Baseball Coaching Info

Minimize the Peaks and Valleys for a Smooth Season

As coaches, one characteristic we expect from our players is consistency. Every day, every game, every play, we want our players to show the same intensity and desire. Some players will only perform well when the team is successful, while others will only perform well against the best teams. There is nothing more frustrating than watching players perform under their potential.

We, as coaches, must also evaluate our own performance and discover where we are at our best and when we let our abilities slip because of what is going on around us. Often, our tendencies are to get excited and become more confident when our team is winning and be down when our team is losing. Well, every match we ask our players to play as hard as they can regardless of what the scoreboard says. We should also expect this of ourselves when conducting practice or coaching in a match. The key to staying on an even keel is to not get too low when things are going bad, and conversely, not allow ourselves to get too high when things are going well. A good way to begin this process is to identify what gets us down and what gets us up.

The Valleys

First let’s look at the valleys, as they are the obvious places we want to avoid. Looking at the questions above, figure out what situations drop you into the emotional valleys. Is it losses? Players’ mental mistakes? Physical mistakes? Any of these factors can send a coach into a valley, where it can affect performance.

After you get into a valley the most important thing to figure out is how to get out. Look at what got you there and formulate a plan to deal with the cause in a positive manner. Also, look at the bright side, this evaluation has given you an opportunity to improve yourself and your team.

Finally, you need to look at ways to keep from going into the valley in the first place. You must realize what puts you there, and when that situation begins to arise, acknowledge it and realize that you must emotionally detach yourself from the circumstances that can bring you down.

Finding the Valleys in Coaching

• What makes you irritable?
• What makes you want to give up your position as coach?
• What causes you to lose your temper?
• What makes you sad?
• What do players do to cause you to yell at them in a negative way?

The Peaks

You may wonder why peaks are sometimes a dangerous place to go. If you didn’t have peaks, the valleys wouldn’t seem so low. Minimizing the emotional peaks helps keep perspective on the overall picture and helps minimize the eventual fall into a valley.

In order to keep an emotional balance, you must always remember to keep proper perspective. A victory early in the season should not produce the same celebration as a conference or state championship. There is always work to do. Realizing this, you must produce your definition of success. Whether it be an outcome or process goal, your definition of success will be the standard by which your team must perform. In holding yourself and your team to that standard, you may continually strive to become better throughout the season. The peaks then become stepping stones to a plateau, on which you can firmly stand at the end of the season and safely enjoy a look back on your accomplishments.

Finding the Peaks in Coaching

• What makes you feel like you are the best coach in the world?
• What gives you feelings of elation?
• What makes you happy?
• What makes you praise your players?
• What makes you stand up and cheer during a game or practice?

Conclusion

On this adventure we call a tennis season, peaks and valleys are bound to occur. Without one we cannot appreciate the other. As coaches, we must minimize the fluctuations of our attitudes toward these events, as our behavior often affects player performance. This cycle of events is based on the unstable emotions of perceptions, which can ultimately only detract from the true potential of your team. Minimizing the peaks and valleys can lead to steady hike to the top of the mountain known as success.