It's hard to wait for your turn to get playing time. But, it is inevitable. There are many situations in sports that test your patience, whether it be getting benched, dealing with an injury, or getting redshirted. Being redshirted, in particular, can cause athletes to doubt their talent and feel detached from the rest of the team. However, there is also a benefit to redshirting: it has the potential to instill motivation and grit in a player that will enable them to reach their full potential.
Related: How Many Times Can You Redshirt?
Challenges
There is a common misconception that being “redshirted” is a bad thing and that it reflects your talent level in the sport you play. This can lead to a great deal of mental distress and a decrease in confidence of redshirt players. The most frustrating aspect of being redshirted is that it is not always the athlete's choice. Sometimes, coaches want you to redshirt your freshman year before you even get the chance to showcase your ability to play with the team.
Athletes want the opportunities to prove their worth and help the team, but redshirting seemingly deprives them of these opportunities. Not playing in competitions for a whole year may even feel like a waste of a season for some athletes who feel like they could have made contributions to the team. All in all, there are plenty of negative misconceptions regarding redshirting that must be addressed and challenged.
Related: Pros and Cons of Redshirting
Benefits
The biggest benefit of being redshirted is that it allows student-athletes to more effectively balance their time between school, sports, and their social life, especially during their first year in college. It takes a great deal of responsibility and time to balance both academics and athletics, which redshirting can help with.
In addition, while it may not be ideal to not be able to compete or travel with the team, there are plenty of opportunities to interact with the team and earn your reps in practice. Redshirts are still allowed to practice with the team on a daily basis and get acclimated to the plays and team dynamics, which will eventually put them a step ahead once they are eligible to play their first year of collegiate sports. Because you're not competing, you will also have more time to work on your overall fitness.
Lastly, remember that coaches do not redshirt players out of spite or doubt, but rather out of confidence and high hopes. Coaches are committing more time to developing you and your skills, and in some cases are even willing to spend an extra year of academic scholarship money on your spot on the team.
Bottom Line
All in all, redshirting presents both mental challenges and opportunities to grow as a player. The best mindset to have is to not let the label define who you are as an athlete. You can continue giving your full effort every time you interact with the team. Being redshirted can open the door to reaching your full potential as an athlete and as a person.
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* Originally published on January 3, 2022, by Dylan Tehada
