“A” Team Bench? Or “B” Team Starter…

Some organizations have multiple teams at each age level. And sometimes they’ll tell you that each team is evenly matched, but more often than not, one team usually has a stronger, bigger, faster roster and plays in higher level, showcase type events.

That doesn’t always mean the second team is bad, however. Not at all. In fact, organizations that attract the kind of players to fill that showcase team usually have outstanding training, coaches and appropriate opportunities that benefit all their players, regardless of what team they are on.

 Think of it like JV and Varsity at the high school level.

 So when you have a player on the bubble, what do you do?  It’s not always a simple decision, but here are some things to consider.

 Where will they get more playing time? Are they able to practice with the “A” team but will only play in certain situations? Practicing with kids who force you to show up and compete every day is a great thing. But if you rarely get to put that practice into play, you have to determine if it’s really worth it.

 The “B” team may not have the flashy, high profile events (maybe they’re more regional in nature as opposed to national), but if the coaching and practice plans are similar and you get more opportunities to play, then maybe you have your answer.

 This decision is a year by year thing. When you’re 10, it’s a very different scenario than when you’re 16 trying to get recruited to play in college.

 Speaking of college, we see this all the time when players are making their commitment decisions. They often like the idea of playing for a D1 team, but when you look at the roster, you’ll often see that you’ll be sitting for at least a year or two, behind existing upper classmen in your same position. If you’re ok with that, then great. But if you want to play in year one, it usually makes more sense to go to a D3 or JUCO program, actually play as a freshman, and then consider transferring in a year or two. Or stay where you are, enjoy the experience, and get a degree. That’s the end goal for 99% of college athletes anyway.

 Bottom line – it’s not always a simple decision, but if you look objectively at your personal situation, weigh your options, and give it some thought, you’ll make the right choice.