How Do You Handle Playing Time
How do you handle playing time?
“I coach a rec. team, and we have a half-the-game rule for every player, although most everyone on my team plays more than half the game”
Coach Steven
“I coach an u-7 and u10-12 club/intramural teams. My main concern in coaching is keeping all my girls interested in playing and enjoying the game. Generally whatever position they want and pretty much equal playing time. I’m coaching in a league that is design to phase you out of playing by 11yrs old unless you are “Travel Worthy” whatever that means….”
Coach Tom
“My team plays in a competitive league, and luckily all my players get and deserve roughly equal playing time. Of course some of them end up getting a bit more then the rest.”
Coach Malcolm
“I coach a u-14 Div. 3 team and I try to split up the playing time as well as possible, but we are also trying to win. I try to find a balance”
Coach Jose
“A few of the girls on my u8 team hardly even want to play. If anyone doesn’t play at least half the game it is because they don’t want to.”
Coach Bob
“I coach a competitive u14 team and I would say all of my players with the exception of two, play more than half of each game.”
Coach Dave
What are your thoughts on this issue? Please add your comments via the comments feature
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I coach a competitive team and playing time boils down to talent, effort and results both from practice and games. All will play in every game, however I do have a few players who do not give 100%, who do not make many practices, who do not show improvement from practice to practice and those players do not receive a great deal of playing time. The kids that derserve to play because of their hard work and dedication, play.
Everyone plays period. If they are on the team and go to practice and are there not because their parents signed them up. But do not put them in situations where they are going to fall. Sub when you are on the offense side of the field. When in doubt kick it out. Keep everything in front of you for fullbacks use the side line and end line as your friend.
I commented on another post about this. I pick the team on merit, based on performances in the previous game, performance and attendance at practice. I think this is the only fair way to ensure the players who deserve to play get the appropriate amount of playing time. Constant rotations mean the mini-partnerships can never develop, because the personnel are changing regularly. Also, the team loses all shape when players are consistently changing position.