So you’re thinking about trying out for Berkut Basketball? That’s awesome! I recently went through the whole process myself and figured I’d walk you through exactly how it went down.
First Step: Finding the Info
Honestly, this part took me longer than I expected. I spent like three nights digging through social media and their old posts before finally spotting the tryout dates. They don’t make it super obvious – you gotta scroll way down in their page updates. Pro tip: search “Berkut [your city name] open tryouts” and set notifications.
Paperwork Hustle
Once I had the date, things got real. Had to get three different docs:
- Physical exam form signed by my doctor (took two appointments)
- Emergency contact sheet with notarized signatures
- Weird liability waiver that made it sound like I might die playing basketball
Almost missed the deadline cause the notary was booked solid that week!
Pre-Tryout Grind
For two weeks straight I became a gym rat:
- Morning shooting drills before work
- Evenings doing suicide sprints till I wanted to puke
- Watched like 50 hours of game tapes
My neighbors probably thought I was crazy dribbling in the driveway at midnight.
Tryout Day Madness
Showed up super early but there were already fifty dudes stretching. Coaches split us into groups immediately. Here’s how the torture went down:
- First hour: Non-stop conditioning drills – ladders, defensive slides, full-court sprints
- Second hour: Shooting under pressure with coaches screaming misses
- Third hour: Five-on-five scrimmages with evaluators taking notes
My legs felt like jelly and my jersey was soaked through by lunchtime.
The Waiting Game
They said results would come in 72 hours. Worst three days ever! I checked my phone every five minutes jumping at notifications. When the email finally came, my hands were shaking so bad I almost dropped my phone opening it. Made second cuts but not final roster – kinda bittersweet honestly.
What I’d Do Different Next Time
If I try out again, definitely:
- Start conditioning way earlier – like two months out minimum
- Find former Berkut players to practice with
- Volunteer at their youth camps to get face time with coaches
The process is brutal but man, competing at that level is something else. Just getting to tryouts felt like winning half the battle!