Playing flat

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Oct 16, 2014
32
6
Like the title says, I think every team has had it happen one time or another. We are a young 10U team with quite a few quiet/ shy girls. We are a good team when everyone is up, but too many times now they show up flat for an early morning game. Sometimes it doesn't have to be early morning. I can almost always recognize it during warm ups and know game one isn't going to be good. What are some ways other coaches have tried to shake them up and get them going? I've done the Rah Rah stuff, and had them run 30-40 yd wind sprints to get their blood moving. Sometimes it seems to help, other times not.
 
Jun 12, 2015
3,848
83
Just throwing you some sympathy. This describes every team my 9 year old DD has played on yet. lol
 
May 24, 2013
12,461
113
So Cal
We battle the same issues on my DD's 12U TB team. Sometimes they show up to play. Sometimes not so much.
 
Jun 11, 2013
2,619
113
It happens to every team in every sport at every age group. If you rely on too much emotion to try and win games you will be disappointed an awful lot. Focus
on making sure they have the practice reps and repeatable mechanics so you can get through the down games. There are various reasons that players might come
out a little flat. They might not have slept the night before, they might be tired, they might be worried about the birthday party they are missing. Maybe Dad is missing
the game for the first time. It might not be the same for every one of them. I'm not sure yelling at them or running wind sprints will wake them up. My best hope is
to lighten the mood.

To me the best you can do at that point is to try and get them to focus. You aren't going to make them less tired, but you can get them to think about the game.
 
Jun 12, 2015
3,848
83
My DH has been AC since we started playing travel and he takes the lighten the mood approach. It seems to work better than a more discipline approach. It's good to keep in mind that they're kids, and it's a game. And they truly do play better when they're having fun.
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
We always have an inning I want to take the ball away go home.

Somehow my brilliant yelling Stop It! does net seem to work.

They are good a regrouping.
 
Oct 3, 2011
3,478
113
Right Here For Now
I bought a bigger bluetooth speaker that's battery operated and let the girls play their playlists from their phones on it during warm-ups. I also require them to be there 15 minutes before they start so they can get their cleats on, BS about whatever and get psyched up listening to their music. This has seemed to help tremendously. This is the one I purchased. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00B...n+speakers&dpPl=1&dpID=41GrcGgNyKL&ref=plSrch
It usually lasts up to a full weekend tournament on a full charge. I've also had a smaller, less expensive one in the past that worked well and if I put it in the bottom of an empty 5 gallon bucket, was actually quite loud.
 
Oct 16, 2014
32
6
FYI, by Rah Rah, I meant team huddles/ getting excited trying to get them up, not yelling at them. I like the music idea. We have used it during practices, not game day though. I do think running helps get their blood moving.
 

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