Substitutions at the college level can be very situational. If you have balanced midfield lines, using full lines can help keep players fresh and wear down an opponent.

Run Balanced Midfield Lines

If you have a center draw specialist or even two of them, you can run two mini lines.

Balanced midfield lines can be especially useful when your team likes to ride because the midfielders are constantly working hard.

Running lines also gives more players experience and forces them to be ready when their number is called.

Use 1-for-1 Substitutions

If your lines aren't as balanced, another option is to use 1-for-1 substitutions.

This allows you to replace a player who is tired or needs a quick break while keeping strength on the field.

The substitution strategy can change during the game depending on the situation.

Give Players Simple Roles

When a second line enters the game, you may need to adjust expectations based on the players' strengths.

If a player isn't quite there offensively yet, give them a stronger focus on defense.

They can also contribute offensively by helping set the attackers up rather than being expected to create everything themselves.

The goal is to put players in situations where they can contribute while continuing to develop their game.

How You Talk to Players Matters

One of the biggest points when managing substitutions is how you speak to a player when they come off after making a mistake.

The way you handle that moment can affect what the player does for the rest of the game.

A Defensive Example

During a game, a defender was beaten twice behind the crease. The moves were good offensive plays, but the defender's stance had become too wide and she was opening her hips too quickly.

The coaches took her out and put a freshman in to hold down the fort.

Instead of letting the defender sit and dwell on the mistakes, they addressed her immediately.

They told her to:

  • Look up

  • Take a deep breath

  • Reset

  • Identify what went wrong

  • Think about the drill she had previously done on the same 1v1 situation

The coach reminded her that she had been dominating that drill and asked her to channel that same confidence into the game.

She was then given time to get water and return when her mind was right.

Help Players Reset

The important part wasn't simply taking the player out.

It was giving her a clear path back into the game.

The coach didn't tell her to sit down and leave it at that. She was given a specific correction and reminded that the team needed her back.

When she returned later, she played one of her best stretches of the game.

She made poke checks, came up with the ball late in the game, and helped create turnovers when the opponent was attacking and the team was protecting a two-goal lead.

The improvement wasn't physical.

It was mental.

The player was able to recognize the mistake, reset, and not let it affect the rest of her game.

The Bigger Lesson

Substitution strategy isn't only about deciding who goes on and who comes off.

It's also about developing players and managing their confidence.

Balanced lines can keep players fresh, while 1-for-1 substitutions can give tired players a quick break without taking too much strength off the field.

But regardless of the substitution strategy, coaches should remember that what they say to a player after a mistake can have a major impact on that player's ability to recover and contribute later in the game.