Saturday, September 23, 2023

Basketball: Responsibilities of a Reserve Player

*Cross-posted but applies to most basketball activities. 

Reserve players have responsibilities. Some are "dos" and others are "don'ts." All have importance. 

1. Be ready for your opportunity. You probably heard this story before. In 2005 at Andover, who lost in the Division 1 State finals, setter Amanda Hallett broke a shoelace and had to come out. Taylor Pearson came off the bench and the team won 6 of 7 points. Melrose beat the D1 powerhouse 3 to 2. 

2. Excel in your role. Everyone's job is to bring the best version of themselves to the team daily. Play every practice scrimmage, every "Queen of the Court" opportunity as though it's the Sectional Championship game. 

3. Be in the game. Know the game plan, the strategy, and observe the ebb and flow. Maybe a back row opponent is weaker. If you were serving, could you 'attack' her? Have the courage to point that out to your teammates and perhaps to the coaches. 

4. Support your teammates. Enthusiasm on the bench matters. In an earlier post, I highlight video of the bench during a late game victory. You were exemplary. 

5. Impact winning. You impact winning by making everyone around you better. You change lives every day at home and at school. Take care of business. 

6. Impact your world. When Kayla Wyland played, I spoke with her parents saying how impressed I was with her as a person. Her mother told me that she was every bit as pleasant and helpful at home, not needing to be asked to help with chores like shoveling the driveway. I will always be a Kayla fan. 

7. "Don't whine, don't complain, don't make excuses." Coaches coach, players play, officials officiate. Stay on task with your job. 

8. Stay conditioned. If that means doing extra sprints or five minutes of jumping rope twice a day, then do it. 

9. Be intentional. Have purpose in your warmup, your preparation, your study of the game, your study of video.  

Watch on YouTube setting the playback speed to 0.25. Watch her "runway" and steps, attack preparation including back arm swing, and her arm swing, contact point (excellent), and follow through. There is a lot to like and a few points to fine tune. 

Return to Coach Donny's "Elevate Yourself" attack footwork video. 

Great players have the desire, maybe the obsession to excel technically and tactically (how and when).

10. "Always do your best." Take pride in sharing the experience of being on an excellent TEAM more than playing on a mediocre or weak one. We recently had our fiftieth high school reunion and almost all the living seniors from 1973 returned for a pre-reunion gathering and the reunion, including both managers, one from San Diego.

Commit and compete.  

Lagniappe. It's not enough to be the best player on a TEAM.  


 

 

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