Ah yes, we all know him. We all know the player that think he is too good for the team, the player that think he should be on the top line, the player who think he is always cheated by the coach or the organization.
To be sure there is always one of these player on almost every junior team. It is sad is it not?
Excuse making for mistake, bad attitude, poor work ethic or the ever-present sense of entitlement in many of todays player. We all hear it all the time, “I played for …..”, “I played with…..”, “My son played with …… and he is way better.”
Well, I got the news for you players and parents that use these phrases, you are all replaceable. That’s right, none of the coaches who are professionals are going to put up with you for very long. It is almost too funny to watch these day, when coaches try to “fix” this type of player for a little while.
I talk to a coach friend of mine in Canada about the player just the other day. We both know the player and think he is a very skilled player, who could possibly play professional in Europe one day. He trade for this player, after the player requested the trade from the team that may win its league.
My friend say, the player wanted the trade because he did not think he was “being used correctly”. Ha Ha Ha Ha Like the player know what is best when the team he is on is winning? So the player arrive at new team and is given every opportunity to succeed, and still the player want to blame line mates, or complain about the city, or the rink, or the system. Nothing is to be good enough for the player.
To be sure, if you are a player like Crosby, Kane, or Quick, you might be entitled to think so high of yourself. Those player have earned respect, and earn it every day. Those player all have Stanley Cup ring to wear to prove it. But, if you talk to them, not one of them will blame anyone else for a bad game or rough patch of game.
When you talk to those player, they talk about the guys they play with in Junior Hockey all the time, because they are still friend with them. They are not so full of themselves that they do not maintain humility. They do not over value themselves.
If the best in the world are so humble, how can some be so full of themselves?
To be sure we all want to feel appreciated. Every player hope to be on good team, with good people on the team, in a good town with the good arena. It is only natural to want to have the great experience and play as high to the top level as you can.
Nothing is given, and it all must be earned. You are replaceable. There is someone waiting for you to continue to think that you are owed an opportunity, and they will work harder and have the better attitude to get it.
You are not so special that someone has to do anything for you. In fact, you probably already have a reputation of being the pain in the ass for the coach and that is why you are not getting what you think you deserve. Talent will be trumped by the hard worker with the good attitude.
Don’t over value yourself. Stop making excuses. You’re not that special, or you wouldn’t be reading this. Everyone is replaceable.
Coach
