November/December 2024 - 31

SEVEN TIPS TO KEEP CALM
1. Show the face your team needs to see. One of the
best lines from former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski's book,
Leading with the Heart, is, " A leader must show the face
his teams needs to see. "
As one of the top coaches during March, Coach K reminds
you to manage your own emotions under pressure if you
expect your players to do the same. Regardless of how you
actually feel internally, externally you must show your players
confidence when they are doubtful, composure when they are
panicked and optimism when they have given up.
2. Reframe pressure as a fun challenge. Not to be outdone
by Duke, former North Carolina men's basketball coach Dean
Smith also has a great book called, 'The Carolina Way.' One of
the interesting points in the book was that Smith's former
players were always amazed by how calm he was in lategame
scenarios.
Even though North Carolina was down in several situations,
the players remembered that Smith always conveyed that the
team was right where they wanted to be. He often remarked
in the pressure-packed situation, " Isn't this fun? " or " Wouldn't
it be great to come back and win this one? " Take the pressure
off your players and reframe the situation as a fun challenge.
3. The eyes have it. Pay particular attention to your
athletes' eyes in pressure situations. Checking their eyes is
one of the best ways to tell if a player is focused and hearing
what you are saying. A player's eyes give you a good
indication of what is going on in his/her head. If you see the
dreaded deer in headlights look, do your best to refocus them
quickly or consider getting a sub in the game if possible.
4. Know who thrives in pressure situations. Know which
of your players want to step up in pressure situations and
which ones are afraid. As Tennessee women's basketball
coach Pat Summitt says, " When we are trying to decide
who should take our last-second shot, we need to know
who wants the ball. " Be sure that you put those players
who want to step up in pressure situations in a position to
make the plays as much as possible.
5. Go with what they know. Take the advice of the late,
legendary Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach on this one.
Auerbach said, " With my teams when we'd be down to the
end of a game and we'd have a timeout, I wouldn't make my
players nervous. I wouldn't pull out a clipboard and give them
a new play. To me that makes them nervous. Why can't you
come down with 20 seconds to go and say, 'Hey, run the four
play. Execute it right.' "
Auerbach understood that players need to go with
what they know in pressure-packed situations. Avoid the
temptation of throwing something new at your players
because odds are it will confuse them and not your
opponents. Simulate late-game situations regularly in
practice so your players can develop the confidence
necessary to trust themselves and each other in the
crunch time.
6. Focus your players on what you want them to do.
I can't count the number of times I've heard a coach
unwittingly say, " Whatever you do, don't foul, " " Don't
fumble, " " No wild pitches or passed balls, " or " No
service errors. "
Mentioning and focusing your players solely on the
negative things you want them to avoid only plants the seed
of doubt in their minds. Instead, talk more in terms of what
you want your players to do. " We need to play smart
defense, " " Take care of the ball, " or " Trust yourself. " Focusing
on the positive skills you want them to execute plants seeds
of success in their minds.
7. Keep it simple, and be careful not to over-coach. Be
careful not to over-coach in crunch time. Focus your players
on the two to three key things you want them to execute and
leave it at that. Too much information only overwhelms and
confuses them. Remember that most of your coaching should
be done in practice, not in the closing seconds or late innings
of the game.
Keep in mind a psychological principle called the primacy
and recency effect, which means that athletes are most likely
to remember the first and last things you tell them in a
huddle or timeout. All the other stuff in between is more
likely to be forgotten. Thus, make sure you sequence your
most important messages to be first or last in your
communication with your players.
Keep these suggestions in mind as you prepare your team
to thrive in pressure-packed, late-game situations. The plans
and plays you draw up are important, but having players who
are confident and composed enough to execute them
successfully is just as critical.
COACHAD.COM 31
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November/December 2024

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