Who Explains to the Player Why They Are Not Playing?

The coach decides playing time. A young athlete needs to understand what is being asked of them and what they can work on. Between those two responsibilities is a conversation worth having.

The match ends. A player takes off their cap after spending very little time in the water. At the next team session, they are told to keep working hard.

What, exactly, should they work on changing?

Their defensive recovery? Their positioning without the ball? The speed of their decisions? Their consistency in training?

“Work harder” may be well intended. It remains a vague instruction when it is not attached to something specific.

In youth water polo, the conversation about playing time also concerns what an athlete learns while waiting for an opportunity.

Selection needs an explanation

Coaches are responsible for selection. They consider preparation, player readiness, the opposition and how a match develops. A decision to leave someone on the bench is not necessarily an overall judgment of that young person’s ability.

That distinction needs explaining.

There is a difference between “we needed different qualities today” and “you are not yet ready for this role.” The first concerns a particular match. The second opens a conversation about the player’s preparation.

When the reason remains unclear, athletes are left to guess. Their interpretation may be very different from what the coach intended.

Turning a general observation into a specific goal

Consider a hypothetical example.

A player is told to improve defensively. That observation becomes more useful when it is made specific: after a lost possession, they need to identify their opponent earlier and recover into the correct position.

There is now something to practise and observe in the next session.

The same principle applies in attack. “Play faster” becomes meaningful when it is connected to a decision, such as checking available options before receiving the ball.

An explanation becomes useful coaching when it gives the athlete a goal they understand.

The most useful answer to “why am I not playing?” also addresses “what can I work on tomorrow?”

There needs to be a follow-up conversation

Feedback remains unfinished when nobody returns to it.

If a player is working on something specific, they need an opportunity to discuss their progress. What has changed? What remains difficult? Is a different approach needed?

This does not mean promising a set number of minutes. It means that expectations do not shift without explanation and that effort is assessed against criteria the player understands.

The same applies when a player is improving but competition for a position remains strong. That reality can be communicated honestly without dismissing the athlete’s work.

The player’s voice and the parent’s role

Depending on a child’s age and maturity, it is worth making space for them to ask the question themselves, calmly and at an appropriate time.

“What are two things I need to improve for the role you want me to have?”

A parent can help the child prepare for that conversation and understand the response. Younger children may need more direct parental involvement. The discussion is most useful when it focuses on that child’s needs rather than comparisons with teammates.

YARE’s view

In a development team, we believe every athlete should understand their role, what they need to improve and when their progress will be discussed again.

A good explanation will not remove the disappointment of sitting on the bench. An honest conversation can, however, give the next training session a clearer purpose.

The player may leave unhappy with the decision. They should leave understanding their next step.

YARE Water Polo | Editorial