Diary of a Striker with Bethany Balcer: How to Be “The Favorite”

September 24, 2021
By Bethany Balcer

Diary of a Striker is a Girls Soccer Network exclusive series from Bethany Balcer of OL Reign. Balcer will be giving readers an inside look at her journey as a professional player all season long. New posts drop every two weeks!

Did the title of this bring you in? Were you confused as to why I would be writing something like this as if it were even a possible thing to do? Well, here’s the truth, coaches have favorites. They do. Even when they say they don’t, they secretly do. How do I know this? My college coach told our entire team that he has favorites. Weird thing to do, right? Let me explain.

When my coach addressed this to our team, some of us were shocked. We couldn’t believe he admitted to doing something like that. But here’s the reality of what he’s saying. You can be a coach’s favorite if you are INVESTED. Coaches love players who are involved and committed to the team. If you aren’t a team player, if you don’t work hard in practice, it’s no wonder you might not have a good relationship with your coach! Obviously, there may be many other reasons, but as a player, there are so many things we can control that can set us up for success.

We’ve all had coaches that we don’t always mesh with well or that we don’t like. So, what are we to do in those instances? Well, it’s universal that coaches love players who want to get better and are coachable. So be one of those players! Be a player that the coach can’t help but love. Be encouraging when everyone else seems defeated. Be hard-working when others are just going through the motions of a drill. Be a good listener when others make excuses to the coach.

These are just a few things that we as players can do that will not only make you a favorite but will elevate the team as a whole. And you want to know one of the best environments to be in? When EVERYONE is a favorite. It’s possible, and it creates the healthiest culture. So, start with yourself, and start doing all the little things that will allow you to have a great relationship with your coach but will also take your game to the next level!