| Ego and The Bench |
Following is an article that appeared in The Sport Psycholgist in 1989 that included case study interviews with athletes who had experienced crises. The researchers from whom data was drawn are identified by their last names. A reference list is at the end of the article. This article appeared in the November-December 2002 issue of Soccer Journal.
By Robert J. Rotella and Douglas S. Newburg, University of Virginia
Erikson (1958, 1963) has argued that a critical task of adolescence and early adulthood is the establishment of a sense of ego identity, a learned confidence that one’s view of oneself has continuity with one’s past and is matched by the perception of others. An individual who fails to develop a sense of identity has little sense of direction for the future. If these issues are not resolved during youth, they may lead to problems later in life.
Berger (1963) has argued that society shapes our identity, our thoughts and our emotions. It also has been suggested that an individual’s identity is socially bestowed and determined by the way he or she is accepted, rejected and/or defined by others. In many ways a person’s identity is dependent upon and manipulated by social forces over which he or she may have little control (Eitzen & Sage, 1978).
There is little doubt that many athletes identify strongly with their sport. In this age of specialization, they increasingly sacrifice other opportunities in order to devote time and energy to their sport. Media attention is directed toward success stories resulting from such commitment. Less attention has been directed at those who faced difficulties resulting from such a single-minded approach.
A few researchers have studied the effects on athletes of retirement from sport and the resulting identity crisis (Coakley, 1983; McPherson, 1980). Case studies with athletes who consider sport to be important make it abundantly clear that those relegated to the reserve roles (bench-warmers) often experience an identity crisis. It is imperative that coaches as well as sport psychology consultants understand how all phases of the sport experience affect the dedicated athlete, including the less-than-star performer. For the bench-warmer, the lack of opportunity to display skills and the accompanying sociological, psychological and emotional blows have strong impact. Feelings of bitterness and rejection can be damaging and prolonged if help is not provided.
The personal story that came from a case study provides a poignant example of what it feels like to be benched. The athlete in the study was three years removed from the experience and described it in his own words. The sports experience is an important part of an athlete’s identity, and although this is true for a star athlete as well, the reality is that there are few stars.
Loss of identity
The loss of identity described in the player’s personal story is important to understand for many reasons. Very often the problems athletes experience both on and off the field are the direct result of this loss of identity. The impact on athletic performance is the most easily recognized, but the effects on the individual are just as severe and sometimes far more dangerous.
Because the individual interviewed had such parallel internal responses to essentially similar external experiences, and because there are so many more bench-warmers than starters, it is highly probable that many other athletes have experienced and are experiencing — essentially alone and unaided — similar loss of identity and despair.
Furthermore, the problem exists because of the difficulty in distinguishing between the public persona of an athlete and that of other individuals. Understanding the difference is difficult not only for the coaches and the public but, surprisingly, for the athletes themselves. The following suggestions, aimed at reducing this confusion, result from discussions we had with the athletes we interviewed about ideas that have helped them or that they believe are capable of helping.
Suggestions for coaches
The effect of the identity crisis on the performance of the athletes interviewed was obviously a negative one.
It is apparent that the most productive athlete is one who has a good understanding of the coaches’ expectations and is comfortable in that role. Furthermore, an athlete who understands his/her role within a team structure can begin to set goals that coincide with the goals of the team.
It is paramount for the coach to realize that in order to achieve this understanding, the athlete must be approached as an individual.
Within the team structure, a coach must try to help each athlete feel like a valuable, contributing member of the team. This is not an easy task, but it is especially difficult for the team members who see little or no playing time. The players who do play often usually have a more defined role and the coach can measure them against statistics or performance. For bench-warmers, however, it becomes difficult to quantify their contributions. It is also important that, when they do get playing time, the coaches care how they perform, even during play when the game’s outcome is no longer in doubt. Not only can this help these athletes feel more comfortable with their role, but it also can prove invaluable when injuries to starters force an increase in playing time for reserves. Athletes also must feel that they can improve their chances for playing time by improving their performance.
For the individual to be content, several facets of the player/coach relationship must be addressed. Being part of a team does not mean that an athlete must be stripped of his or her personality. In fact, the blending of different personalities is what makes truly great teams stand out. When an individual has a problem stemming from participation in sports, the coach should confront and discuss the problem rather than avoid it. This is an excellent way for a coach to make an athlete feel that the coach cares as much about his/her people as about winning. In sports, the most important link is the relationship between coach and player. If a coach measures that relationship strictly by the athlete’s performance, irreparable damage can be done to the athlete and the team.
For the coach, the most important (and sometimes the most difficult) idea to recognize is that people are more important than winning. Fortunately, it is apparent from this interview that caring about the athlete also can be the path to greater success and performance. The bottom line is that coaches who truly are interested in consistent success must take the time to meet the personal needs of the athletes on their team.
