Being Benched - How to bounce back
Many athletes across various codes can collectively agree that being benched sucks. Aside from losing, getting benched is the worst feeling in sports (some would even prefer to lose).
I still remember the first time that I got dropped to the bench. I was Year 11 in high school, 14 years old. I was playing in the 1st 11 team that I always dreamed of being a part of. However, I was having a shocker of a season. I was well out of my depth, which meant there were a lot of mistakes leading to a lot of goals. I had made it to the halfway point of the season and still managed to keep my place in the starting lineup, predominantly due to the lack of goalkeepers at our school. But after a particularly poor display in goal for the semi-final of a big tournament that led to us getting knocked out of the tournament. The next day we had the 3rd and 4th play-off, in which our coach elected to play one of the outfielders in goal instead of me, saying that I’m gonna “sit this one out”. And honestly, it was the right decision (fair play to the midfielder cause he played much better than I had been too).
Even though it was the 3rd/4th playoff, it still hurt to be dropped. As a youngster, that was one of the hardest parts of my career. I cried. It was a massive shoot on my confidence. But it’s part of the often cruel game we have all fallen in love with. Being a goalkeeper means there is only 1 starting position, so at the end of the day, someone has to play, and someone has to be on the bench. For the most part, we can’t control whether or not the coach wants to drop us to the bench or not. What we can control is our reaction to the situation and the steps we take to ensure that we don’t spend a prolonged time on the bench.
Respect Your Coaches Decision
Whether it’s a performance-based reason or not, you can’t control what goes on in your coach’s head, as much as we would all like to. Getting upset or lashing out at a coach is not appropriate and will only get you further away from the starting lineup, not closer. Your best course of action is to take it on the chin and get on with things.
Ask Questions & Get Feedback
If you do find yourself getting dropped to the bench, there will always be at least one, if not a couple of reasons why. Maybe you haven’t been performing on training/match day. Maybe the 2nd keeper has been training and playing well, so the coach thinks they deserve a shot.
Whatever the reason, the best thing you can do to get yourself back into contention is to ask for feedback. Be upfront with your coach and ask them why you have been dropped, as well as what areas you should focus on improving. This doesn’t need to be a one-off, either. You’re allowed to continually ask for feedback and find out what the coach wants from you. Coaches are there to support you, and in most instances, they actively encourage you to ask questions. So make the most of this opportunity to find out what the coach thinks and how you can improve in their eyes.
”Ask for feedback and find out what the coach wants from you”
Work harder than ever
This is an important step in not just your physical and technical development but also your psychological development. Your reaction to the coach’s decision will truly show what you are made of. If you’re the type of player to mope around and feel sorry for yourself, I’m pretty confident that your coach won’t want you back in goal anytime soon. However, if you roll your sleeves up, get on with it and put in the work at training, this will not only help you improve but also show the coach that you have taken their feedback on board and are willing to fight for your starting position. Showing your coach that even when times get tough, and the world is against you, you’re still willing to battle it out and work your butt off will not only set you in good stead with your coach and teammates but will also set a good precedent for the rest of your career
Take time for Reflection
Most goalkeepers probably wouldn’t agree with their coach when they have been dropped. And that’s absolutely fine. You don’t need to agree with them. Nonetheless, an important part of your development is reviewing and analysing your own performances. Speaking with your coaches as well as formulating your own opinions on your performance, attitude, ability etc. This will help you to realise where you are at and how you can continually improve.
Early this year, I was dropped from my position in the Ellerslie men’s first team, and honestly, I didn’t agree with the decision. Nevertheless, it gave me a good chance to reset my mindset, have a bit of a mental break from the stress of gameday, and take the time to evaluate my performance. Upon reflection, I figured out that I wasn’t playing and training quite as well as I had been in the previous season. I’d gotten a bit complacent and actually stopped putting in as much effort in training. By figuring this out myself, I was able to get myself back into gear and start training at a higher intensity and level than I was at prior to being dropped. 6 weeks later, I was reinstated as the starting goalkeeper due to my improved performances in training and practice games.
Support the Other Goalkeeper
Whether you find yourself on the sideline for a few weeks or the whole season, the number 1 rule of the goalkeepers union (GKU) is to always support the other goalkeeper. Obviously, it’s important to put your own intentions ahead of others when it comes to development, but at the end of the day, the most important thing is trying to help your team win. Sometimes the only way you can do that is by supporting your fellow GK. Act professionally and don’t bad mouth or intentionally disrupt the other goalkeeper because that can have a negative effect on the team. I know that deep down, you want the other keeper to concede 5. But whether the team wins 6-5 and they play poorly or wins 1-0 and they get the player of the match, you must be there to support them all the way.
Remember, when you were playing, they were always there to support you, so make sure you do the same for them!
At the end of the day, there is no sugarcoating it. Getting dropped to the bench sucks. However, if you act like a professional, actively seek feedback, and work hard to improve, then you’ll leave your coach no choice but to put you back in the starting spot where you belong!
The Goalkeepers’ View
