{"id":7483,"date":"2022-03-21T14:20:00","date_gmt":"2022-03-21T18:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/?p=7483"},"modified":"2025-07-09T04:34:07","modified_gmt":"2025-07-09T08:34:07","slug":"helping-young-athletes-be-team-players","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-young-athletes-be-team-players\/","title":{"rendered":"Helping Young Athletes Be Team Players"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/learning-from-elite-athletes.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/learning-from-elite-athletes.jpg\" alt=\"What Can Athletes Learn from Elite Athletes\u2019 Mindset?\" class=\"wp-image-9107\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/learning-from-elite-athletes.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/learning-from-elite-athletes-300x150.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_Your_Sports_Kids_Not_Get_Enough_Playing_Time\"><\/span>Do Your Sports Kids Not Get Enough Playing Time?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_83 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-young-athletes-be-team-players\/#Do_Your_Sports_Kids_Not_Get_Enough_Playing_Time\" >Do Your Sports Kids Not Get Enough Playing Time?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-young-athletes-be-team-players\/#First_even_when_kids_roles_have_changed_they_can_still_be_team_player_and_improve_their_game_They_can\" >First, even when kids\u2019 roles have changed, they can still be team player and improve their game. They can:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-young-athletes-be-team-players\/#Team_Appreciation\" >Team Appreciation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-young-athletes-be-team-players\/#Related_Articles_on_Youth_Sports\" >Related Articles on Youth Sports:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-young-athletes-be-team-players\/#The_Composed_Sports_Kid\" >The Composed Sports Kid<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>Successful athletes often make sacrifices. Yet, one of the most challenging sacrifices for some athletes is accepting their <strong>role on the team.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Players\u2019 roles can frequently change due to injuries, roster shake-ups, changes in playing style, coach preferences, or a new<strong> team members\u2019<\/strong> successes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When young athletes are relegated to a backup role or have their playing time reduced, they can have difficulty adjusting to their new role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They will say they worked hard to build their skills and hone their game. They\u2019re talented and have been important contributors to the team. They played a lot better than most of their teammates in practice, they\u2019ll tell you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Often, young athletes who have had their role changed feel they deserve to start or earned the right to play. They may question why another player receives more playing time. They may think their coach is unfair or has something against them personally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This type of negative thinking can hurt kids\u2019 performance, and it also sparks negative energy on the team. Negative attitudes hurt the team and hurt sports kids\u2019 standing in their coaches\u2019 eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s clear that young athletes can\u2019t complain their way to the top. &nbsp;What can they do instead?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"First_even_when_kids_roles_have_changed_they_can_still_be_team_player_and_improve_their_game_They_can\"><\/span>First, even when kids\u2019 roles have changed, they can still be team player and improve their game. They can:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Learn by watching. They can develop their game and better understand strategy by watching others compete.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Push their teammates. When athletes push their limits in training, they also push their teammates to become better. This mentality fosters team play and cohesion.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hone their skills. Even though they have less playing time, they can take advantage of the opportunities in practice to develop their skills through focused repetition.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Showcase their abilities. Each practice, kids have the opportunity to display their skills, work ethic, and positive mindset. This can lead to more playing time.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Contribute to teamwork. &nbsp;Just as negativity infects a team\u2019s morale, positivity can improve the collective mindset.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Remind kids to keep in mind that a team\u2019s success results from all players pulling in the same direction toward a common goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Take, for example, shooting guard Nik Stauskas. Stauskas entered the NBA after being drafted No. 8 overall in the 2014 NBA Draft by the Kings. Stauskas found himself battling for playing minutes and never lived up to his potential as a rookie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Stauskas bounced around the league, playing for eight different <strong>teams<\/strong>, which affected his effort and energy. In 2022, Stauskas contemplated retirement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, after he had a 10-day successful stint in the NBA \u2018G\u2019 League, Stauskas was signed to a two-year contract with the Boston Celtics. Stauskas has since decided to accept his role, contribute wherever he can and maintain a positive attitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Team_Appreciation\"><\/span>Team Appreciation<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI just have a different appreciation now for being in this [situation], having this opportunity,\u201d he said. \u201cTrying to make the most of it. If I\u2019m not going to play, I\u2019m going to be the first guy waving the towel, pumping everyone else up. For me, that\u2019s growth because that\u2019s something that I wasn\u2019t willing to do just a couple years ago in my first stint in the league.