“So, I lost my starting spot and my coach was trying to pick me up, and I just vividly remember crying after one of the trainings.” Former USC and current Orlando Pride soccer player Simone Jackson recalled how an injury caused her to lose her starting spot at the U-20 World Cup.
Jackson had been playing soccer her entire life, and the U-20 World Cup in Costa Rica would provide her with an amazing opportunity to showcase the skills she had developed from all the countless practices and games she played. On the GameChange podcast show The Conversation, Jackson explained her excitement. “It was the biggest tournament for World Cup, women. That’s the “It Factor.” And it was post-COVID, so it’s like, ‘Oh, finally I get my chance, finally people are looking at the screens, they’re going to watch me on Fox.’”
However, things didn’t go as planned for Jackson. She hurt her hamstring in a friendly match against Spain ahead of the World Cup. The injury threw into doubt her ability to participate in the World Cup. She recalled thinking, “Dang, I don’t have it and I need it by tomorrow.”
Jackson was able to heal enough to make it to the World Cup squad, but the injury caused her to lose her starting spot. Not accustomed to sitting on the bench, Jackson found herself in a funk and in need of a mindset shift. She explained the process. “After I was done throwing my own pity party, I was like, ‘You know what? I’m at the World Cup. I’m in Costa Rica. This is insane. Let me find a way to add value to my team even if it’s on the bench and for however long I get in, whether it’s 20 minutes or whether it’s 60 minutes, how can I contribute?”
Nobody likes to sit on the bench. We play sports to play, not sit, but there are those inevitable times when you find yourself on the pine. It could be that you’re not starting, recovering from an injury, or any other reason. How do you respond?
Here are a few things to consider if you find yourself on the bench.
Body language: Are you slumped over and feeling sorry for yourself — or are you up and cheering for your team, providing the type of support you love when you’re playing?
Scouting: Are you barely watching the game — or are you dialed in and picking up little nuances about your opponent that you can relay to the coach and your teammates?
Staying Ready: During practice, are you cruising at half speed because you know you will be sitting, or are you working twice as hard to show the coach how much you want to get off the bench and stay ready for the moment when you do get a chance to play?
Imagine the moment you do get in and blow it because you didn’t stay ready. No bueno! Now, see yourself doing something great because you had prepared hard and were ready for the exact moment you find yourself in during a game.
By the way, that is how Jackson’s story ended at the World Cup. She recalled, “When I was back in the game for the last 20 minutes against Japan, I actually scored, so I was really happy that I was able to bring some energy to life.”
Orlando Pride forward Simone Jackson runs down the ball against the Utah Royals. Photo Credit: Mike Watter
