I tried out for the girls' basketball team when I was in seventh grade, and I'll never forget how nervous I was. The coach seemed to only be watching the older girls at tryouts, and I knew I'd have to be at my best to even get her attention. The next day, when they'd posted the names, I was ecstatic to see mine there beside the other team members. It was the happiest day of my young life. But the unfortunate reality of school teams is that some kids get picked and others do not. I'd like to share some things that I believe helped me make that team. I'm hoping these tips might make your own tryouts, no matter what the sport or activity, a little less nerve-wracking, and maybe give you a bit more control over the outcome.
First, you need to be conscientious and alert at tryouts. Pay close attention to what you're being instructed to do, whether it's running a drill or observing a demonstration. Keep your eyes on the coach and be ready to jump when called. This will convey that you really want to be there. Also, follow directions to the letter, which will also show that you're "coachable" and not a prima donna or a lazybones.
Next, be a scrapper. Whatever the sport, make sure you're the one who's going the extra mile, who's diving for a volleyball or scrambling to return an impossibly deep backhand in tennis. Don't think of it as "kissing up" to the coach, but as working hard to impress, which is what you're there to do.
Finally, I mentioned "coachability" above. This is a vital quality coaches seek that you need to try to embody. Basically it means being flexible and listening well. Whatever the coaches say to you during tryouts, take their comments immediately to heart. If the coach says, "Hey, Herlinger, ya gotta plant both feet when you're blocking someone under the basket so you don't draw the foul," you answer, "Right, Coach, thanks," and you apply it immediately. Then you check back with the coach to make sure you did it correctly.
It can be a fine line between bugging the coaches and making sure they notice you. But just keep in mind, when they sit down after the tryouts and scratch their heads about whom to select, they need to be able to easily call up your face and name. If you did your job, they'll remember you with a smile and a nod and know they'd be proud to have you on the team. But if you don't make the cut, don't lose heart; there's always next time. See if you can get on a junior varsity or intramural team so you can work on your moves. That'll give you a leg up when next year's tryouts come along.

How does the author express her opinion in this article?
A. by interviewing other kids on sports teams
B. by quoting things she'd heard coaches say
C. by telling fictional stories about sports teams
D. by speaking from her own personal experience

Create a well-crafted essay of 1-2 pages outlining a likely theory of king tutankhamun’s death at the age of nineteen. your goal is to convince peers your age that this is the most reasonable theory according to the evidence. incorporate the subjunctive and conditional moods within your writing. use the following rubric to guide your writing. remember to check your spelling (by using a spell checker and also against the original text) to ensure the proper spelling of names and places in king tut’s world. reminder: spell checkers are great, but they’re not always right. think about terms specific to egypt or even tutankhamun’s name. a spell checker won’t know if you’re spelling these correctly, so check with the reading to keep consistent. rubric criterion exceptional capable developing beginning points earned ideas & content main claim supporting details sources are cited clear, focused, interesting ideas with appropriate detail, sources are cited evident main idea with some support which may be general or limited, sources are mentioned main idea may be unclear; supporting detail is vague or off topic, some source information used central idea or theme is not stated; supporting detail may be nonexistent, no sources mentioned organization structure (claim/counterclaim) introduction conclusion strong organization; seamless paragraph transitions; effective and engaging intro and conclusion organization is appropriate but conventional; attempt at introduction and conclusion attempts at organization, inappropriate use of lists or bullets; introduction and conclusion are not developed no introduction or conclusion; no clear organizational framework or transitions voice personality sense of audience appropriate to audience; expressive, engaging, sincere voice is appropriate to topic, but inconsistent or dry voice may be inappropriate; writing may seem mechanical writer’s voice is inappropriate or nonexistent word choice precision effectiveness imagery broad range of descriptive words; creative examples, vivid details and images language is functional and appropriate; descriptions may lack detail or be overdone words may be correct but simplistic; no attempt at detail, description, or examples word choice is limited, words are often misused; supporting detail and examples are nonexistent sentence fluency rhythm, flow variety easy flow and rhythm; good variety in length and structure sentences are appropriate but lack variety and length awkward phrasing and structure, similar patterns and choppy language sentences are incomplete or difficult to follow, language is confusing conventions age appropriate spelling, capitalization, punctuation, grammar strong use of correct conventions; errors are few and minor most writing conventions correct; occasional high profile errors frequent errors; most do not interfere with readability frequent errors interfere with readability