As coaches, we inspire our athletes to perform to their potential. And an enlightening, thought-provoking game-day speech is a must.
The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand. – Hall of Fame NFL coach, Vince Lombardi.
There are plenty of questions to consider before delivering a pre-game speech. With only a few minutes to spare before athletes begin competing, how can a coach convey an impactful message that mentally and emotionally prepares our athletes for competition?
From my experiences as a university athlete, elite coach, and graduate student in the area of sport psychology, I recommend coaches consider three fundamental rules when delivering a pre-competition speech:
Reiterate the importance of team values
In the opening quotation, Lombardi identifies the values of hard work, dedication and determination as to the keys to success. As coaches, we should communicate the importance of similar values to our athletes. I recommend coaches address the importance of commitment, hustle, and respect to name a few.
Avoid last-minute instruction
It’s our job as coaches to offer technical and tactical instruction. However, with a few minutes before your athletes begin to compete, it is best to avoid any last-minute instruction, which may confuse your athletes or add additional stress. Remember, your athletes want to begin competing with a clear and calm mind. As a result, refrain from bombarding them with a list of instructions right before a competition. This information is most effectively communicated after the game or at practice.
Offer continuous support
Finally, support your athletes by complimenting and reminding them how proud you are of them. Aside from being coaches, we are also mentors and role models. Our athletes look up to us and value our opinions. We must communicate with our athletes that we are proud of their efforts and confident in their abilities to perform. This positive social support will undeniably equate to a higher success rate, as our athletes enter the playing field with increased self-efficacy.
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What do you say before a game to help your athletes/team perform at their best?
Share your tips and best practices!
Coach Juan – Soccer – Hamilton – 15 Years
“…I can not agree more with the importance of a positive, and encouraging pregame speech. Three years ago, I was an assistant coach for a U11 girls team. Our game was against the best team in our division, a team that just didn’t lose to anyone. The parents knew what was coming, the players were walking with their heads down, not wanting to even take the pitch.
I pulled the team away from everyone and sat them down, not having any idea on what I was going to say, to at least get them to play and have fun. I started by making sure I didn’t mention the words win or lose. I told my girls, in order to have success on the pitch, you have to work together as a team. You have to make sure you take care of each other. Trust your teammates, but more importantly, believe in your ability to play the game. Also that before they stepped on the pitch, to tell themselves that they were going to work harder than anyone on the pitch, including their teammates. Let’s face it, I didn’t tell these girls anything that coaches have not been saying for years and years, but for some reason this time it stayed with them, they understood what it would take to be successful.
The game ended 1-1. After the game, the girls said they were only able to do what they did, because of my pregame speech. We’ve had success since that game, but the reason I like to share that story is because of three years later and the girls still talk about that great game they played and the reason why they were able to achieve success.”
Coach Saajidh – Karate – Scarborough – 4 years
“…We will enjoy every moment. We Own the Win, We will play to save it, We play to protect it.”
Coach Stuart M. – Multi-Sport – Sierra Leone – 10 years
“…Sometimes it’s what not to say. Don’t bring in any new information, concepts, or strategy…despite what you see in movies. If you didn’t do it last week at practice, it’s too late. Before a game, players often think about the latest trick or play they learned thinking it will help them get an edge. Instead, remind them to focus on fundamentals.
Keep things simple. Trying to execute something new (complex) at the cost of previously mastered fundamental skills is a game day mistake I’ve seen many times. You could mention ONE thing they should be working on to improve, provided you have gone over it at practice the week before.
Close with something to reduce athlete pressure (lower the stakes), or ramp it up, depending on what your athletes respond best to. Some need help calming nerves, some need to be challenged.”
Coach Amanda Miles – Basketball – Markham – 13+ Years
“…I tend to just remind them how much work they have put in and that they know their stuff. Just to trust themselves and they will be fine. To play their game and not let the ref’s or other teams affect them.”
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What does it take to coach? What are the fundamental skills required in coaching? A lot of what a coach does goes beyond technical know-how. We know that some of the best coaches have not been elite athletes themselves, but have developed strengths in key areas such as motivation, communication with athletes, and demonstrating leadership on and off the playing field.
Some universally required skills are:
Leadership: Whether coaching a team or an individual, coaches need strong leadership skills. To lead the development of players and teams, coaches also must develop problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
Communication: Central to coaching is the coach-athlete relationship. Coaches should enjoy working with people, have strong communication and interpersonal skills, and the ability to work within a team environment.
