: Played the pompous head cheerleader Dana. Interestingly, her character shares many traits with Trina Vega, whom she later played on Nickelodeon's Victorious .
: Guest starred as the "in-your-face" Coach Little.
: The title is a nod to the 2006 film The Benchwarmers . Benchwarmers | The Suite Life Wiki | Fandom BenchwarmersThe Suite Life of Zack and Cody : S...
The episode follows two parallel storylines as the main characters face rejection and the reality of being "small fish in a big pond" at Cheevers High:
: Appearances by Sophie Oda (Barbara), Giovonnie Samuels (Nia), and Kaycee Stroh (Leslie). : Played the pompous head cheerleader Dana
: Accustomed to being a star athlete in middle school, Zack Martin ( Dylan Sprouse ) tries out for the high school basketball team. He is shocked by the intense competition and the intimidating Coach Little (Michael Clarke Duncan). Though he makes the team, he is relegated to the bench. Despite his initial desire to quit, he eventually wins a game with a high-pressure free throw—even if his coach notes it is the only thing he is good at.
: This was the second basketball-themed episode of the series, following "Kisses and Basketball". : The title is a nod to the 2006 film The Benchwarmers
The standard main cast is joined by several recurring and guest performers: