365 Days to Better Baseball - Helping Players Overcome Fear & Nervousness

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Best baseball coaching tips to help players overcome fear

It is common for youth baseball players to have fears and nerves on the ball field. Some players are naturally nervous, whereas others develop those, especially after being hit by a ball or with the intense pressure of games. Good baseball coaches are there for helping players overcome fears and nervousness, two ingredients that inhibit athletic success.

Following are baseball coaching tips for helping players overcome fear that paralyzes performance and brings on unnecessary anxieties:

Tips for helping players overcome fear and nerves

Coaches should:

1. Not make a big deal of a player's nervous situation by broadcasting it to others.
2. Show patience, realizing nervous players need time to work through their worries.
3. Explain that fear and anxiety are normal sports traits, but good concentration works to ease them.
4. Keep coaching knowledge of how to do things helps players feel more in control.
5. Encourage players to breathe and move, as tense players often are very static.
6. Use humor sometimes so kids feel more comfortable with you and the situation.
7. Practice game like situations as often as possible so kids have the "been there" feeling when in actual games.
8. Place kids in situations where they have the best chance at success.
9. Encourage team parents to show understanding and patience also

Coaches, who are proficient at helping players overcome fear and nerves, are invaluable and should be encouraged to continue coaching if not encouraged to pick up coaching as a second career.