Too often, youth sports coaches encounter players who seem like they just don’t want to be there. We’re referring not to players who are occasionally a little low on energy or attention span but to players who seem consistently disengaged from practices or games. 

You are most likely to meet such players – let’s call them “reluctant athletes” -- at younger ages, when parents may be searching for the right activities for their children, who in turn may be uncomfortable with a new sport, team or organization. However, at middle-school age and beyond you still may find players who participate because they’re “supposed to” and frequently just go through the motions without any apparent joy or competitive spirit.

While reluctant athletes are hardly an exciting prospect, Responsible Coaches embrace the challenge of doing the best they can by all of their players.

Continue reading for a few ideas on how to handle these situations

In an effort to benefit millions of youth athletes, parents and coaches, this article is among a series created exclusively for partners in the Liberty Mutual Responsible Sports ProgramTM (ResponsibleSports.com) powered by Positive Coaching Alliance (http://www.positivecoach.org).