Kati, you are so right!! they are all nice to you the first day - the coaches and the owners - and as the practices go by and you are there longer, then their real personality towards you come out.....so, you can get a good picture of what practicing/working out there and competing for this club will be by watching the practices without them recognizing you're new and watching to decide how they are, and also talk to the parents. it's also good to talk to the kids you will be working out with and others as well - as them how it is at the gym, what they think of it, etc. - but ask them when there's no coach around, or parents, then you will more likely get what they really think! :D
the good thing about the one day practice try-out is also that you can tell how the coaches are in their spotting and teaching technique.