Work your way up

If you use cuts to put a team together than play your best players. Base your decisions on skill, effort, and dedication. Forget politics, and pressure from posers. Make those you choose the best players they can be. Develop your team and reward effort. Give everyone a fair shot, and let them earn their spot, but if you play to win, then get your top players in the game. If you don’t, then you stand to lose more than games. Your top players may lose interest. A developmental team or recreational team is a different story. Selected teams such as varsity and college programs are what I am talking about here. If you’re coaching only for the outfit and a title, then stay away. Most of the best coaches I know make the tough decisions knowing they’re probably going to tick somebody off. Now where do these top players come from? Usually your top players come from programs that develop player’s skills. This philosophy does work, but isn’t always the best direction if you’re trying to build a program or keep a program strong. There will be times when you can get other players on the field or on the ice. Get them some playing time and strengthen your team from the bottom up. Anything can happen during a season, most notably injuries which may necessitate rolling players up from the second or third string. You’ll need to have players who can step up. These players need as much playing time as you can squeeze in. Good coaches find ways to get these guys out. Don’t automatically expect it, you still need to earn your time not only at practice, but also in the game. If you’re given a chance to shine, then do it. Listen to your coach, know what you’re expected to do, support your team, and pay attention. If you’re good, you’ll know it, and so will others, but thinking you’re good and knowing you’re good are two different things. Confidence is huge, and confidence comes with experience and hard work