Playing Time And It’s Influence on Sports Kids
What do you do when your sports kids suddenly get less playing time? Or if they never got much to begin with?
If it hurts their confidence—and often it will–you can take concrete steps to boost your kids’ mental game.
“Three of the last four years our son has been on an AAU team where he was one of the best players and played 95% of the game,” writes one parent. “This year he has made a team that is extremely good and he is not one of the best players and is getting very little playing time.”
As a result, the sports dad says, the boy is not playing very aggressively or up to his potential. Clearly, this change in playing time undermines this boy’s confidence….
It’s likely that he’s playing scared. He’s afraid to make mistakes when he does play, which means he plays tentatively, rather than taking risks and believing in his abilities.
Unfortunately, playing tentatively doesn’t improve a young athlete’s game—either physically or mentally.
What’s more, the boy is likely psyching himself out by comparing himself to the high-level players on his team.
When kids start to falter due to little playing time, it’s critical for them to change how they approach the game. They need to be prepared when they do get a chance to play.
To be better prepared, they need to work hard in practice and not be discouraged. They can also try pre-game routines to help them warm up their mental–as well as physical–skills.
What’s more, when confidence takes a hit from less playing time, they need to draw on their successes and abilities. This boy, for example, was one of the strongest players on his last team.
Rather than comparing himself to his team mates, he needs to think about what it was like to be one of the best players. When he starts to feel his confidence sink, he should recall positive moments or feelings related to his old team.
What’s more, you as sports parents can have a chat with the coach. Ask what your sports kids need to do to improve their skills. What specifically do they need to work on? It’s possible that it’s not clear to your kids that the coach expects more in certain areas.
Want to learn more about how to boost kids’ confidence in the face of such challenges? Here at Kids’ Sports Psychology, here are just a few of the resources we offer:
- Audio interview, “How Lack of Playing Time Affects Confidence in Young Athletes.”
- “Appreciate Your Talents: How to Avoid Making Comparisons,” an eBook written for young athletes.
- Article: “Is Winning More Important than Equal Playing Time?”
Exclusive members of Kids’ Sports Psychology have access to these and many other audios, articles, videos and e-books.
Related Articles on Kids’ Mental Game:
- When Kids Drop Out of Sports Because of Little Playing Time
- How Playing Sports Can Help Kids Transition to Reopening
- When Sports Kids Don’t Get Enough Playing Time
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Good post. I would say one thing, though. Instead of the parent talking to the coach, encourage the kid to approach the coach. It helps them really learn to fight their own battles. Maybe the first time this happens, the parent and kid can go together so the kid can learn how it’s done. There comes a point when it’s better to let the kid fight his own battles.