Is Shortening the bench real? Open Forum

[36Guy]

Rather than going the traditional route and talk about rankings or trash talk a little bit, I would like to get feedback on one specific topic.

Why is playing time in hockey or shortening the bench held to a different standard than other sports?

While I would agree that even I don't know if the question I just asked made any sense?? Please let me explain my thoughts and hopefully you will understand my point.

While I would completely agree that shortening the bench in you youth hockey will stall development of a program, is there such thing as "shortening the bench" in high school.

As an avid supporter of all high school sports I find it weird that I can go to a Tonka-EP Football game and 160 kids never get to step on the playing field and no one says a word? I am walking to the car and I hear "Coach Grant of EP is the "Godfather" of high school football! Surely one of Coach Grants 85 players that never saw the field is good enough to play a snap or two???

I went to a girls basketball game a week ago and 5 girls played almost the whole game, a couple barely played and a few never played at all. My nephews baseball team played a game last spring and 9 kids played, 1 pinch hit and the rest never played? Even when the pitcher got lit up they moved him to short stop and had the left fielder to pitcher. Surely, one of the kids on the bench is good enough to play left field right? This fall after going to several high school soccer games, both teams had several kids on the bench that played very little or none at all. Aren't all the examples above "shortening the bench"?

And last, at a large track meet last year with about 15 teams. Most track teams had about 80 kids on them but most schools had their good kids running 4-5 events eliminating multiple kids from participating?? Heck in Football they even have kids playing both ways!

All of these high school sports play their best players as much as possible..football they never come off, basketball for a quick rest, baseball never, soccer the best players never come off and track they run every event the rules will allow.

I am not arguing either side and I am strictly referring to high school. Yes, shortening the bench is real, I get it. But why in Hockey is it deemed unsportsmanlike or bad for kids to play very little when none of the other sports are held to the same standard? All the kids mentioned above that did not play all practice and wear the same uniform as their peers.

I would love feedback either way.

(disclaimer..i wrote this really fast and I only have a GED, so any spelling errors are not a direct reflection of my family)

[MNHockeyFan]

It might have something to do with parents of kids in hockey have so much "invested" in their development that it hurts more when they don't play much when they get to high school. Or, and this is probably closer to the truth, hockey parents are nutso.

[Froggy Richards]

It might have something to do with parents of kids in hockey have so much "invested" in their development that it hurts more when they don't play much when they get to high school. Or, and this is probably closer to the truth, hockey parents are nutso.

I would say you're correct. Hockey is different than the other sports in that Parents invest a lot more time, money, effort and sacrifice so their kids can play. Because of that, when they don't play it hits them a lot harder than in other sports.

[Defensive Zone]

It might have something to do with parents of kids in hockey have so much "invested" in their development that it hurts more when they don't play much when they get to high school. Or, and this is probably closer to the truth, hockey parents are nutso.

I would say you're correct. Hockey is different than the other sports in that Parents invest a lot more time, money, effort and sacrifice so their kids can play. Because of that, when they don't play it hits them a lot harder than in other sports.

I think it hits all kids hard. Kids just want to belong/play. Have some ownership. That's all.

[Tigers33]

Hockey is basically the states passion, correct? I also think hockey typically comes from money, correct? I mean look at all the teams that are good. Most of them are wealthy communities, for the most part.

The problem is...THE PARENTS! How could that player be better then their little Johnny. I mean they sent him to the same clinics and camps, he played AAA for crying out loud, and he played all since mites. It's a slap in the face to the parents when their Johnny doesn't get to play and it hurts their ego.

[36Guy]

It might have something to do with parents of kids in hockey have so much "invested" in their development that it hurts more when they don't play much when they get to high school. Or, and this is probably closer to the truth, hockey parents are nutso.

I would say you're correct. Hockey is different than the other sports in that Parents invest a lot more time, money, effort and sacrifice so their kids can play. Because of that, when they don't play it hits them a lot harder than in other sports.

I think it hits all kids hard. Kids just want to belong/play. Have some ownership. That's all.

