Benched! is a practical, research-grounded guide to the hardest part of athletics: the seasons when you’re not playing. Superintendent, longtime coach, and licensed mental health counselor Rick Martin shows athletes, parents, and coaches how to turn the bench into a training ground for composure, leadership, and readiness—so when the moment comes, you’re already built for it. Drawing from four decades on sidelines and in counseling rooms, Martin maps the emotional arc of being benched—frustration, comparison, withdrawal—and offers clear tools to respond, not react. You’ll find multi-sport case studies (basketball, hockey, football, softball, soccer), step-by-step “Mindset Huddles,” Coach’s Corner checklists, and skills you can use the same day: regulating emotions under pressure, communicating trust, redefining success, and preparing for opportunity without chasing attention. This book will help you: Build readiness in the “unseen hours” and translate it into dependable play - Lead without the spotlight and strengthen team culture from any role - Replace unhelpful coping (numbing, blame, comparison) with proven routines - Navigate honest conversations with coaches and craft an action plan - Carry the lessons beyond sports—to school, work, and life Not tied to any one sport, Benched! is for the athlete finding their way back into the rotation, the parent wanting to support without rescuing, and the coach ready to build a resilient, trusted team.