Flawless practice reactions vanish in competition

Need help with what i think is an age old delema.
I have a few kids on my team that mentally have breakdowns during games. Both on offense and defense. The entire team (TB 18u) has high A/gold talent. Team chemestry and support is awsome...noone gets down on each other. When mistakes happen(or bad luck...no team is immune) both players and coaches support "put it behind you, focus and get the next one" theory.
We enter tournaments that attract the best A teams in the area and usually make it to the final 4 and beyond. We've had the same team for 3 years now. We scrimige other teams often to create that competion pressure. At practice you would see a gold team across the board. Very quick smart solid defense. We've always coached to create reactions through repetition to decrease the need of choice once the balls in play, knowing theres always exceptions. On routine plays they know what to do before the balls hit and execute flawlessly. I belive a team is only as good as its weakest player. We put high emphises on helping hone the skill level to the kids that need it. We balance play time well. Going deep in tourneys you have to keep everyone rested and fresh as possible. 5 games in a day is tough on even the most talented athlete! We are blessed to have 4 ace pitchers and 3 solid catchers whom all play multi positions. We tighten up the line up the deeper we get in bracket play (adjusting to NSA,ASA,USSSA or NAFA rules).

Our issue for 3 years now has consistantly been with just 3 players who either mentally get "lost" on the field and/or panic in the batters box. Thier old habits seem to creep in during routine plays. What more is there to do towards confidence boosting? As individuals is it that they've reached thier peak talent level and I souldnt have been this loyal keeping them on the team? I didn't become a coach just to win. I became a coach to help athletes achive growth, success and achievements not only as a team but more importantly as individuals. For the first time I'm starting to feel it's me hurting the team.

I figure this is one of the best forums for this issue. I'm searching for some solid mature seasoned advice before I truely go crazy.

I love this DVD, which covers the mental aspect of the game - Mental Fundamentals, by Karl Kuehl, John Kuehl.

I love everything you wrote, Coach. You totally get it and all your players can only benefit from the philosophies you're instilling there. I can't speak for everyone, but based on what you wrote, you're already the type of coach many of us are striving to become.

Different athletes use different methods to get pscyhed up before the lights go on - some like to get loud with themselves or teammates, some like to meditate quietly, some like to spend a few moments with a girlfriend/boyfriend, some listen to their game music, some like to just lie on the ground and look at clouds. Teams do need to warm up together, but either before or after warmups, make sure they've got a good 10-15 minutes to do their own thing to bring them to whatever mental state they need to be in to perform at their best.

Sounds like you've got a great thing going there and things can only get better.

MomosDad...

Different athletes use different methods to get pscyhed up before the lights go on - some like to get loud with themselves or teammates, some like to meditate quietly, some like to spend a few moments with a girlfriend/boyfriend, some listen to their game music, some like to just lie on the ground and look at clouds. Teams do need to warm up together, but either before or after warmups, make sure they've got a good 10-15 minutes to do their own thing to bring them to whatever mental state they need to be in to perform at their best.

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Thats the beauty of team, so may individual personalities to adore! We want spikes on ready to go 1:15 before 1st game. Usually :45 therafter before each game, as the day goes on our pregame warmups lighten with 2 exceptions. The all important :15 girls only gathering where they sit around doing whatever each feels like doing. I feel this alone is a key eliment in team chemistry. This is where the whole Mars Venus thing is shown as proof positive! Knowing whats said in the circle stays there, no parents, no coaches just gossiping girls. Most are 17/18 so its cute to hear an F bomb or other "lockeroom" chatter quetly be overheard from these young adults.
I honestly think this is where some make critical off field life decisions. They'r girls...its what they do. 2nd is stretching, perfect form, high quality, dynamic healthy goodness. When we start throwing and doing softtoss the level of focus is impressive. For that moment every distraction from off the field is gone, routines are being polished and thier job at hand is envisioned. That focis stays there until the game is over with help from the coaches of course. With constant motivation renforcing positives that take fear away. And during the 1 1/2hr game making sure we have fun....win or lose. Coaching staff is great as none of us yell, except at an occasional ump. Everyones on the same page defensively. So in this wonderful environment how could an athlete lose focus

Screwball- What a great article by Cindy Bristow on how a coach can ceate a fealess situation...

Quote
"To become fearless you need to help your team identify some actions they need to take against this opponent right now. Not this historical opponent (if they’re a huge program), and not against a hysterical opponent (your whole schedule/season), and not against the entire game, but today’s opponent in small, bit-sized detail. Remember that you’re playing a team made up of people – normal people that together might play pretty good, or even good players that can come together and play really good – whatever. The point is that you’re NOT playing against a team of Super Heroes! They’re a dugout full of people just like you. Don’t make them out to be something that they aren’t – that’s where the fears start and the action stops!"

D.G., never discount the possibility of pressure at home from parents, whether conscious or subconscious. Girls tend to be pleasers, so if mom or dad is rough on them (or they think they're disappointing them) it can get in their heads. It can mess up all the positive things you're doing.

The focus thing can be an issue too. Do you tend to do your drills in a particular pattern (i.e. hit a ground ball to 3B, then SS, then 2B, etc.) or do you mix them up more? It's easy to focus and look like a champ when you know the ball is coming your way. It's another thing to go 10 minutes without getting near a ball and suddenly have a shot hit to you. If you're in a pattern, try being more random and see if that helps.

In a hitting situation, are they thinking too much about the outcome instead of the process? Perhaps they want desparately to contribute to the team, so they feel they must get a hit. That's an outcome-based thought. Instead, they need to be focused on the process, which amounts to seeing the ball well, taking a good swing at it, and letting the rest play out.

Just a few suggestions of things that have worked for me.

Ken-
Great suggestions. I'll bring to the table. Nows a great time to offer areas to improve on as they head into the highschool season.

At this age level (or at any age) mental growth and adjusting is a constant. Dicovered there was distraction from parents and those pesky mind wandering enablers called 'boyfriends'. Thats all work in progress, i like the direction trending here. Shes finding ways to handle them. This past fall she pulled me aside (kinda funny) told me "instaed of letting those distractions get in my head i'm gonna just focus on the game the whole time" told her I wish I would of thought of that advice.

D.G. OutLaws 16u said:

Ken-
This past fall she pulled me aside (kinda funny) told me "instaed of letting those distractions get in my head i'm gonna just focus on the game the whole time" told her I wish I would of thought of that advice.

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Wow, what a concept!

I hadn't thought about the boyfriend thing. Yes, that has taken down many a great player.

Screwball said:

Yes, I heard from someone who got to see some baseball spring training down in Florida, and she said it was BORING. I think sometimes, the 100mph, never-stop practice is not at all like a softball game. I also notice kids depending on adults to tell them when to pay attention, these kids are then stupified when it's quiet, and they have to do it for themselves or depend on each other to talk out on the field.

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I saw a good demonstrate of how to get the girls to talk at the NFCA coaches college class I attended. Basically, set up situations (preferably with baserunners) then forbid them from communicating. Let them see how difficult it is when they can't talk, and maybe then they will see why it's so frustrating when they don't talk.

Ken
Forbid them to talk...i like the sounds of this. Another fresh new approach!!
I can foresee them realizing the need for effective communication but moreso knowing they have a responsibility to mentally stay in the game! Im aslo thinking this will be a fun way to learn.

Good stuff....Thanks yet again