How to Get More
Playing Time
How to Get More Playing Time | HoopSkills.com
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Players go through a few stages when it comes to dealing with playing time. Most
players begin the year with the desire to earn playing time by working hard. Next,
if playing time doesn’t come early, most players still have the determination to
work hard and earn more playing time.
If playing time still doesn’t come, players soon become disappointed and become
frustrated – which makes them question whether they should quit. The key to
dealing with playing time is to resolve the issue as early as possible before
disappointment and frustration set in.
The longer you wait to take action the less likely it is that you are going to be able
to change your situation. It’s important to understand that playing time is earned in
practice. You must first show that you deserve an opportunity for more playing
time.
Then when you get the chance in a game, you need to make the most of the
opportunity and show the coach that you have earned more opportunities to help
the team. Make it obvious to your coaches and teammates that you deserve more
playing time. Here are the right steps for players to take if they want to increase
their playing time.
Meet with the Coach
The one most effective and productive step that a player must make is to take
initiative and ask for a sit-down meeting with their coach. It can often be a tough
thing for a young player, especially if they feel the coach is not being fair.
The attitude and mentality that you have before and during the meeting is very
important. Asking the coach “What do I have to do to get more playing time?” is
the wrong attitude to take. It makes you sound selfish and immediately turns the
coach off. Coaches don’t want players that are just seeking more playing time.
They want players that are interested in getting better and playing well. It’s better
to ask the coach “What can I do to help the team?” It lets the coach know that your
first interest is the team and you are willing to do anything to make the team
better.
Next, find out what role the coach has for you. Coaches sometimes assume that
players know their role. Even if the coach has previously stated your role in the
past, ask and make sure your role hasn’t changed.
How to Get More Playing Time | HoopSkills.com
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At the conclusion of the meeting, you should know the specific expectations that
the coach has for you and the coach should understand that you are willing to do
anything to help the team win. Once you know what the coach expects from you,
focus your effort and training toward fulfilling that specific role.
Be a Great Teammate
Coaches use times of adversity, such as playing time, to separate team players from
individual players. Individual players respond to adversity by focusing on
themselves and complaining about what everyone else is doing.
Team players respond by encouraging their teammates and working harder in order
to accomplish a team goal. You want to be a team player that all of your
teammates want to play with and have confidence in when times are tough.
Coaches love players that are great teammates. They are the players that make the
people around them better. Great teammates put the team’s goals before their own
personal goals and never complain about playing time or degrade other
teammates.
Also, coaches love to see players make the extra pass. It’s a statement to your
coach and teammates that you are more concerned about a teammate scoring than
you. It often leads to your teammates making extra passes and your team getting
higher percentage shots. Finally, you can also be a great teammate on the bench.
Players need to have a hunger to learn more about the game and have a goal of
getting better every day. The bench can offer you a great opportunity to increase
your knowledge. It provides you with an opportunity to observe other players and
learn through their mistakes and successes.
Consistently do the little things better than anybody
Coaches are constantly looking for players that consistently do the little things
correctly. Doing the little things better than anybody else will make you stand out
and catch the eye of coaches and teammates.
Taking a charge is one of the little things that coaches are looking for in a
player. When you take a charge it provides a defensive stop, your team gets
possession of the ball, and it gives the opponent a foul, as well as possibly taking
2-points off the board. Also, it will make some players hesitant to drive to the
basket if they know there is someone willing to take a charge.
How to Get More Playing Time | HoopSkills.com
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Next, you need to be a player that consistently gets loose balls. It can help your
team keep possession of the ball or give your team an extra possession. Also, there
are a lot of players that hustle when they are on the floor, but you need to hustle off
the floor as well. You should sprint to the scores table when the coach asks you to
go in the game as well as sprinting to the bench during huddles and off the floor
when you come out of the game. It will show that you are mentally into the game
and anxious to contribute to the team. Coaches don’t like a player to walk on or
off the floor.
Finally, a little thing that most players don’t think about is taking care of your
body. Players should eat right and condition their body in order to properly
compete at the level that is required to be successful. Everyone wants to be on the
floor in the 4th quarter, but if your body is not well conditioned the coach won’t
feel comfortable with you toward the end of the game.
Play tough defense
Playing tough defense is probably the single most important thing that a player can
do to get more playing time. Coaches are always looking for players that will
consistently do the “dirty work”.
A majority of defense is about effort and positioning, two things every player can
do but few decide to do. Offensive players experience games when their shooting
is inconsistent therefore their playing time is inconsistent.
If your effort is constant then your defense will be consistent and you will see
consistent playing time. You don’t necessarily have to get steals or block shots,
just be a solid and reliable defender. Be a defender that is a good on-the-ball
defender as well as someone your teammates can rely on for help. Also, keep in
mind that tough defense always ends with a solid block-out on every
shot. Regardless of size or athletic ability, everyone has the ability to block-out. It
will prevent 2nd shots and can also help draw fouls from offensive rebounders.
Defense is a huge part of the game that most players don’t have a passion for. An
easy way to impress coaches and get teammates to want to play with you is to play
tough defense. Be a player that people love to play with but hate to play
against.
Play Within Yourself
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When trying to get more playing time players often try too hard to impress coaches
and teammates. They try to do things that they are not capable of doing or that
they don’t feel comfortable doing.
It can be the quickest way to find you back on the bench. The goal of players
should be to emphasize their strengths and improve on their weaknesses. Few
players are able to be good at every phase of the game. If you can discover what
you do well and do them better than anybody then you will find yourself with more
playing time.
Players often have the misconception that they have to do something great to get
more playing time. Often times it’s the player and team that does the ordinary
things better than anybody that is successful.
TCOB (Take Care Of the Ball)
A player may play hard but still find themselves on the bench due to not taking
care of the ball. Coaches aren’t comfortable with players that tend to commit
turnovers. You could be a great teammate, do all of the little things, and play
tough defense but if you turn the ball over you will find yourself on the bench.
All players have some turnovers, but don’t expect more playing time if you
continue to have problems taking care of the ball. On the other hand, if you are
able to limit your turnovers, coaches will be more comfortable putting you in the
game, especially toward the end of games. Most coaches are looking for players
that can have a 2 to 1 assist-to-turnover ratio. If you can play strong with the ball
and be a reliable ball-handler you will find yourself getting more quality playing
time.
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