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When kids define and accept their roles on a team, their motivation stays high. They become valuable team assets when they approach each practice and game with a positive mentality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s easy to complain, but complaining does nothing to improve young athletes\u2019 circumstances. Instead, they can contribute to the <strong>team&#8217;s <\/strong>success in many ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Encourage young athletes to work on a mindset aimed at helping their team. Help them compile a list of how they can contribute to their team\u2019s success as a leader, a challenger, coach-player, or a helper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Young athletes should read this list before practice and commit themselves to being team players. Being good team members is just as important as scoring or winning!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"related-articles-on-hockey-mental-game\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Related_Articles_on_Youth_Sports\"><\/span>Related Articles on Youth Sports:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/sports-parents-should-be-team-players-too\/\"><strong>Sports Parents Should Be \u201cTeam Players\u201d Too<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-elite-teams-can-hurt-kids-confidence\/\"><strong>How Elite Teams Can Hurt Kids\u2019 Confidence<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-sports-kids-emotions-affect-teammates\/\"><strong>How Sports Kids\u2019 Emotions Affect Teammates<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-f49818fa-7c7a-4ee3-b5ee-66581aad2c71\">*Subscribe to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/sports-psychology-podcast-by-peaksports-com\/id152566009\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0on iTunes<br>*Subscribe to <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0ynyaalKxbnNmsoeL8gF5X?si=8224669de9b3435b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/strong><\/a> on Spotify<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Composed_Sports_Kid\"><\/span>The Composed Sports Kid<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/03\/composed-sports-kid-small-1.jpg\" alt=\"The Composed Sports Kid\" class=\"wp-image-11173\" style=\"width:170px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>&#8220;The Composed Sports Kid&#8221; audio&nbsp;and workbook digital download program for young athletes and their parents or coach helps kids cope with frustration and anger in sports. Help your sports kids learn how to manage expectations and let go of mistakes so they can keep their head in the game.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>The Composed Sports Kid system<\/strong><\/em>&nbsp;is really two programs in one\u2013one program to train parents and coaches how to help their kids practice composure, and one program that teaches young athletes\u2013<em>ages 6 to 13<\/em>\u2013how to improve composure, let go of mistakes quickly, have more self-acceptance,&nbsp;<strong>and thus enjoy sports more<\/strong>!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-26bcd9b3\">\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-903b6244 gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/the-confident-sports-kid-cd-program\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">GET DETAILS<\/a>\n\n\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-3275f4fd gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/shop.peaksports.com\/collections\/confident-sports-kid-series-digital-version\/products\/the-confident-sports-kid-bundle-digital\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">BUY NOW<\/a>\n\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Do Your Sports Kids Not Get Enough Playing Time? Successful athletes often make sacrifices. Yet, one of the most challenging sacrifices for some athletes is accepting their role on the team. Players\u2019 roles can frequently change due to injuries, roster shake-ups, changes in playing style, coach preferences, or a new &#8230; <a title=\"Helping Young Athletes Be Team Players\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-young-athletes-be-team-players\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Helping Young Athletes Be Team Players\">Read Sport Psychology Tip<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9108,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,6],"tags":[309],"class_list":["post-7483","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kids-in-sports","category-youth-sports-psychology-blog","tag-confidence-in-youth-sports","resize-featured-image"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7483","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7483"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7483\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9108"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7483"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7483"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7483"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}