The Reserves in Sport

At the University Level in Canada our substitution rules make it hard to play lots of players.  Unlike sports like hockey or basketball when most people on a team will get a few minutes here or there.  The possibility for some of the players will be it can be months before they get into a match.

I have found that in dealing with the substitutes we really need to be specific on roles and understandings. They are often the unsung heroes of the team. They play such an important role in helping prep for our weekend matches.  We ask our athletes to hit certain directions or to play like we expect the opposition to play.  We want them to push our starting group hard.

Early in the week we will use mixed squads with some reserves and starters on the same side.  We will want them to work together. It is also a great chance for our older players to help mentor the younger ones.  Plus when they make it on the court it is a comfortable feeling.

As the week progresses we start to do more Starters vs the Reserves.  I try hard to coach the reserves as much as I can throughout this period and ask our assistant coaches to help run and keep the “A” group on task and following game plans.  I can try to teach and show value to this group.

It is also important to talk with the reserve players to keep patting them on the back for their efforts.  I find it is the conversations in the hall way that have a greater effect than the ones on court or in the office.  The office feels so formal. 

We like to have certain types of subs.  We have the typical serving defensive specialist. Her job is just that to make serves and to play points.  We will often have her randomly serve in a practice often out of turn to what she is used too.  In theory if we were to truly train her for this role she would just play pepper every 8 to 10 minutes for a minute.  Then go in and serve.  But we try to mimic this by just having her serve randomly out of the norm. this way she still gets to play a lot in practice but still has the pressure of a random serving experience.

The second sub is our energy sub. She is to go in and try to turn our spirits around. She is to over celebrate everything. She will often sprint to hug players after great rallies and plays.  Just change the feel in the gym.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxVuySQT-eY

The bench celebrator is another role.  This person makes being on the bench or warmup area fun. Celebrate the teams success, help with keeping track of tactical things. I have attached a video of Robert Sacre from Lakers and his energy role.