Motivating A Flat Team @ Game Time

Our 8U team could be like this. I personally don't reward much but I will admit it did work on the kids whose parents did it. $5 for a homerun, $2 for a pop fly caught, things like that. Got them all excited to play. I don't think it's awful or anything; it could certainly work to get the kids pumped (just not my personal approach - as much because of my kid's personality as anything).

I do try to keep positive, but I do slip to the negatives sometimes when trying to explain what not to do... I also told all of the parents at our parent meeting before the first practice that this is a development league and I don't worry too much about wins and losses. I worry about seeing improvement throughout, hustling, learning, being coach-able, and generally having fun playing softball. I told all of the parents and kids that I'm going to work on basics, basics, and more basics. I want them to develop into a player that loves the game and wants to play and improve. That's what was so frustrating about this one game, they didn't play up to their level or potential. I want to be able to effectively teach that life and sport lesson of overcoming nights like that and being able to take down the giant...

I agree that the fire has to come from within, I'm just trying to kindle the spark.

I'm a big fan of the girls doing softball chants. Even if they are down they still have fun. Our team was down by six the other night and nobody was having fun. A few big hits and suddenly we were on fire.

It's amazing what a big hit can do for a team. Nothing you can do to make it happen but it's fun to watch when it does. Well, if it's your team. If it's the other team it stinks.

I didn't want to do the money reward system (for no other reason than I don't want to fork over money). So, I put my thinking cap on and told the girls if they got an out or a hit, they get to throw a water balloon at me at the next practice. Everyone perked up QUICK. After the game, everyone had qualified by making either a hit or an out. I threw in a curveball. Anyone who doesn't throw with proper form will have to run 2 poles. They sighed, but will enjoy beaming me. BTW, the girls won the game 6 - 3 and weren't even the least bit concerned with the win at the time of lining up at the end of the game. Just whether or not I noticed they got their hit or out. It worked.