
When to prepare
We schedule flag football tryout intensives in the 2–6 weeks before typical fall tryouts, which usually means June and July.
Junior high
Middle school flag football is offered at some schools and not others, and timing varies by district, so check the school website or ask the athletic office.

Always confirm with your school. These windows reflect the typical CIF Southern Section calendar. Schools in the CIF Los Angeles City Section and individual programs can differ, and many fall programs hold summer evaluations. Your school’s athletic department has the real dates.

Planning around tryouts

Common questions.

Are these the exact tryout dates for my child’s school?

No. These are typical windows based on the CIF Southern Section calendar. Each school sets its own tryout dates, and schools in the CIF Los Angeles City Section can run on a different schedule. Check your school’s athletic department or athletics web page, and ask about any summer or preseason evaluations.

How far before tryouts should my athlete attend a clinic?

A few weeks before is ideal. That leaves time to practice what they learned, so the new technique is a habit by tryout day rather than something they are still thinking about. Our tryout intensives are scheduled with that gap in mind.

What about junior high and middle school tryouts?

Middle school sports vary widely by district — some schools run after-school teams with tryouts, others run intramural or league programs. Ask your school’s office or athletics coordinator in the first weeks of the school year. Our Pre-Tryout (12–14) clinics prepare athletes for both junior high and freshman tryouts.

Why we time clinics around tryouts →

Registration opens county by county

Put a clinic on the calendar before tryouts.

Join the list with your sport, age band, and city. We’ll email you when a clinic opens near you — no commitment until you register.

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