The Last Kid on Your Bench

Bruce Brown/Rob Miller Proactive Coaching LLC
www.proactivecoaching.info

We all enjoy coaching our most talented, competitive, hard working, coachable athletes. But often the players I most admire are the ones who are the least talented. Those players, who are on the team, practice hard, make other players better and seldom play. In this era of over controlled and self entitled players, we have all seen kids quit the team or transfer schools if they can’t start.

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It requires a lot of personal courage to be part of a team when you know that you are not only not going to start but you will spend most of your time on the bench. Many of my favorite athletes were those players who found and embraced a small role, became great encouragers, and enjoyed being part of something bigger than themselves. Players who can be this selfless and still have great work habits often become the most successful in life with careers and families because they can put others first and make them better.

In youth and high school sports there could be a number of contributing factors – being new to the sport; not maturing as early as other players so their size, strength and quickness are not as advanced; performance anxiety based upon outside pressure (parents); but most of the time it is just less physical ability. One of our Proactive Coaching beliefs is: The athletic experience should benefit every person on the team willing to commit to team values. If anyone deserves special treatment, it is these athletes.

As a leader, learn to show these players that you admire and respect them. Teach your most talented players to do the same. It doesn’t take much to mention their names when interviewed or take time to tell them individually how much they are helping the team and that you appreciate their contribution. As Coach Wooden said…”acknowledge the unacknowledged”

These players can still be given leadership responsibilities even if not the most talented – have a “bench captain”

Offer extra time and attention to help them gain skill or learn a role. Every player has a role and every role that supports the team culture, has value. Realize that often skill development may not come as quickly and easily as with your more talented players. Great teachers and coaches learn to never embarrass a willing learner – and don’t let anyone else do it either.

When the player is someone who is going to mature late, we need to keep them looking ahead to when their body catches up with their heart and teach them that their best days are still coming if they can keep working and stay positive.

For those players who simply do not have the physical ability, we need to understand that this will probably be their last athletic team experience and you probably are going to be their last coach – be a great coach for these players.

I have learned that the players in this situation, who continue to work hard, study hard, play a role, stay positive and still don’t play as much because of their lower skill level, often make great coaches. They have had to study the game, break things down, analyze and spend extra time to learn basic skills allowing them to be better teachers than those to whom skill comes naturally. They understand roles and being part of a team so they have better ideas on how to build that camaraderie.

Looking back on a three decades of coaching, these players are part of my best memories – I hope that their memories of being on our teams are as good as my memories of their courage. Great teams have players who are “into the game” even when they are not “in the game”.

Contact us for presentations or materials:
website www.proactivecoaching.info
Email bruce@proactivecoaching.info
Phone - 360.502.0424