By Ben Cooper ’16

Audrey Dimitrew, a 16-year old volleyball player from Virginia, recently made headlines because she and her parents were fed up with her being benched from her club-level team. So they did the most illogical thing possible: they sued.

They claimed that the team promised playing time, and instead told Dimitrew that she would not be playing for most of the year. The organization also barred Dimitrew from switching to another team, restricting her opportunity to play elsewhere after she had signed a contract with the team. The league declined the request because they didn’t want to set a bad precedent that would allow any player to transfer to another team at any time.

Those who have the desire to become great at a sport should know that they can’t be in the spotlight 24/7. In professional sports, top-tier rookies often sit on the bench for their entire first year to gain knowledge and understanding from the veterans. Parents and their athletic kids alike should understand that patience goes a long way, and sitting on the bench is part of a longer process in becoming a better athlete.

At a young age, it is understandable that each kid gets an equal amount of playing time in a sport. But in the teenage years for competitive and varsity teams, each moment should be taken positively, whether it be sitting on the bench or hitting a winning spike. Everyone is chasing the same goal, so it’s hard to give an equal chance to all. Yet, in a case like Dimitrew’s, it shouldn’t be about how many chances or how much playing time you get; it should be about what is made of an opportunity when it comes.

Every athlete should use their opportunity on the bench as a learning experience. The fact that there are people who are better at the sport needs to be realized. Patience is often lost in many teenagers, and sitting on the bench will teach them to wait for their moment to shine while rooting on their teammates.

Missing out on a year may seem devastating to a promising athlete’s career, but if someone truly wants to be great at their sport, then a year on the bench only serves to strengthen their understanding of the game. By suing, Dimitrew’s parents have sent the wrong message that legal action is a viable option to get a kid more playing time. The case ended up going in the favor of the volleyball organization, and rightfully so. Just because a kid is benched does not mean that he or she is barred from practicing, or playing non-competitively. The love of a sport comes at a cost; sitting on the bench is a vital part of what makes a great athlete.