Passion: Not to be forgotten with the modern focus on sports science and analytics, great coaches still possess a love of the sport. Communicating their passion for the game is as important as anything they do. Along with that passion comes a desire to make a difference in a person’s life.
What other skills do you think are required to become a great coach?
What role do they play in your coaching?
Coach Ken Anstruther – Taekwondo – Mississauga – 15 Years
“An athlete must believe they can do what needs to be done. The coach must help instill that belief by using positive inputs throughout the training. The coach must be a good listener, observer and translator. He or she must allow divergent thinking but have the ability to converge on the right things.
He or she must be able to listen to and observe the athlete and translate the words, emotions and sports actions into adjustments that fit with their athlete. E.g. a parent came to me and advised his son was developing OCD characteristics. I researched strategies for dealing with their fears and anxieties and discovered that this could apply to other athletes. The right answer could lie anywhere, so the coach must be prepared to look everywhere.”
Coach Sean Ferguson ChPC, RGP – Swimming – Waterloo – ?? Years
“A great coach also needs to be mature. ‘Mature’ is one of those funny words, as many may assume that the younger you are, the more immature you may be, and therefore the older you are, the more mature you will be.
However, I personally don’t equate one’s maturity level with their age; age is only a number, and to me, it’s a fallacy to assume one way or the other with respect to age and maturity level.
Mature individuals make great coaches, because: they walk the line calmly, they educate themselves/seek information, they choose to be open-minded, they learn how to wear different hats when needed (multi-skilled), they are not afraid to admit fault, and they adapt to their environment all while being a great leader which is not an easy thing to do.”
Coach Amanda Miles – Basketball – Markham – 15 Years
“I think having patience is the key to becoming a great coach. Knowing how to let certain things go and when to spend time on something or move on. This is super important to helping you grow and your team develop.”
Coach Howard Dewsbury – Baseball – Barrie – 18 Years
“The skills that make a good coach change as the athlete develops, here I will talk about what I think makes a good coach for entry-level athletes. At all levels, a coach must understand that they cannot win a game only the athletes can do that. It is the coach’s job to prepare the athlete for winning.
To prepare an athlete for winning the coach must teach the fundamental skills required to play the game, to do this the coach needs to be able to demonstrate those skills and explain them to the athlete. The coach must also realize each athlete is different and be able to vary their approach to suit the individual athlete.
A good coach also understands that the time for teaching is at a practice or a careful word when they are on the bench not while they are on the field during a game. On the flip side, a coach can lose a game by not properly preparing the athletes, too many times I have seen coaches teaching their team about game strategies without having taught them the skills needed to execute those strategies. Many times they are doing this while the athlete is playing the game.
As a good coach you are prepared, understand the needs of the athlete and present a positive environment for the athlete to play in.”
Coach Patricia Careau – Weightlifting – Pembroke – 20 Years
“Human beings are hard-wired for connection and vulnerability. You need to be able to listen and hold space with athletes especially when the going gets tough…or even when they share their fears, anxiety, anger, disappointment and everything else that they bring with them on the field of play.”
Coach Joe Benedetti – Fastpitch – Hamilton – Too Many Years
“…I recall reading a short article on this topic and the 3 top assets of a coach were:
We certainly cannot ask our athletes to work any harder than we are. We must all strive to be life-long learners and stay up to date in the area of knowledge and skills and attitudes. Finally, what better way to develop the passion and motivation of our athletes than for them to see us having FUN coaching.”
Coach Rolf Waffler – Football and Skiing – Thunder Bay – 20 Years
“Patience. Regardless of the level of sports athletes acquire, consolidate and refine skills and abilities at different rates. Patience is required to develop training that includes athletes who are refining skills and those that are still acquiring the same skill. Age, athletic ability and mental maturity all factor into the teaching of sport and life skills. In teaching this the coach’s patience will always be tested by the athlete and more often by the parent who will be questioning why isn’t little Johnny at the same level as the remainder of the team. Patience is required to stay the course of a well-laid training plan.”
Some thoughts from the By Coach Jessica Cunha
Connecting with a new team or athlete can be difficult, even if you have been coaching for many years. There are multiple things you don’t know: what coaching style works best for them, how they manage their stress, what their goals are and of course what motivates them to continue participating.
