Get More Playing Time (Video)

Most players don’t know that their playing time is determined by the amount of trust they have with their teammates and coaches. They go the entire season asking themselves, “why am I not getting more playing time?”

The question that you really need to be asking yourselves is:

“What am I doing to lose the trust or not earn the trust of my teammates and my coaches?”

Get more playing time with these 5 steps:

1. Accept Your Role

Your coach put you on the team because they have a specific role that they need you to play in order to make your team successful. Many players don’t get the playing time that they feel like they deserve simply because they haven’t accepted their role. Don’t try to play the role of another player. Accept your role, “we” before “I”, and do it well.

2. Star In Your Role

Be the best at what you do and the best at your job. Like Patrick Beverley he shows up every single day to be that tenacious defender that his teammates need his coaches need and he defends from one baseline to the other baseline. He doesn’t come out on the floor trying to be their best three-point shooter or the best scorer. Figure out what your role is, who you need to be for the team and star in it daily.

3. Make Your Teammates Better

Challenge your teammates every single day in practice and both on the court and off. John Stockton is a perfect example of this. Throughout his career he never lost in a suicide drill. His role was to hustle and challenge his teammates every single day in practice. If you do this you’ll start building the trust of your teammates and your coaches because they know that you have the best interest of the team and program at heart.

4. Be Consistent

This is what makes any player great: The ability to be at their best daily.

5. Do More Than Expected

Come to practice early, stay late, get in a couple of extra workouts. This shows your coaches that you are invested and you are willing to put in the work. This is a great way to build trust. You can also rebound for teammates, send a text message on birthdays, holidays or other important days. Send inspirational or encouraging text messages whenever your teammates are going through something. Be there for them. This is a great way to connect and show your teammates and your coaches that you care and you are invested.

Join us at a PGC camp to discover how to create better relationships with even the most “challenging” teammates and master subtleties of the game most coaches don’t have time to teach.

Continue Reading To Discover: Why Coaches Play Favorites