Coaching the Athletic Mind Podcast - Episode 33 - Sitting the Bench: How to Handle it....

Megan Weaver opens episode 33 of Coaching the Athletic Mind by focusing on the mental challenge of sitting the bench, noting many athletes now tie not playing to decreased self-worth. Drawing from her experience making varsity but sitting much of junior year, she explains how staying engaged, practicing, and supporting the team helped her continue to later college and international play. Weaver outlines common bench thoughts (“coach doesn’t like me,” “I’m not good enough,” “I should quit”) and urges coaches to check in on non-starters and communicate players’ value and roles. She reframed benching as sometimes a numbers game, encourages neutral, fact-based thinking, keeping team energy up, being happy for teammates, and advocating by asking coaches for specific skills to improve.