Didn’t Make the Starting Lineup? Stay Mentally Present
When you don’t see your name on the starting line-up card, it’s OKAY to be mad and discouraged. I hate not playing too! It feels like all your hard work was for nothing. Being mad just means that you care, as you should.
I’ll let you in on something. My freshman year, I didn’t start every game. I barely started any games. First game of the season was coming up and one of our starting infielders got hurt. I was told to be prepared to play, and then she ended up getting cleared right before the game to play. When I found this out, yes, I was mad. I thought I was going to play for sure. That took a big hit on me mentally, but I wasn’t going to think about it during the game. All I could do was be in full support of all my teammates, and that’s what I did.
I know what it’s like to not see your name on that starting line-up card. Throughout that season, I got opportunities to come in and pinch hit and to be a defensive replacement because I showed that I wanted to be in the game. I was doing charts and staying in the game as much as I could. By not playing, I could’ve dwelled about it and been frustrated, but I used the opportunity to learn as much as I could to be a better player.
It may feel like you want to go home, but you ARE important and there are things you can do to help you get that opportunity. First, it’s so important to stay persistent and patient. While it may be super frustrating and you may be mad, you can channel those emotions in another productive way. You never know when your name might be called to go in the game, maybe to replace an injured teammate or another situation, you just never know.
Stay mentally present.
Even though you’re not physically on the field, you do have a huge role in the dugout. That might be writing things down on charts, picking pitches from the opposing pitcher, yelling “bunt” or “stealing” to help your teammates. Supporting and cheering your teammates, observing the pitcher’s tendencies, or just mentally taking reps as if you were on the field. The more involved you are in the dugout, the better player you will become, and the more prepared you will be when your name gets called to play.
During games, if you look in our dugout, everyone is on the fence dialed in. When we’re on the field, the players that don’t play are in the dugout dialed in and helping in any way they can. Even though they aren’t playing, they’re just as important as anyone else. You’re all part of the same team, so winning is going to take your whole team.
Be a great teammate. Support and cheer your teammates on when they come in after making great plays or getting hits. As a player, there is nothing better than receiving love after you did something well. Motivate your teammates and keep the energy up. Even though you aren’t on the field, you can control how you react and respond.
Action plan:
Focus on your role: If you are not playing, you still have a role. Even if you usually play and one game you don’t, it doesn’t mean you have the game off. No, you still are important to the team’s success. There are many things to do to help, even though you are not physically on the field. It sucks not seeing your name on the starting line-up, but don’t be discouraged.
Be a good teammate. Don’t be an energy “vampire.” Don’t suck the energy out of your other teammates because your energy sucks. Energy is contagious, so having a poor attitude will put your teammates in a bad position. Instead, bring light to your teammates if you see them down. When your other teammates that aren’t playing see you with a good attitude, it can bring their attitude up and help the team even more. Check in with your teammates that might be down on themselves. Laughing is so incredibly powerful to help ease any tension. Recognize the situation of course, but if there is the right opportunity to crack a joke to your teammates then it brings light to the situation. Just be a great teammate.
