[Transcript] #1 Athletes – How To Deal With Playing Time Issues

What’s going on everybody. This is DreAllDay. BALDWIN You are now listening to the Work On Your Game Podcast. This particular episode was also posted previously a couple of months back over an athlete on fire network but now that I’ve started my own podcast I wanted to get all of those episodes up here so that all of you who are just now getting familiar can have everything in the exact same space. So this is one of those episodes. Enjoy.



And work on your game. This is Dre All Day you are listening to the Dre All Day work on your game podcast and today this podcast episode is for athletes specifically athletes that play a team sport such as basketball a football baseball hockey. I mean you know what a team sport is. And this episode I’m talking about dealing with coaches specifically dealing with playing time issues or field time or whatever.



Ice time whatever sport you happen to play if you’re in a situation where you’re not getting the type of playing time that you want. How do you deal with that situation. How do you approach the coach of this situation. What do you say because there are certain things you should say certain things you should not say. And what do you do. Depending on the outcome of those conversations what do you do if you don’t have that conversation.



My name is Dre ball knows no no the who don’t know me. My background is as a professional athlete. I play basketball overseas for nine years. I have a ton of experience when it comes to dealing with basketball coaches basketball teams playing time situations running the gamut from playing all of every game to playing none of any other games.

And also over the last eleven plus years I’ve been posting videos on YouTube and blogging on my Web site Dre All Day dot com where I get basketball players usually basketball players but also athletes and other sports coming to me all the time asking me about issues with coaches issues with playing time issues with the team. I get parents sent to me very very long emails very long emails telling me the situations of their kids and how they can possibly help their children get into a better space in their sport because they feel the child’s not maybe not planets that are but sensor or not getting the opportunity that the parent feels their child should be getting because of the coach of course.



And in this episode I’m going to tell you three things that you the athlete not you the parent but you the athlete need to do if you feel like you are not getting the type of playing time that you want to get. So if you happen to have a child or a friend or a mentee who is an athlete who’s having coaching issues this is not for you to do. This is for you to share this episode with them because this episode is my direct conversation with the athletes specifically who feels like he or she is not receiving enough playing time. He is the number one thing that you do if you’re on a team. Let’s just say the basketball team and you’re not getting enough playing time. Here’s the number one option that you have. Number one option you have you’re not getting the playing time in your sport.



Shut the fuck up and work harder and or get better. I’m going to repeat that.

This is the number one option is the option at 80 percent of you need to take 80 percent of you athletes who feel like you’re not playing enough. This is the number one thing you need to do.

Shut the fuck up and work harder. Slash you get better work harder and get better. Don’t pick one. Do both.



80 percent of the time 80 percent is a very conservative number. Let’s put that number. It’s about 96 percent 96 percent of players who claim they’re not getting enough playing time from the coach. It is not because the coach is hating on you. It is not because the coach’s son is playing in front of you is not because you’re not friends with the coach it’s not because he’s a coach from a certain neighborhood. He only likes players who look a certain way. It’s not because you’re not tall enough it’s not because you’re too tall. It’s not because you don’t. It’s not because of anything that has nothing to do with your game. All right. Ninety six percent of you who are listening. If you’re not playing enough is a 96 percent chance it is because you are not working hard enough and or you are not good enough.



One another. When I was in college my sophomore year I got recruited to the school called Penn State out sooner and the way Division 3 school in Altoona Pennsylvania. I didn’t get a lot of playing time that season. It wasn’t because I wasn’t good enough because I didn’t work hard enough. I did not have good practice habits. I didn’t I didn’t know how to put myself every single day. I hadn’t yet understood the the principal puzzle yourself when you don’t feel like it. When I was in college I eventually figured that out of course obviously. But at the time I hadn’t figured it out and I didn’t work hard enough in practice and as a result I didn’t get much playing time. So mean I went to the coach and said hey what can I do to get more pants on. He said you need to work harder and practice every day. And he was absolutely right. You players out there a lot of you don’t work hard enough in practice and if you are working hard enough in practice you just might not have any game that might be the problem that you just don’t have game right. Ladies and gentlemen that might really be the problem is a problem that you need to confront head or you need to address them by working on your game and getting better at your sport. Whatever your sport happens to be if it happens to be basketball I can help you with that.