After reflecting on my experiences with my own coaches, I believe that I performed better for the ones that took the time to get to know me as an individual. I knew they cared about me, and as a result, I cared about doing my best for them. Now as a coach, I continuously see the positive impact a strong coach-athlete relationship has on a team or individual; greater cohesion increased trust, and most importantly, respect for one another.
Don’t skip the introduction
Sharing a little about yourself and your coaching style is a great way to help your athletes feel comfortable and build trust. Do tell them how long you have been coaching for but stem away from how many awards and honours you have received. Instead, discuss the expectations you have for them, and what they should expect from you. This helps resolve assumptions they may have picked up from a previous coach. Finish off with what or who inspired you to begin coaching and why you continue.
Discover your athlete’s goals and motivations
Schedule one- on- one meeting with your athletes either before or after practice. Find out what their goals are for the season and how they want to accomplish them. Now is a good time to ask about what motivates them and why they are passionate about their sport. Be open to feedback and end with asking what you can do for them.
Have Fun!
Focusing on the fun in the first few practices allows athletes to feel comfortable being themselves and reduce the stress of meeting a new team or coach. Your role as a coach carries a certain authority, but too much formality creates distance. Allow yourself to interact with your athletes on a level that goes beyond watching them execute skills in drills. Consider joining the end of a practice scrimmage, a fun obstacle course, or participate in the team led warm-up or cool down.
As a Coach, how do you go about connecting with a New Team or Athlete?
Coach Sean Ferguson ChPC, RGP – Swimming – Waterloo – 19 Years
“As a coach, I think it’s important not to go in with bravado and expect people to like you just because you have “x” years of coaching or experience doing this or that. I’d suggest a more humble approach by showing your vulnerable side and letting the athletes or new team get to know you by way of interactive, fun, and silly activities to introduce one another.
When you are humble in your approach and allow the athletes to teach/coach you in those activities, you might find that your ways will encourage and bring forth the participant’s leadership styles and abilities…which hopefully, benefit the team environment down the road and allows for a cooperative atmosphere.”
Coach Amanda Miles – Basketball – Markham – 10+ Years
“Adding new players is always tricky, I make sure I talk with them ahead of time let them know how things were the last season and what is expected. I also take extra time to get to know them so that they don’t feel that I don’t value them as much. I also warn them that I will be on them more because I am getting to know them still so I want to see how much I can push them.”
Coach Leilani Torres – Synchronized Swimming – San Juan – 8 Years
“When I coach synchronized swimming, being such a technical sport, I would tell the athletes not only their corrections but also how to fix them. They learn to appreciate me through the feedback I can give them.
It’s not so fun at the moment, but when we aren’t training we can joke around.
I believe it’s important to have a balance. When it’s time to train, let’s focus on that and when its time to have fun, let’s not worry about anything else. Balance is key in a Coach-Athlete relationship.”
Coach Carolyn Horner – Equestrian – Mt Albert – 16 Years
“As an equestrian coach when I meet a new rider-horse combination I am really meeting two athletes who speak a different language. I introduce myself and then let the rider tell me about their riding background and their goals. I ask them about their horse and any concerns they may have about their equine partner. I will check that the equipment is safe and properly fitted to both rider and horse. I will then ask them to show me how they normally warm up their horse.
Unless I have any safety concerns I try not to make any corrections for the first several minutes. I am just an observer trying to assess the relationship between horse and rider. I don’t want the rider to feel judged because of any tension they have will show up in the horse. I watch the horse’s body language to see how happy he is with the rider’s communication. I then ask the rider to come into me and I discuss the good things that I saw and a few things that need to be worked on. I invite them to ask questions at any time and to tell me if things I say conflict with what previous coaches have told them.
It can take a bit more time to find out what the equine athlete’s needs are. He may need changes to his diet or the amount of time he spends outside. He may need changes to the equipment that the rider is using. It is very important that the horse is a happy and relaxed athlete to perform the tasks his rider expects of him. It is also important to make any changes gradually.”
Taken from Anne Steinhoff – Novak Djokovic Foundation
Games Are Not Just about Winning
For parents, it is important to remember that there is a lot more to winning a competition, says Kenneth Barish a professor of Psychology. Every competition is a socializing experience for children. Participating in competitions in kindergarten, at school or at the playground can help parents teach their kids about the importance of teamwork, commitment to a task, cooperation and respect for the opponent. Every game is also an opportunity for children to learn to play by the rules. Even though these rules seem arbitrary to children, they need to learn that rules serve particular purposes. Competitions are a good place to demonstrate the reasons behind the rules for children to help them understand them and follow them.
