Empowering The Team With Self Subbing

Greg Husak

Tuesday, Sep 9, 2008

I’ve been very fortunate in my career to play on many successful teams that did not call subs, and this hypothetical situation could be a blessing in disguise. Most players at elite levels are fairly self-aware, and after a season of playing together most can recognize the hierarchy within the team and could make an honest appraisal of their optimum contribution to the team in terms of quantity and type (O or D) of points.

Some players may have to be told more explicitly ahead of time (and reminded during a game) but most will have a good idea. At its best, allowing players to put themselves in the game empowers them to control their contribution, to put themselves in when they are feeling ready, and gives the rest of the team confidence in them.

This may not work for every team, but I have been a part of very successful groups where self-subbing was an ingrained part of the team structure, took the onus of subbing off one person and distributed it to everyone, and created an environment of success which pushed each player in practice and games to achieve their best on the field.

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