Guest players: a blessing or a plague?
I’ve explored girls’ fastpitch softball quite a bit and have had the opportunity to speak with parents and coaches from different teams. There was a trend that I saw that put parents and coaches at odds. It was not a case of a single team, several teams and parents. It is not something new. It’s been going on for as long as I’ve been in sports. It’s the idea of ”Guest Players” that seems to have struck a nerve among those around the game.
A “guest player” is a player who has been invited to play for a team, in a tournament or game when there are not enough top players to fill the regular slots. They temporarily play for the team, allowing the team to compete. The addition of “Guest Player” has been used in baseball, softball, and soccer. Different trainers use it differently. When I first introduced it, a team I knew was using it because they didn’t have enough people to play. The whole team benefited because the team got their game that day. There are coaches who use the invited player in another way.
From the conversations around the stadium, it seems that there are managers who use “Guest Player” to stack their roster. In addition to their regular roster, coaches take players who are available to play because their team isn’t playing and place them in the lineup over players who were on the regular roster. These are always the best players available. This is being done at the expense of players already on the roster. Instead of improving and developing their skills that can help the team in the long run, players who are on the roster sit on the bench while temporary additions get playing time. “Guest Players” who do not practice with the team and have not paid any money to be a part of the team’s game. This is a blow to the players forced to sit out and to the team. It hurts the team down the line as these players don’t get the playing time they need.
A coach who constantly uses “guest players” to play over the regulars is making a dangerous decision. This does not allow your team chemistry to develop. Since the players change regularly; the team is not able to develop continuity and sense of team. They practice with a group, play some games with another and sometimes other games but with different players. When the time comes when “guest players” are unable to play, the coach turns to the regular players who have not had the benefit of playing time and expects them to perform, unfortunately sometimes with poor results. Its development time was snatched up by guest players. Players need game time to grow.
“Guest players” can also be a dividing element on a team. Players who have been displaced by a manager who uses “Guest Players” are often ostracized by their teammates. They have spent their time watching their teammates and are not really accepted. Players follow a coach’s lead and if they see the coach acting in a way, they will too, even if the coach doesn’t realize it. Parents reported hearing comments such as “You’re a bench warmer.” Other parents bluntly said that other players have told their kids “They suck.” When that starts to happen, it’s clearly not good for true team building. Children are smart and they know why they don’t play. They lose interest when they sit behind players who are not part of the team. Players need to play and develop a comfort level with those on the field around them. Putting different people in line doesn’t help this. The team’s chemistry doesn’t mix. A coach who understands the need for a “Team” recognizes this and works to develop it.
A well-run team plays with their athletes and allows them to develop while supporting them and working to improve their skills. A coach who uses “guest player” players at the expense of players on his roster is really doing it for selfish reasons. They want to win and they try to win without regard for their actions. It’s the win-at-all-cost approach. This is not to say that players should not be replaced. That’s what the offseason is for… to get better, through practice or through roster upgrades. Sometimes a player doesn’t fit the needs of the team as the team grows or as a player does. Turn around happens. Coaches must be confident enough in their abilities to teach to put the needs of their players first…if it comes at the cost of winning, sometimes that happens.
The coaches I spoke to were divided. They thought it was a great idea to use “guest players” and were either supportive or lukewarm with the idea at best. The pro-“Guest Player” coaches put winning first as their reasoning and claimed that winning cures most problems. They also added that “guest players” set the bar higher for those sitting on the bench… a form of motivation. Coaches who weren’t fans of hers disagreed with the strategy unless the team was faced with not playing. The parents I spoke with, including parents whose children were not affected by the presence of “Guest Players,” thought it highly questionable for a coach to use “Guest Players” instead of the ones listed. There was no doubt that they believed that a regular player should play before a “guest player”.
No matter which team your son or daughter is trying out for, be sure to ask about guest players and if the coach plans to use them. Whether it’s softball, baseball, or soccer… make sure you understand how the coach uses “Guest Players.” It is important to have all the information you need to determine if the equipment is a good fit for your athlete. Your answer could make a difference in your players’ experience with that team. It could also serve as a sign of what is important to that coach. An invited player can be a blessing or a ruin for a team.