In my short time as a coach, athletic director or principal,
the number one sports related complaint is about playing time. Why isn’t my kid playing? Why does that kid get to play over mine? You could go on and on and many of us have
had the experience of seeing a mad parent and maybe even trying to comfort
them. I have always been pretty good
about talking parents off the ledge when it comes to this conflict but I never
really organized my thoughts into an understandable model. Here is my best attempt.
Above you see the “Playing Time Continuum” that should
explain to any parent or fan why a kid is not playing or why they are
playing. For this model to work you must
have a coach is that is there to help the kids win. Wining is their reward for effort and execution. The players deserve a winning effort for them
to be able to grow as players. Without
this, my crude model is null and void.
Playing time comes in many forms but we think of it as
simply getting a chance to play. It may
be a whole game or may be pinch running.
Either way a player is in the game for some amount of time and should
always see this as an opportunity.
If you travel clockwise on the continuum you will see “Hard
Work”. Hard work is time off the field
to improve your skills, become stronger or learn something new. You may take lessons or simply get up and
shoot 100 free throws a day. It shows self-discipline
and dedication. No player can help a
team if they do not work hard to better themselves.
Further clockwise is “Ability”. Players develop their ability from their hard
work. Without hard work, a player may
not have the skills to earn playing time.
Every player should have something to contribute in order to have a
winning effort. Some kids may not be
suited for some abilities but that is where a good coach and parents can lead
them in a direction that will give them a skill set to help their team.
The “Situation” may or may not demand a player’s ability. The more abilities a player has it is likely
that they get more time. Game situation
is critical if a coach is operating in a winning environment. If a player is best suited to hot against
left handed hitters, then they should get the opportunity. There are lots of scenarios that could be
created to illustrate that point. If
your child is a one trick pony then the situations they can play in become limited.
Now we are back to “Playing Time” and it’s important to note
that this is a continuing cycle. There
is no destination. Even if a player is
getting playing time they should still work hard, develop their abilities so
they can be ready for game situations.
My hope is that this simple idea can change a player, parents,
or coach’s attitude towards playing time.
I can’t speak for every coach but I know these things are valuable for
me. Of course this doesn’t factor in
team or school policies that may prevent kids from playing. Attitude may be a factor of hard work and may
keep players from playing as well. In
any event we need to communicate the right concepts to our players and parents.
