08/18/2026
𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗬𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘: 𝗔 𝗠𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗔𝗚𝗘 𝗧𝗢 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥𝗦 & 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗦📢
After a decade of training hundreds of players every year, one thing I’ve learned is that playing time has to be earned — not given simply because everyone pays the same club dues.
Playing time isn’t only decided by what happens on game day. It’s earned through what you do all week long — especially when nobody is watching.
Players, if you say soccer is important to you, your actions have to match it.
You can’t consistently miss practices for things that aren’t necessary, miss for other sports, do the bare minimum, and then be upset when someone else gets more minutes.
Because while you’re choosing not to show up, someone else is choosing to work.
Your teammate might be training 5–7 days a week. They’re at every practice. They’re doing extra training. They’re working at home. They simply make their development a priority.
It would be unfair NOT to reward that work.
You cannot cheat development. Eventually, the field exposes everything. It shows who really wants it.
Parents — one of the most valuable things we can teach young athletes is to respond to adversity instead of immediately complaining about it.
Instead of:
“Why am I not playing?”
Teach them to ask:
“What can I do to EARN more playing time?”
Because playing time isn’t about entitlement. It’s about opportunity, preparation, competition, and response.
Someone wants your position. Someone wants your minutes.That shouldn’t scare you. It should motivate you.
And if a coach gives you 10 minutes?
Don’t spend those 10 minutes upset that you didn’t get 30.
MAKE THOSE 10 MINUTES IMPOSSIBLE TO IGNORE.
Run. Defend. Communicate. Compete. Be coachable. Bring energy. Show positive body language. Make an impact.
Because if you’re walking, playing slow, showing poor body language, or giving half effort during the opportunity you DO receive, you can’t blame someone else when the minutes don’t increase.
So if you want more minutes…
SHOW UP. PUT IN THE EXTRA WORK. MAKE YOUR MINUTES COUNT. GIVE YOUR C
