Not every player thrives the same way
Some players arrive at training loud, confident, eager to be the centre of attention. Others are quieter — happy to be there, but less likely to call for the ball, speak up in group moments, or put themselves forward. Neither is "better," but sessions and coaching styles built around the louder default can leave quieter players less engaged without anyone intending it.
Quiet isn't the same as disengaged
A player who doesn't call out, doesn't celebrate loudly, and doesn't volunteer for things first can still be fully engaged — quietness is often a communication style, not a level of interest. Assuming a quiet player is "not that bothered" and giving them less attention as a result can become a self-fulfilling pattern.
What helps: smaller-group moments
Some players who rarely speak up in a full-group setting are completely different in pairs or small groups — more vocal, more willing to try things, more visibly engaged. Building in pair/small-group activities (which most good sessions already include — rondos, partner passing) naturally creates these moments without singling anyone out.
What helps: specific, not open, invitations
"Does anyone want to...?" tends to be answered by the same confident players every time. "[Name], would you like to...?" — asked warmly, with an easy way to say no — gives quieter players a specific invitation rather than requiring them to volunteer into an open space, which is a much bigger ask for some personalities.
What to avoid
Putting a quiet player on the spot in front of the full group — even positively ("everyone watch how well [name] does this") — can feel like exposure rather than encouragement for some players. Quieter, more private forms of positive feedback often land better.
The long game
Many introverted players become more vocal and visible over time, as familiarity and confidence build — often not through any single intervention, but through an environment where they're genuinely included without being forced into a more extroverted mode than suits them. Patience, and not mistaking quiet for absent, is most of what's needed.