How to be Mentally Prepared on the Bench
One of the most challenging situations for athletes is knowing you’re good enough to start, be on a relay team, get more playing time, or make a travel squad yet you are not given an opportunity by the coach.
Not getting a chance to contribute to a team can erode confidence. And confidence is the very thing you need when it’s time to show others you can do the job.
Unfortunately, many athletes lose confidence when others do not believe in their ability.
Your mindset matters. If you think you’re not good enough, you will “talk yourself” into thinking you cannot compete at a level you belong.
Thinking this way can affect your effort, motivation, and commitment to reaching your goals.
However, you can re-frame the situation to one in which you increase your efforts, focus on developing your skills, and improve mental toughness needed to prove that you have what it takes to compete at the next level.
Do you choose to give up or do you work to put yourself back into the lineup?
Such was the situation Toronto Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet found himself facing…
VanVleet had a difficult road after not being selected in the 2016 NBA draft. VanVleet spent a significant amount of time playing for Toronto’s G-League affiliate, the Raptors 905.
In 2018, VanVleet signed a free agent contract with Toronto and has played a significant role in the Raptors making it to the 2018-19 NBA Championship. During the season, VanVleet averaged 27.5 minutes per game, 11 points, 4.8 assists and 2.6 rebounds per game.
VanVleet was upset about not playing full-time in the NBA, splitting time between the Raptors and their G-league affiliate during his rookie season.
But VanVleet’s mindset was geared toward developing his skills and proving what he believed all along that he can contribute at the NBA level.
VAN FLEET: “The grind of going down there [G-League] and not wanting to go. Feeling like I was good enough to play [with the Raptors] in my rookie year, but not having the opportunity. Having to go down there and prove what I can do. You go down there, you play, you develop your game a little bit and decide what kind of player you want to be and at the same time prove that you belong up here.”
When you meet difficult challenges head on with the right mindset, you develop both the confidence and mental toughness required to advance your game or reach the next level.
Staying Confident through Challenging Situations:
It may sound difficult to believe, but your opinion matters most. Your opinion about your skills, your ability to improve, your mental game and your overall potential affect you effort. Plain and simple!
If you’re sent down or sent back to JV, look at it as a chance to improve your skills, perform at that level, and prove to yourself and others you can get back to the level you deserve.
Related Sports Psychology Articles
- Be Prepared When You Go in For a Starter
- How to Start Firing on All Cylinders
- How to Keep Fighting After a Poor Start to Competition
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