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Gaining fitness and strength is critical, but mental fortitude is the secret ingredient to sporting success. Ask anyone who has participated in youth sports, in anything from a rec league to college athletics: there are lots of people bursting at the seams with talent. But without the right mindset, that might not be enough. Maintaining composure in high-pressure situations can be the difference between success and defeat.
In a previous column, I wrote that it’s okay for sports outings to simply be fun and games for some kids, a way to let off steam and nurture friendships with schoolmates and peers. In fact, the “fun” side of the equation is key when trying to impart the right skills at a young age. When kids are taking their first steps into organized sports, the early focus is never going to be on performance. (I think we all remember swarms of 5-year-olds single-mindedly chasing a basketball or soccer ball with manic glee). Rather, the focus should be on creating the right mindset.
Positioning practice as a “fun” place to be solves some early problems. If the kids want to be there, that makes next steps so much easier. Coaches can start to find the optimal way to “activate” their kids, or ensure they have all the right mental tools to show up for gameday in the best state of mind for success. After all, athletes simply will not be able to perform to their peak levels if the confidence isn’t there. From my time coaching elementary school soccer, that cut both ways. Kids who made an early impact, perhaps having scored a goal in the first half, would be buoyed for the rest of the game; they could do no wrong, strong in the belief that everything they did would work out. On the flip side, if another kid had been struggling, it was really difficult to pull them out of their slump. Unable to perform with the joy they held at practice while playing around with their friends, they cast a sullen figure that just wanted the day to be over.
So what’s the best way to avoid a crestfallen player? There’s no simple answer. Every athlete is different, and it can be even trickier when working with young kids. But that’s where practice comes into play. Again, it’s important to stress that performance shouldn’t be the main focus during the
first steps into sports. But what coaches (and parents) can do is start constructing the right mental building blocks for when pressure and intensity do start to ramp up. One simple phrase that we hear a lot is “game face on.” Utilizing a “game face” is a way for kids to don their sporting persona during a match, a sign that they’re ready to play and do their best. It might just seem like lip service, but having that persona crafted early can help teach athletes about what kind of player they want to be.
A coach or parent can sit down with an athlete and ask them a few questions. What would their dream game look like? If they could play any way they wanted, how would that manifest on the field? After visualizing that, have them take the time to reflect on some of the games they’ve already played. Which performance did they think was the best? Which game did they have the most fun playing? All of these questions can help them start to form a picture of who they want to be on the field or court. Have athletes try on the game face during the next practice or game. Ask them how it felt, and whether it’s something they’d like to continue with. Finding the right fit can be crucial, and create a more positive overall experience.
Once the game face is on, practice can be dedicated to honing the fundamentals. It’s not super exciting on paper, but it’s one of the best ways to stave off a lack of self-confidence or negative thoughts. Those pesky bad thoughts always creep in during a game, things like why did I miss that pass, or why can’t I play today. With a solid on-field persona and a reliable stable of fundamentals to fall back on, those problems are minimized. When the foundation for your skillset is already in place, you can rely on muscle memory and know-how to keep pressing forward, even if it’s not your day. As athletes get older and become increasingly competitive, having the right mental skills to cope can make a world of difference.
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