Playing Time ≠ Your Value
Shaping identity and culture beyond minutes on the field
One of the most difficult dynamics in sport—at every level—is the tension around playing time. Ask any athlete, coach, or parent, and it quickly becomes clear how much weight is placed on minutes, touches, or rotations. Playing time becomes the measuring stick of success and, for many, the definition of worth.
But what happens when we let playing time become the lens through which everyone measures value?
Nate Baker, Director of Youth Scouting & U17 Head Coach for D.C. United, explores this in The Playing Time Paradigm. He argues that when playing time is over-emphasized, it distorts relationships, motivation, and culture. The team begins to split into two groups: those who feel rewarded, and those who feel excluded.
The ones left behind often ruminate, compare, and feel unseen—even if they’re working hard. Meanwhile, the ones who play more may start to equate their identity with their role on the field. Slowly, the team begins to define itself not by who they are together, but by who is on the field.
This is where we need to recover a better vision.
Value Isn’t Earned in Minutes
As coaches, as chaplains, and as leaders, we have to return to this truth:
Value isn’t earned in minutes—it’s established in identity.
Performance helps us grow, but it doesn’t define our purpose.
When athletes see their worth through the mirror of stats and playing time, comparison and bitterness follow. But when they see it through the gospel—that they’re known, loved, and chosen by God—culture shifts.
Scripture reminds us of this over and over again:
“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” — Psalm 139:13–14
“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” — Romans 5:8
Our identity in Christ is secure before we ever step on the field. That changes the way we coach, the way we play, and the way we encourage others.
Shifting the Focus
When athletes start from that truth, they can reframe their role in three ways:
Own your development → Work hard to grow in practice, regardless of minutes.
Contribute to the team → Encouragement, energy, and effort always matter.
Take advantage of opportunities → Be ready when the moment comes.
Playing time may fluctuate, but value—in God’s eyes and within a healthy team culture—remains steady.
How to Talk With Your Team About Value
This doesn’t happen by accident. Coaches and chaplains need to actively shape the conversation around worth and identity. Here’s one simple framework you can use in a team setting (post-practice, pre-game, or even in the middle of a tough stretch of the season):
Share the Situation
Acknowledge reality: “I know some of you are frustrated with playing time. I’ve heard that some feel unseen or underappreciated.”
Reframe Identity
Speak truth: “Your value isn’t in your minutes or your stats. You are beloved by God. You’re wonderfully made. You matter to this team.”
Highlight Contribution
Invite creativity: “What unique contributions can you make right now? Energy in practice? Encouragement on the bench? Hustle in drills? Every role matters.”
Offer Grace & Accountability
Build trust: “Mistakes and unmet expectations happen. That’s okay. We’ll grow together and hold each other up.”
Anchor in Gospel Truth
Ground it in Scripture: read Psalm 139 or Romans 5. Pray together, reminding the team that God defines our value, not the scoreboard or box score.
Team Activity: Re-Storying My Value
Hand each player a small index card.
On one side: “My value is in Christ.”
On the other: one specific way they can contribute to the team this week (on or off the field).
Collect the cards and pray over them as a group, asking God to help each player live out their identity in Him first, and their role on the team second.
A Chaplain’s Perspective
As chaplains, these conversations are opportunities to step into the tension without trying to “fix” it. Often, frustration over playing time is the tip of the iceberg—the visible 10%. Beneath the surface are questions about identity, self-worth, family expectations, or even deeper insecurities.
Our role is to create space where athletes feel safe to name those frustrations and be reminded of who they are in Christ. Sometimes that means listening more than speaking. Sometimes it means gently pointing them back to God’s truth. Always it means carrying the hope that their value is secure, regardless of stats or minutes.
Reflection Questions
Where do you see playing time shaping identity on your team?
How can you model and speak a better narrative of value?
What practical step can you take this week to remind an athlete of their worth beyond performance?
Final Thought:
Playing time may come and go, but the story we tell athletes about who they are lasts far longer. Let’s make sure it’s a story rooted not in minutes, but in the eternal love of Christ.
I really appreciate the card activity you outlined. It’s simple and accessible, yet powerful in how it grounds everyone in their value through God while also pushing them to identify a small, actionable way to live that out on a team. I’ve been following your work for some time, but this article prompted me to finally reply. Thank you for putting this out there.