365 Days to Better Coaching - Deer in Headlights

Motivational Monday Tip of the Day Helps When Been There Before

Good baseball coaches prepare players for tight games. As a coach, I am occasionally reminding players that they should want to be the player who is up to bat with the game on the line. I reason with them in the following way "Hey, if you make an out with the game on the line, it's just another out of many you will make, and it will be forgotten by all before long. However, if you get a hit in that situation, you and everyone remember that for a long time, if not forever. Therefore, the situation is a no lose situation." Of course, this may not sell all players but the point being players should be ready for, and even look forward to having a chance to win the game at crunch time, but it is the coach's job to prepare players for those type games and situations.

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Good baseball coaches run those game-ending situations occasionally in batting practice and during infield practice to give kids the feeling that they have been there before. When kids are not mentally prepared for that moment, they often feel the gravity of the situation all at once, causing a "deer in headlights" frozen moment; very hard to perform in that manner.

Of course, when coaches notice this type look in a player, a well-timed joke that loosens the atmosphere may help ease a player's apprehension.