I want more Playing Time Please!
Hey Coach how can I get more playing time?
Fantastic Question! Let me see if I can help….
We all want more playing time. Occasionally players may want to get subbed out but for most teams every player that cleats up wants to go in and stay in. I know if your asking me this question you are probably not starting and sitting more than playing. First of all there maybe several reasons why that are out of your control.
Your team may have a full roster with multiple players that play the same position…
Your coach may feel like he/she needs to make things “fair” by rotating everyone equally…
You may have veteran players that the coach trusts and is afraid to pull off the field…
Chances are your coach values practice consistency and punishes players for not training regularly…
Also unfortunately you could be a part of a system, club or coach that plays “favorites” because of parent influence etc.
Do any of these situations sound familiar? I bet they do! Throughout the years of coaching and being around teams, coaches and parents I have seen the same thing over and over that’s why I believe I can help you with a plan to get you where you want to be ……ON THE FIELD to be exact!
Before we get started with my super tips let me make a little disclaimer…. After reading this post you may say “Coach that sounds great and I appreciate the advice but I feel like I am in a real bad situation and I don’t know if I can do anything to get more playing time.” If that is the case then I truly am sorry and the only way I maybe able to help you is to consult with you one on one. You might need to change teams and I don’t want to advise that through this article.
Lets get started! No matter what team you play for there are some really easy things you can do to get your play time up. When I say easy I mean simple…you are still going to have to work hard, stay positive and focus on growing and getting better everyday! Remember this is YOUR journey as an athlete not your parents, coach’s or sibling’s you and you alone are responsible for how much you grow. People like me are there to help guide you but you must take the steps.
TIP#1…..Have a talk with your coach. Depending on your age and confidence level this maybe difficult for you. You might be nervous and intimidated but your coach SHOULD be available to answer your questions. The best time to approach your coach is on a practice or off night and give him/her a little warning first. Send a message or email the day before and just say something like this….”Hey Coach it’s Emily and I was wondering if I can have a moment of your time over the phone or possibly before practice to ask you a few questions. I am really wanting to be my best for the team and need some advice.” Messaging the coach this way puts them in a position to help you and not just defend their decisions. Many time coaches are in a constant state of defending their decisions, actions and process. You really don’t need to know why you are not getting play time you just want to know how to get more! Here are a few questions you can use to start the conversation and then see where it goes from there…
What are some skills that I am struggling with that will help me play the game better?
How is my fitness, speed and strength compared to my team mates?
What are some things I can do to improve my fitness and skills?
I would like to learn how to play other positions so that I might help the team more…. How can I work on learning them? (the coach will most likely ask you what position so be ready to answer)
Now is also the perfect time to ask specific questions about a few things you may not understand like…..the style of play, responsibilities on offense and defense, positioning, and what the coach want to see out of the team as a whole.
If other questions come up, go for it! I would suggest that you stay away from asking ”How can I get more playing time?” or “Why am I only getting a few minutes at a time?” These questions back a coach into a corner and force them to give you an answer you may not like. But if you like strait to the point answers then by all means ask away! Focusing on growing and improving yourself will always benefit you more than just wanting fairness.
TIP #2…..Self assess your strengths and weaknesses. Again remember it is your responsibility for your journey to becoming great and the quicker you can admit what you struggle with and find a way to work on it the better! You may want to write these down in a journal or page you can stick to the wall. A dry erase board works awesome too. Just simply create two columns with these headings….Weaknesses into Strengths and Strengths into Super Powers. Now just be honest with yourself and think about how YOU FEEL about your skills and fitness. Take into consideration what your coach, parents, and teammates say but again this is YOUR work and it matters most what YOU FEEL you need to work on. Under each weakness write down and action you can take to improve. For example….WEAKNESS: Striking the ball with my left foot. ACTION: I’m going to watch a video about working on my weak foot and go outside and strike a ball against a wall until I feel better. Use this example to improve one of your strengths…..STRENGTH: Striking the ball with my right foot. ACTION: Watch a video about how to make the ball swerve, dip and spin and then go outside and kick till I get it down. It really is that simple! By writing these down and looking at them everyday you hold yourself accountable and build a habit of looking for solutions and not excuses.
FINAL TIP….. Commit and put in the work! When I was growing up I remember that there was always athletes that blamed others for mistakes, athletes that blamed themselves for being terrible, and athletes that just worked hard everyday with a good attitude. I was fortunate to have good coaches that always valued hard work and improvement. Those lessons have helped me all my life! So commit to BECOMING MORE of who you are right now. Make a decision that you are going to work hard and NEVER QUIT! Now there are going to be parts of training that suck and days when nothing seems to work out but all you have to do is keep showing up with a good attitude! You train and practice so you can PLAY WELL. You PLAY BECAUSE YOU LOVE IT. So LOVE THE TRAINING PROCESS and I can guarantee you will PLAY MORE!
There is a reason you are not getting the playing time you desire. Look at it like it is a signal that something is not quite right or that questions need to be answered. Search for those questions and answers with a curious mind and positive mindset and what you find may surprise you. Life is about GROWTH NOT DEATH so grow a little everyday!
I hope this article has helped you or someone you care about. I may not have covered every angle or answered every question so please comment below or message me and I will do everything I can to help you become your best. Keep moving forward!!
See you out on the field,
♥Coach Sam
Be Creative Be Fearless Have Fun!
