Category: Tryouts

Tryout Information

Post author By letsgocolumbia
Post date July 17, 2026

Schedule:
Tryouts begin Monday, August 17. Times and locations are not yet finalized. We will send an update once the schedule is confirmed.

Freshmen will attend a 2 hour session on Monday 8/17, Tuesday 8/18, and Wednesday 8/19.
Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors will have double sessions on Monday 8/17, and Wednesday 8/19, and a single session on Tuesday 8/18.
A 2 mile timed run will be held one of the mornings.

Click each category for detailed information

Important Ways to Prepare

Strength training. This is important and often a huge differentiator.
Run a lot. Varsity players should be targeting a 2 mile time of 12-13 minutes.
Play. Play as much as you can. Play with older kids. Play with better kids.

Tryout Evaluation Elements of Focus

The ability to dribble in tight spaces and at speed with BOTH feet
The ability to shoot with accuracy inside the 18 with BOTH feet
The ability to shoot with power outside the 18 with BOTH feet
The ability to play a 10-15 yard pass accurately with BOTH feet
The ability to play a cross from the wing, with BOTH feet
Dribbling skills
First touch and control in general
Movement without the ball
Maturity
Speed, endurance, strength
Being a good teammate

Ongoing Summer Opportunities (Summer Camp, etc)

These are entirely optional but also a great way for players and coaches to get to know each other and prepare for the fall.

Friday night 11v11 sessions held by the coaching staff (currently scheduled for 6-8pm at Underhill but subject to change).
Pickup sessions organized by the seniors (if your child is not on the GroupMe, please let us know so we can pass along their contact information to the upperclassmen running the GroupMe).
Coaches’ Preseason Camp 8/10-8/13. Details and registration here. This opportunity is available to all players, and attendance at camp does not impact a player’s chance to make the team. If cost is a concern, please reach out to any of the Boosters or to Coach Muirhead.
The coaches no-contact period this summer is 7/25-8/2.

Pre-Season Dates & Registrations

Post author By letsgocolumbia
Post date May 17, 2026

Below you’ll find important information and registration details for optional summer programming available to all players planning to try out for a team in the fall.

Mark your calendars for tryouts which begin 8/17/2026

MONTCLAIR SUMMER LEAGUE – The 8v8 Montclair Summer League runs for 6 weeks at Montclair State University and is open to players in grades 10-12 for 2026-27. You do not have to be present for all games to participate; each player will select a maximum of 3 games to attend. Specific details regarding games and schedule will follow for registered players. Please note the breakdown below:

• Upperclassmen & Returning Varsity Players: Monday evenings, 6/8 – 7/13
• Underclassmen: Tuesday evenings, 6/9 – 7/14
• Cost per player: $50. If cost is a concern, please reach out to rherwaldt@gmail.com

Submit CONTACT INFO and Register for MONTCLAIR SUMMER LEAGUE

SOCCER SUMMER CAMP – Coach Muirhead’s Summer Camp is a great opportunity for players grades 9-12 to sharpen their skills, build chemistry with teammates, and prepare for the season ahead. Camp will run from 8/10-8/13 at CHS. More details on dates, times, and registration can be found at the link below.

Register for SUMMER CAMP

Coach Muirhead Training Tryouts

Tentative Summer ’26 Dates

Post author By letsgocolumbia
Post date March 9, 2026

We know many families are making summer plans, so wanted to share some very TENTATIVE dates from Coach Muirhead:

Summer League at Montclair State: Mondays/Tuesday nights starting June 15
West Essex Day One Tournament: Saturday, June 27, participating grades TBD
Blackout Period: 7/25-8/2 (potentially–not confirmed)
Camp: Week of 8/10
Tryouts begin: Week of 8/17

Coach Muirhead Freshman team JV Team Tryouts Varsity team

Tryouts and Preseason Information

Post author By letsgocolumbia
Post date August 16, 2025

Tryouts

Freshmen

Monday 8/18 2:30pm – 4:30pm, at Ritzer (Grass field behind CHS)

Tuesday 8/19 2:30pm – 4:30pm, at Ritzer (Grass field behind CHS)

Wednesday 8/20 8:00am at Underhill Track for 2 mile run; final evaluation 9:00-11:00am at Ritzer

Wear sneakers for the two mile run on the track. Music is allowed and GPS tracking/timing devices are encouraged to track pace/time. Walk or bike down to CHS for the final tryout session.

Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors

Monday 8/18 7:00 – 9:00am, at Underhill; 2:00-4:30pm at Underhill

Tuesday 8/19 2:00 – 4:30pm, at Underhill

Wednesday 8/20 7:00 – 9:00am at Underhill; 2:00 – 4:30pm at Underhill

Seniors will start with a 2 mile run (wear sneakers) while juniors and sophomores will participate in field evaluations. After seniors run, juniors will do the 2 mile, with seniors and sophomores on the field, ending with a sophomore run.

Parent Meeting

There will be a parent meeting (location TBD–either Ritzer or Underhill) Friday, August 22 at 6pm.

Preseason & Start of the Season

Players must be present for the first three days of tryouts (and, if they make the team) the next three days of practices in order to be eligible for scrimmages on Monday 8/25 and Tuesday 8/26 (NJSIAA rule states a player must have six days of practice and a day of rest before competing in competition against another school).

Our season begins on Thursday 8/28 with games for JV and varsity; there will be practice for all teams on Friday 8/29.

For the freshman team, no practice will be held on Saturday, 8/30, or Sunday 8/31. They will practice Monday morning, 9/1, as their next game is Tuesday 9/2.

The varsity team will have their first ever Media Day, Saturday 8/23 from 10:45am-11:30am in the CHS Main Gym. Practice will be Sunday 8/24.

Varsity and JV will practice multiple days over Labor Day Weekend since their second game of the season is on Tuesday 9/2.

Game Schedules

To see scrimmage and game schedules for all three teams, go to the CHS page on the Super Essex Conference website (sec conference.org). At the home page, click ‘Columbia High School’ at the right, which should take you to the calendar. Please note that the schedule is subject to change, so check often for the latest information.

Freshman team JV Team Tryouts Varsity team

Earlier Start This Season

Post author By letsgocolumbia
Post date August 9, 2025

Historically games have started after Labor Day–but not this year. For the first time in many years, games will start before the Labor Day holiday: August 28 vs. Seton Hall Prep.

As a reminder, tryouts start the week of August 18. Tryouts typically end with a parent meeting (August 22). We will update once we have more specifics.

Freshman team Tryouts

Freshman Tryouts

Post author By letsgocolumbia
Post date June 14, 2025

Freshman tryouts will be at 2:30pm on 8/18 and 8/19 on Ritzer Field directly following orientation. Participants should bring everything they need for tryouts to orientation with them and they’ll be met by coaching staff on the field when orientation concludes each day.

We’re waiting for confirmation on times for varsity and JV tryouts the week of 8/18, and will update as soon as possible.

Coach Muirhead Freshman team JV Team Tryouts Varsity team

CHS Boys Soccer Information Night

Post author By letsgocolumbia
Post date February 27, 2024

Coach Muirhead hosted a meeting for all players and families on Thursday, March 7.

The coaching staff reviewed details of the upcoming season and took questions. If you were unable to attend, please review this document.

Coach Muirhead Freshman team JV Team Tryouts Varsity team

Tryout Guidance and Summer Dates From Coach Muirhead

Post author By letsgocolumbia
Post date January 27, 2024

Coach Muirhead has shared his annual letter for players intending to try out for boys soccer at Columbia in August.

Please read carefully as there will be significant changes to tryouts this year. Some important dates:

Blackout Dates: No organized team activities from July 27 to Aug. 4, which makes this the best time for vacations
Middle School Camp: The week of Aug. 5 for rising 7th and 8th graders
High School Camp: The week of Aug. 12 for rising 9th through 12th graders
Tryouts start Monday, Aug. 19

2024-Boys-Soccer-Parent-Letter-from-Coach-Muirhead

Coach Muirhead Freshman team JV Team Tryouts Varsity team

Tryout Details

Post author By letsgocolumbia
Post date August 14, 2023

In case you missed the email, here are the tryout details from Coach Muirhead:

Hello Cougar Soccer Families,

I just wanted to send you all an email highlighting our tryout and preseason period as I know even though I have shared this information with your son(s), it may not have made it back to you yet. Below is our schedule for the week of August 21st and how things work. Additionally, a quick note regarding medical clearances – I know some of you have been CC’ing me on emails to our athletic trainer regarding player clearance, the clearance list has remained largely unchanged for the past month due to Vanessa not being a 12 month employee, however, with football now underway, she is back and working on the medical paperwork – please keep an eye on your emails in case she reaches out regarding a missing form/signature. I will post updated clearance lists on our Google classroom and Group Me as they begin to accumulate.