Suggestions for athletes
For athletes who decide to participate in team sports, there must be an understanding of the sacrifices involved, such as giving up much of the control and decision-making that affects their athletic careers. This is probably the most difficult sacrifice for an athlete to accept.
Team sport athletes tend to measure themselves by playing time. Yet when an athlete makes a commitment to a team, he or she must realize that it may involve accepting a less-than-ideal role. This commitment must be strong in order to endure those times when playing time simply is not available.
Understanding this commitment can not only help an athlete enjoy his or her sports experience more, it can also teach invaluable lessons. For instance, as an athlete rises on the competitive pyramid, the chances for success decrease. A star at a lower level of competition might realize that if he or she cannot be the star at a higher level, it might be time to leave the sport. Others may adjust to a secondary role.
Confronting these decisions can lead to an understanding of the motives for competing. It can help readjust goals related to the athlete’s dependence on competing. It can help readjust goals related to the athlete’s dependence on competitive sports in his or her life. This new perspective allows the athlete to look more objectively at his or her situation, which in turn may make it easier to understand the decisions coaches make. It also can make the benefits of merely being on a team stand out more.
This perspective on an athlete’s situation also can make it easier to distinguish between the athlete and the person. This distinction is crucial for the athlete. During successful participation, it is easy and desirable to be identified as an athlete, but during bad times, the athlete must make the effort not to allow these problems to carry over into other areas of life. He or she must realize, for example, that a coach’s decision should not be taken personally; the coach most likely doesn’t have bad feelings toward the individual. A judgment about relative skills is not a judgment about relative worth.
Another way these situations can help teach is by helping to prepare an individual for similar situations outside of sports. There is great value in working in a team environment while learning about one’s strengths or weaknesses in that structure. The real value in this is the development of self-confidence.
What is important is for the coach to have confidence in the athlete. Self-confidence is the basis for good performance. It enables an athlete to attain peak performance. The effects of taking a coach’s negative decision personally can undermine self-confidence, which makes it difficult to discuss any problem with the coach in an attempt to resolve it. This begins a cycle of second-guessing for both the coach and oneself.
For the athlete, establishing and maintaining this self-confidence are paramount in confronting the problems of “riding the pine.” The readjustment of goals can help athletes feel good about themselves as they set attainable goals that are not merely measured by playing time and statistics. As athletes move up the ladder of competition, their motivation for playing the sport may change. In fact, they may decide that personal goals cannot be met within the framework of sport or with the college or team they are playing for. They may realize that they cannot make the sacrifices necessary for competitive team sports and that it makes sense to pursue an individual sport.
Such decisions can keep a larger portion of the control over life and athletic career out of the coaches’ hands. In fact, it is likely that an athlete’s assertiveness in these decisions can make it easier for a coach to discuss them. It also is important to recognize factors that cannot be controlled and not to waste time and energy trying to control them.
The key for athletes is to keep their athletic experience in proper perspective. Self-confidence may be hard to hold on to when participating in a team sport. The athlete should be honest and evaluate the situation objectively. Check to see how the situation coincides with personal goals and what effect there is on the team goals. Athletes should talk with others around them, as other people’s perspectives can help a great deal. With all this information, they will be able to make the best decision possible and move forward from there.
The advancement of sports should compel all participants to understand the effects that this crisis has, not only for the individual, but on the performance of athletes, coaches and teams across the board. Understanding the individuals who make up the team can help everyone benefit through better performances and more motivation and perhaps even lead to an increase in participation at all ages and levels.
References
Berger, P.L. (1963). Invitation to sociology. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday.
Coakley, J. (1983). Leaving competitive sport: Retirement or rebirth? Quest, 35, 1-11.
Eitzen, D.S., & Sage, G (1978). Sociology of American sport. Dubuque, IA: Wm. C. Brown.
Erikson, E.H. (1958). Identity: Youth and crises. New York: W.W. Norton.
Erikson, E.H. (1963). Childhood and society. New York: W.W. Norton.
Martens, R. (1987). Science, knowledge, and sport psychology. The Sport Psychologist, 1, 29-55.
Maslow, A.H. (1966). The Psychology of Science. Chicago: Henry Regnery.
McPherson, B.D. (1980, spring). Retirement from professional sport: The process and problems of occupational and psychological adjustment. Sociological Symposium Conference Proceedings (pp. 126-143. Blacksburg, Virginia Polytechnic Institute.
Smith, R.E. (1988). The logic and design of case study research. The Sport Psychologist, 2, 1-12.
Editor’s note: At the time of the article, Robert J. Rotella and Douglas S. Newburg were with the Department of Health and Physical Education at the University of Virginia. Rotella has subsequently become a well-known sports psychologist primarily working with athletes on an individual basis. Newburg was a master’s degree student at Virginia at the time the article was published.
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