Playing favorites usually refers to playing the most talented individuals regardless of any other factors, and treating those individuals differently than the rest of the team because of their talent. It’s important to recognize, though, most young athletes are not objective about their own skill level and often complain that they are not receiving recognition, assuming they are better at their sport than they actually are.
It is almost inevitable that sports coaches will have favorites on their team. A lot of the time, favoritism is viewed negatively; most parents and coaches would agree that all athletes should be treated equally.
However, some individuals argue that favoritism is necessary for team success. When a coach shows favoritism, it gives other athletes an idea of what a coach is looking for. Coaches have expectations for their team. You will often find that the athletes coaches favor are very respectful, work hard, and are a contributing factor to the success of the team. Who wouldn’t want a team full of these individuals? Coaches are naturally drawn to the athletes that work extra hard and are looking to improve. Many people believe that coaches are blind to the favoritism they exude, however most coaches are aware of it and agree that they do play favorites.
Conversely, there is negative favoritism present in sports. Not all coaches are great at what they do and a handful of coaches only care about their own success, not the success of everyone on the team. These coaches are mostly concerned with wins and losses and often do not favor the hard-working athletes that show up early to practices. This type of favoritism can bring down an entire team, because they favor those who will bring the best results, not those who deserve a chance to perform, or those that are respectful individuals.
After comparing positive and negative favoritism, it is important that parents and athletes objectively determine which type of favoritism they may have dealt with in the past, or are currently dealing with. Were the coaches more drawn to hardworking athletes who also produced positive results? Or were the coaches dismissing hard work and effort, and simply looking to improve sports statistics?
If there are concerns that an athlete is not being treated fairly, there are ways to combat this.
Firstly, the athlete should be open and honest with the coach. Open communication is frequently overlooked; communicating with the coach is a great way to connect to them and show them that the athlete cares. Communication does not mean complain or tell the coach that how they are being treated isn’t fair. Instead, coming forward in an approachable manner, talking calmly, and asking what the athlete can do to improve their chances of success will make a major impact.
The athlete should make it clear to the coach that they will do what it takes to get more playing time. This conversation will not go unnoticed and bring the athlete to the forefront of the coach’s thoughts the next time they create the lineup for the next competitive event.
Other things athletes can do to get more playing time is to put in extra hard work, stay positive, put the team ahead of their own individual success, and make an impact. The type of player that does all of these things right will become the new ‘favorite’ and the perfect model for the team.
