Put It Into Practice

By: Dr. Colleen Hacker

Originally Published in: Achieving Excellence

Provided by: Human Kinetics

Coaches and sport leaders cannot control athletes' feelings of confi­dence; however, they oversee the environment in which athletes per­form. The following suggestions are supported by the literature and will allow coaches to provide a culture that encourages athletes to develop self-confidence. These suggestions are separated into several categories to promote quick, effective implementation.

Creating an Effective Team Climate

• Recognize and reward effort (more than outcome).
• Focus on individual improvement and comparing athletes with their previous performances.
• Reduce uncertainty (e.g., share practice plans, disseminate travel itineraries in advance).

Responding to Errors

• Recognize athletes' effort and reinforce any attempts to "go for it."
• Involve athletes in the correction of the technical or tactical error.
• Focus on the solution rather than the problem or error.

Training Athletes Physically

• Balance challenging drills and competitive situations with oppor­tunities for success.
• Put athletes and teams in pressure situations to test their strategies and positively reinforce them when they are successful.
• Maximize opportunities to practice and perform; minimize waiting time.

Considering the Individual

• Learn each athlete's strategies for sustaining and regaining con­fidence.
• Identify, with the athlete, moments in which their confidence is under siege.
• Remember that confidence levels constantly fluctuate and will change over the course of a season for each performer.