The Last Day of Tryouts: A Composition of Nerves and Anticipation

Step into my world of hockey tryouts and experience the nerves, tension, and anticipation that come with it. Throughout my childhood, I always dreaded the first couple weeks of September, and not because it was back-to-school season, but because it meant that I had to endure another round of nerve-wracking tryouts. During those couple weeks, from the moment I opened my eyes, to the time I shut them, the thought of tryouts lurked in my mind. It felt like everything I did with my time had to somehow prepare me. Whether it was doing agility drills in my backyard, shooting pucks in the basement, or watching play analysis videos on YouTube, my mind was always consumed by hockey. As you can assume, the last day of tryouts was the peak of my anxiety. I am so close, but a letter that reads “Thank you for your participation in this year’s Silver Seven AA tryouts, however…” can instantly shatter my heart. So, come on this journey with me and listen to the anticipation, nausea, and nervousness that builds and dominates in this soundscape composition.