Monday 8/21

AM Fitness (2 Mile Run)

9:00am Seniors
9:15am Juniors
9:30am Sophomores
9:45am Freshman

The run takes place on the track up at Underhill, please make sure you are in sneakers, headphones, music, pacing devices are all fine to use during the run.

The posted time above is when your son should be there to check in, the run will start 10 mins after check in time.

Our target time is 12 minutes, the run will be terminated after 15 minutes

After each grade level completes their run, they are free to go until we come back for the evening session.

Evening Session

5:00pm-6:30pm Freshman Evaluation (Underhill Turf)
6:30pm-8:30pm UpperClassmen Evaluation (Underhill Turf)

Tuesday 8/22

UpperClassmen Have a Double Session

3:30pm-5:00pm Upperclassmen Evaluation – Session 1 (Underhill Turf)
5:00pm-6:30pm Freshman Evaluation (Underhill Turf)
6:30pm-8:30pm Upperclassmen Evaluation – Session 2 (Underhill Turf)

Wednesday 8/23

AM Fitness

8:30am Freshman
9:00am Sophomores
9:30am Juniors
10:00am Seniors

This morning fitness will take place on RITZER FIELD (behind CHS)

The posted time above is the START time for the fitness evaluation

This evaluation measures push ups, broad jump, shuttle run time, sprint time and timed dribbles through cones.

After each grade level completes their assessment, they are free to go until the evening evaluation period.

Evening Session

5:00pm-6:30pm Freshman Evaluation (Underhill Turf)
6:30pm-8:30pm UpperClassmen Evaluation (Underhill Turf)

What comes next…

By 10:30pm on Wednesday night every player will receive an email to their student email address, the email will either say congratulations, we are offering you a spot in the program this season, practice is at this time and this place tomorrow – or the other email that will go out is that unfortunately we are not able to offer you a spot this year, if you are interested in being a manager for the team (helps coaches with practices, participates in practice when the opportunity arises and helps coaches with stats during games) please let us know, additionally we encourage players to reach out and to set up a meeting with the coaching staff the following week so that we can provide a more in depth overview of their evaluation and how they can improve.

Why the email method – this was adopted as a recommendation from the athletic department leading into the covid period (in lieu of posting names on a board or calling the kids in one at a time), this coupled with the growth in the soccer program (we have 98 players who gave me their name for tryouts this fall) plus a condensed preseason schedule courtesy of the njsiaa (more on that shortly) has made it almost impossible to sit down with 30-40 players one at a time immediately following the final tryout. Additionally, making reductions is the worst part of this job and having been cut before myself (high school basketball) I know it’s never easy to digest from the player’s side either, which is why we recommend the meeting the following week for players who want to follow up on their evaluation.

The Preseason…

Practices for all levels begin the next day so there will be practice Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The NJSIAA requires 6 practices and a day of rest before a player is eligible to participate in a scrimmage. Our first scrimmage is the following Monday 8/28 so a player must be at all 3 days of tryouts, plus the following three days of practices to be eligible to play on Monday. For those of you trying to plan one last get away before school starts, our schedule for the end of August looks like this:

8/28 – Scrimmage
8/29 – Practice
8/30 – Scrimmage
8/31 – Practice
9/1 – Scrimmage
9/2 – Off Day
9/3 – Off Day
9/4 – Morning Practice
9/5 – Scrimmage
9/6 – Practice
9/7 – First Game of the Regular Season

…. Pretty crazy, but with the four scrimmages and days off, we only get 7 days of practices between the last day of tryouts and the first game of the regular season. Everything moves very very quickly once we are underway.

There will be a player and parent meeting on the evening of Friday August 25th, location TBD (pending access to the high school) where we will discuss more and answer any questions, but hopefully this email should take care of most of the pressing issues.

-Coach Muirhead

Columbia High School
Business Teacher
Varsity Baseball Coach
Varsity Soccer Coach

Coach Muirhead Freshman team Training Tryouts

8th Grade Information Night

Post author By letsgocolumbia
Post date March 2, 2023

Interested in playing boys soccer at Columbia High School next year? If so, come out and meet the coaches and our booster organization on the evening of March 14. The coaching staff will share everything you need to know about the high school program. If you have questions, please submit them through this Google form before the meeting.

Who: Any 8th grader (and parents) interested in playing Boys Soccer at CHS next year. Seventh graders who are interested in what’s to come are equally welcome to join.

When: Tuesday, March 14, 7:15pm

Where: The Black Box Theater at Columbia High School