You can contact me on Snapchat or Twitter or via email and I can help you out way getting better at your game.



But the number one reason 96 percent of you are not playing enough is that you just are not good. You just need to get better. You need to improve your skills improve your in-game performance just because you did it in practice or just because you do it when you’re by yourself does not mean you deserve playing time in a game. What you do in the game determines what you get in the game and what you do in practice determines whether you get a chance to even show what you can do it again.

So what you need to do if you’re not getting enough playing time is a ninety six percent chance you need to just shut the fuck up and work harder and or get better actually and get better because no player has ever had a point where they don’t need to get better. I don’t care who you are the best player in the world needs to get better.



Number two let’s just say that you’re in a 4 percent who doesn’t need to work harder and get better which is pretty much as close to impossible as you can get. But let’s just say that you are. Number two that you need to do. You go to your coach and this is the way that you phrase the statement. This is a question that you will ask your coach is not a demand. You don’t demand more playing time. You don’t just state that you’re not getting enough playing time because guess what the coach doesn’t care. Remember that’s your coach’s job is to help the team win a coach’s job is not to give you playing time. The coach’s job is not even to make you a better player. Believe it or not it is not the coach’s job to make you better at basketball. Whether you think it is. It is not is not the coach’s job is your job to make you better. The coach’s job is to put each player in the position at what’s best helps the team win. So if you’re a bum player and you’re not very skilled the best position for you to help the team win is on a bench. Everybody understand it. Everybody must understand what I just said the coach’s job is to put the players in a position that helps the team win.



So if you’re a good player the best position for you to help the team win is on the court on the field or on ice if you’re not good. Your best position is on a bench. That’s just how it is. When I was in college that same year it was one of my teammates he made the team as a walk on. His name was Martin. Martin made the team and after a few months of us playing games one day to coach Paul Martin aside and said Listen Martin you’re not going to play in any of these games all season. So this is what I want you to do. You still going to come with us to every game. But instead of putting on your uniform you’re going to handle our camera equipment. You’re going to actually film our games for us. So he became the team cameraman and I eventually started joking with him calling him the cameraman the next year after he wasn’t playing on the basketball team anymore where we’re cool. Me and him. It wasn’t a negative thing. It was kind of like a joking thing. But basically the coach decided listen you know go play anyway your best position the best way you can help us is the film our games. Mind you this is 2001 2002 when everybody wasn’t carry around a smartphone. We had an actual VHS camera and VHS tapes. We were filming these games on back then at the time. And the best thing Martin could do to help us was be on a song of film and a game. And guess what it did help us because that game film helped a lot of people know create opportunities for themselves at the college or anyone. The point is this when you go to the coaches this is the question that you ask.



How can I earn more playing time. Let me repeat that question and emphasize the parts that are important. How can I. Is the first part first emphasis. Second part is this word. earn.

How can I earn more planes are not how can I get more playing time as get the notes the coach giving you something you don’t the coaches don’t give you things you earn things in sports is not how can I receive more planes on it’s not.



Why am I not getting any playing time is not I should be playing more than this guy is not about that because if you come in and coach with that you come into coach well how can I get or how can I receive or why am I not or I should be playing more than this guy. You noted the nose the nose as you’re thinking only about yourself and when I’m coaching I’m not a coach I had no I had no inclination to coach no desire to coach but if I’m coaching a team and a player comes to me and says How can I get or how can I receive or why am I not or I should begin more than I know the players only thinking about themselves I’m not even concerned with what they said.



Because my job is to help the team so if you’re only thinking about yourself or your question makes it sound like you’re only thinking about yourself I don’t even care what you have to say I’m concerned with how you can help the team.



