Written by Will Ridgard
‘Don’t be afraid of making mistakes’ – that is Braeden Troyer’s analysis of Pro Tryouts, having successfully trialed with the Richmond Kickers last year.
Left back Troyer gave away a penalty kick in a scrimmage on the second day of the 2015 Pro Tryouts, but it didn’t stop him from earning a contract.
“I gave away a PK on the second day, but you just move on,” said Troyer, who was voted the 2016 Supporters’ Choice MVP.
“Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Play your own game, and don’t worry about the others and anything else around you.
“With my situation, it was good to see that the coaches looked at the full picture – not just one good shot or bad tackle, but yes, I got punished for my tackle, the penalty was scored!”
Troyer arrived in Richmond for the tryouts through his assistant coach at the University of South Carolina, former Richmond Kickers player, Joey Worthen.
“I was nervous,” admitted Troyer. “I always am, especially before games, but once you start playing and get that first touch under your belt, the confidence comes and you are fine.
“You just have to ensure that you are physically and mentally ready for it. The three-day trial was at a very professional and high-level standard. I think I did pretty well, but you do not know how you are comparing in the coaches’ view to everybody else.”
Having graduated from college, Troyer attended a few different tryouts before Richmond offered him his dream job – where he has gone from strength to strength in Kickers colors.
“It felt really great to get offered a contract – it was something I’d dreamed about after playing soccer all through college,” confirmed the 23-year-old.
“The tryouts are a great idea, especially since they are at a really high-level. There are a lot of hidden gems waiting to be discovered and hopefully Richmond can find a few more in the ones coming up to help us achieve success in the 2017 season.”
Richmond Kickers, official USL affiliate of D.C. United, will host 2017 Open Tryouts on January 27-29 and March 10-12, 2017. A select number of players will be invited to participate in three days of intense training and scrimmages in front of technical staff at the Kickers state-of-the-art training facility Ukrop Park in Richmond, Virginia. Eligible college seniors, qualified free agents and talented amateur players that are seeking a professional contract are encouraged to register now at www.richmondkickers.com.
Interested players should submit an application and $150 registration fee by January 20 or March 3. Space is limited and applications will be reviewed on a first come, first served basis. Registration fees are non-refundable. Application fees increase to $195 after the registration deadline. Attendance at all sessions is required.
