Fumbles, missed shots, bad passes, and unforced errors are very frustrating events for both coaches and athletes.
Emotions can run high in competition. Your immediate reaction after a mistake might be to be disappointed and/or tell the player how to prevent the mistake from happening in the future.
From my perspective, you first need to be in control of yourself before you can help the player gain control and regain his composure.
Here are a few tips for helping your athletes play on with confidence and composure immediately following a mistake.
Model Composure If the athlete sees that your frustrated after a mistake, that only amplifies the emotional pain for the player. Display composure yourself so the athlete learns by observation how to deal with adversity.
Do not attempt to coach the athlete under the umbrella of anger or frustration. Wait until you calm down before giving instructions. Save your instruction for the next break in play when you and the player have both cooled off.
Pick Him/Her Up Your reaction to a mistake may be to reprimand the player, but that may only lead to deflating his confidence further. Confidence can be fragile for many athletes.
An athlete needs to know that you still have confidence in him after a mistake. Even if you feel like benching the player, show him your support with a verbal or non-verbal reinforcement such as a word of encouragement or a pat on the back. Don't Dwell on the ErrorDwelling on the error only serves to make you more frustrated and upset. Let the mistake go - it's in the past, you can't change what happened. You can only change your reaction to it. And to do your job well, you need to focus on the current play or series, not the last one.
Composure is a Team EffortA team atmosphere in which players support each other after a setback is a mark of a cohesive team.
Ask the team members to commit to showing their confidence in their teammates after a mistake or setback.
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