So your question should be how can I earn more planes on every coach wants to hear that statement I was if I’m a coach I want every player on the team economists say how can I earn more planes I want a guy that end the defense to say how can I earn more playing time if I was Martin and my coach came to me and say I’m with you star film and against for us I would’ve said before I said anything. The first thing I want to say it was Coach before it before I agreed to that. What can I do to actually earn more playing time on his team and how can I get an opportunity to show that I’m capable of it because that way I’m giving myself a I’m give myself an opportunity to actually earn it. I don’t think Martin asked that question maybe he did. Maybe coach said nothing but hey you never know to us. So here’s the question you ask and he say it again. Coach how can I earn more playing time because that question is an open ended question for your coach to tell you exactly what he or she wants you to do that will prove that you are capable of putting the team in the best position to win by your participation. How can I earn more planes on a coach might say you need to work harder in practice because might say you need to get better grades in school. Coach might say need to make sure you show up to practice on time every day.



Coach might say I need to stop turning the ball over when I puts you in a game. Coach may say you should start passing the ball around more or stop shooting every time you get it. The coach may say you need to play better defense. Coach may say you need to clap louder for your teammates when you’re not in the game. Coach may say your attitude needs to be better both on and off the court. The coach can say anything. Doesn’t matter what the coach says. The fact is the coach can’t say anything if you don’t ask the question. And remember that you must ask the question the right way because when you ask How can I earn more time. Now you’re giving the coach the power to tell you how you can help the team not how you can help yourself. How you can help the team. How can I earn more playing time. That’s number two. Number three thing you need to do. if you feel you are not getting enough playing time on your sports team is this. If the first two don’t work. Mind you this is option number one is shut the fuck up and work harder and get better. If that doesn’t work then ask your coach talking to earn more playing time. If that doesn’t work then what you need to do is find a new team and prove that you actually deserve the playing time if you weren’t getting on the previous team.



Step number three is find a new team and prove that the previous coach was making a mistake by not having you in the game as much as you wanted to be in the game. Parents this is step number three for your child. Find a new team improve through the player not through you parent but let the player prove that the coach made a mistake by not having your child in the game as much as you or your child wanted to be in the game.

Now if you cannot complete step 3 Some of you may be at a school where you can’t transfer. Maybe you’re in a situation where there’s no other team in your area. Maybe a situation where you already paid the registration for the team and you’re not going to be able to pay another registration or logistically you just can’t make it the play for another team. So you’re stuck with the team that you’re on and you’re not playing enough. If you’re in a situation where you can’t realistically accomplish step number three you can’t find a new team or join a new team. And this is what you do. You go back to step number one.



Shut the fuck up and work harder and get better.



And if you don’t like any of these choices you have option number four which is this just stop playing your sport. You could also do that. That is an option you always have options. I understand that you always have options. So here’s the three steps I mean recap. Number one if you are not getting enough playing time and you feel like you’re not playing enough and in your team sport there’s no one thing you need to do.



And there’s a nine. There’s a 96 percent chance this is you number one.



Number one that is shut the fuck up. Work harder and get better.

If you do those things you do those three things shut the fuck up. Work harder and get better. That’s all part of step one. I guarantee you’re playing time will increase without doing anything. You had to say anything. Remember the first part of shut the fuck up. Work harder and get better you’ll get better without doing anything. You mean you’ll get more playing time without doing anything else but those three things and there’s a 96 percent chance that that is you. But let’s just say it is not.



Number two Ask your coach how can I earn more planes on how can I earn more planes are Number 3 1 and 2 don’t work.

Minorities are in order of importance so if you can’t do no one do number two actually after you do number one then do number two and number two still doesn’t work after their number one and number two. Then do number three which is find a new team and prove that you deserve the playing time that you were not getting on his previous team.



Everybody got it. Let me repeat that one more time.



No one. So the fuck up. Work harder and get better. Number two ask How can I earn more plants on Number three find a new team and prove it. This is Dre All Day you’ll listen to the Dre All Day Work On Your Game Podcast. Well Mr. Dre BALDWIN You got any questions for me. Hit me on Twitter at Dre All Day Snapchat at Dre Baldwin. Email Dre at Dre. All day dot com I will talk to our next episode. Work on your game.




This is Dre All Day. Appreciate you for listening to this episode and I know you enjoyed it. So please do me a favor. Make sure you subscribe to my podcast. Make sure you go leave me a five star review or an honest review whatever you thought of it and share it is let other people know about this podcast sort of work and get out. I appreciate you saying where you appreciate me work on your game. Dre.