From basketball hoops to baseball bases, the spotlight across sports often falls onto the starting players on the team. They begin the game, dominate the stat sheet and get featured on highlight reels. Yet behind them, the bench players’ work is just as essential. Whether they’re keeping the energy high, pushing teammates in practice or hitting decisive shots, their contributions can make the difference between winning and losing.
For varsity boys basketball head coach Alfredo Alves, the bench players’ readiness is essential to the team’s success. In last year’s first-round Central Coast Section playoff matchup against Marina High School, sophomore guard Lucas Huang came off the bench and scored 14 points in the fourth quarter, powering Harker to victory in a close win-or-go-home game.
“The starters know they’re going to play,” Alves said. “With the bench players, it’s a little different: a bench player may not know when their time is called. They may go in in the first quarter or the fourth quarter, but they’re going to be ready if their name is called.”
A bench player’s job can be just as mentally and physically demanding as the starters on the team. They don’t have the luxury of easing into the game. Instead, they have to step into a game at full speed.
“As a bench player, you have to be ready to deliver your role,” an anonymous varsity boys basketball player said. “It’s very important, especially with our current offense. Since there’s so many substitutions, we sub people in and out very fast. Our bench players always have to be ready to go, and they’re going to play an important role in the success of our team.”
Bench players contribute not only through their playing ability but also their roles in keeping the energy high and pushing starters to play hard during practice. Midfielder Kaitlyn Nelson (11) has felt this impact firsthand, noting that energy from the bench helps fuel the team’s momentum.
“The bench is really good for team spirit because they cheer us on the whole game, and spirit is a huge part of soccer,” Kaitlyn said. “If we’re losing and our mood is down, and we make a good play or we score a goal and the bench gets super hype, that can completely turn the game around. When everybody’s super amped up, we have that energy to keep going and push back.”
While not every player will get equal minutes in the game, Alves makes sure everyone on the team understands their contributions matter. Games aren’t won by starters alone: they’re won by the entire roster.
“Everyone’s preparing together, everyone’s putting in the same work in the summer and the spring,” Alves said. “Everyone is trying to get better and trying to get the team better.”