I could not agree more! There is not a kid that does not want to play. I still would llke to hear more. Is it a culture thing? Back to my question, how can 160 football players be 6 inches from stepping on the field of play in a football game and not playing and you don't here the term "the coach shortened the bench"? Pretty tough after getting your head knocked in all week in practice.

It also seems like in girls hockey it is unsportsmanlike or dishonorable to play your best kids compared to other sports?

[Froggy Richards]

I would say you're correct. Hockey is different than the other sports in that Parents invest a lot more time, money, effort and sacrifice so their kids can play. Because of that, when they don't play it hits them a lot harder than in other sports.

I think it hits all kids hard. Kids just want to belong/play. Have some ownership. That's all.

I could not agree more! There is not a kid that does not want to play. I still would llke to hear more. Is it a culture thing? Back to my question, how can 160 football players be 6 inches from stepping on the field of play in a football game and not playing and you don't here the term "the coach shortened the bench"? Pretty tough after getting your head knocked in all week in practice.

It also seems like in girls hockey it is unsportsmanlike or dishonorable to play your best kids compared to other sports?

Another reason is maybe because Hockey players are constantly substituting compared to the other sports. Hockey players go hard and get tired quick, about a minute per shift and get off, someone else goes on. So it's pretty well accepted that you have to use quite a few players to keep them fresh. Riding one or two lines kind of goes against the established norm in Hockey, which maybe puts a microscope on it a little more. This isn't the case in other sports where there are constant whistles and standing around so they don't get as tired. Could have something to do with it.

I agree with you that you hear about it WAY more on the Girls side. I really have no idea why that would be. My only guess is that maybe parents are naturally more protective of their girls than they are their boys?

[RailingWizardofOZ]

I would love feedback either way.

(disclaimer..i wrote this really fast and I only have a GED, so any spelling errors are not a direct reflection of my family)

For a guy with only a G.E.D. your post was spot on!! (that disclaimer was funny as hell).

Like it or not, there are only really a certain number of players “needed” in all sports at all levels (and I don’t mean that in the disrespectful sense). The remaining players are required to help push and challenge each other, provide some position specific specialists. All coaches in every sport would love, or even “want” to have the challenge of having an entire roster deep of players that they could put out in any and every situation. Unfortunately, at every level in every sport there are players that are not at that level for many reasons (skill, effort, attitude, mental).

At hockey, I feel the largest issue besides those pointed out already regarding parents spending money and time, is there are also those “railing wizards” (not all) that feel they know hockey better than the coaches. They are not at practice each week, on the ice and bench, to see first-hand what is really dictating how their coaches make the choices they make. Coaches need to focus on what is best for the team at each given moment sometimes in a split second, where parents sit at the railing and look at things from mostly their child’s perspective. Coaches make those decisions based on the information they have from hours of time spent with each player first hand; parents have the opinions mostly based from time watching from the railing.

I have been on both sides of the spectrum as an athlete growing up, and understand how players feel. What shaped me was the message I received from my parents as a kid. I can remember the first time I came home and complained about a coach. My dad’s first question to me was “ok, are you done complaining” and then went on to chew my butt out for what felt like the rest of the night. Thankfully my parents instilled in me a strong work ethic, and team first mentality. From that point on I focused on the things I could control and focused more on what I could do to increase my chances for playing time rather than complaining and feeling sorry for myself that I didn’t. Whether I was directly responsible for a win by being involved in the play/game, or feeling as I helped my team prepare in practice, I usually felt as though I was a part of the team and any success we had. I have worked hard to instill those same values today as a railing/bleacher parent.

I realize I am off topic a little, however, I feel if parents would park the ego aside when their child comes home to complain about playing time and focus on the big picture instead of maybe trying to be smarter or right, we would all be further along. I am not insinuating that ALL coaches and every situation is handled with honesty and use strong character when instructing and controlling their given team, as I know there are unfortunately some that have less than commendable virtues at times. As a parent I obviously look out for the safety of my family and if I feel someone is being treated with disrespect or being put at risk (emotionally or physically) then I will have that conversation, otherwise I, as modeled to me as a student/athlete, like to focus on the bigger picture of life lessons and looking to what in the situation we still can fix or have control over.