What Can Children Learn from Losing?
The feeling of losing and moving on are particular skills children need to develop in order to deal with negative experiences in life when they become older. It might not seem fair to children that one kid can do something faster or better than they can, but parents can teach their children that everyone has different talents and that it is impossible to be good at everything.
Research has shown that losing games is helpful for children because it teaches them to show empathy and cope with the experience of losing.
Christine Carter, who has published books on parenting, says that children need to practice losing in order to be able to cope when they lose in a competition in front of their peers.
Children who do not experience losing can grow up to be anxious because they start seeing the possibility of not winning as some form of harm and they cannot deal with situations that do not go their way.
Losing a game is the only way for children to learn from their mistakes and think about strategies to improve. When children improve their skills and win the next time, they do not only get better at the sport or game, but they also learn something new. Learning new things increase children’s confidence and their self-belief and they start to be proud of their abilities.
When children lose, they also learn to identify themselves with others who have lost. Melody Brook, a therapist in Texas, says that the experience of coping with loss is helping children to show empathy towards other children in the same position. A child that has never lost a game will not realize that everyone struggles in life.
Finally, losing shows children that they need to work hard in order to have success because good things are not just handed over to them. These situations also help children to lose with grace in front of others and to be seen as a fair loser.
What are some of the best lessons you think a child can learn from winning and losing?
As a coach, how do you help kids and parents value the importance of wins as well as losses?
Suzanne DeKay – Tennis – Fort Erie
“…A child can learn many things from both winning and losing. Demonstrating Sportsmanship is one of the most important values a child should learn to display. Before, during and after a match a child should show fair play and a positive attitude. Whether you win or lose, another important aspect is to turn the experience into an attainable learning goal. What did I do well? What can I improve?”
Marie – Ice Hockey – Toronto
“…when I was coaching 8-year-old girls’ hockey, it was a particular group of parents who had a hard time dealing with a loss. In the dressing room coaches always had a post-game chat with the players and discovered what went well and what we needed to work on. After this time the players were moving on to what they had planned for the day or other topics. They learned from the game and then let it go. I always received emails or phone calls from parents expressing their concerns about the players losing a game. Point is, we can learn from our children and we can also teach them the wrong way to respond to losing. Perspective is important in sports and in winning and losing. Often we developed more when we analyzed a game where we lost. So, we can learn a lot from losing!”
Stephanie Wallace – Figure Skating – Pembroke – 30 years
“…winning and losing is a part of life skills handling/teaching them respect is important”
Dana Weistra – Hockey – Burlington – 20 years
“…As I coach I don’t focus on Winning or Losing. Wins and Losses happen all the time. What I stress is the players give the best they can give that day. Work on all the small details and everything else takes care of itself. Winning is a result of the details. My message is just that as in life you can’t have everything you want, but if you put in the effort and pay attention to the details, you will have more positives then negatives.”
Paul Bullock – Baseball, Badminton – Collingwood – 40+ years
“…With my younger teams, I always hold a quick chat with the team after any game to discuss what went well and what didn’t go so well. I point out more positives when they lose and more negatives when the win. In this way, they are identifying their own issues and starting to be self-critical. It helps to bring out the inner coach in each player (after all they are their own most important coach) which is so important if they are to progress in any sport. Almost all of my tyke team will ask for help if they think things aren’t going well. Losing is as important as winning in my opinion if you want balanced individuals in sport (and live).”
Augustino Badali – Bowling – Kingston – 48+ years
“…I have been involved as a coach/manager for many years, teaching the youth up to 21 years of age, and older competitors at the Collegiate level! When we talk about winning and losing a couple of things come to mind. Many coaches spent much of their time trying to win and losing is not taught at the younger level; I believe that a good coach must teach young athletes how to win and lose; when done over a period of time it’s more about “how to be a good winner” and/or a good loser. With the cooperation of their parents and the coaches. Experienced coaches need to spend more time preparing new coaches to deal with winning and losing.”
Joe Benedetti – Former community Soccer coach – Hamilton – 25+ years
“…In the Make Ethical Decisions module it asks us to “pay attention to what is important to the kids when establishing your ethical standards”. Winning at all costs might come at a cost you cannot afford. So what might be 7 things more important than winning to a young athlete? The obvious one is playing! The concept of a 10-year-old substitute is ridiculous at any level. Surely athletes don’t want to get seriously injured or hurt, unnecessarily. They want to learn how to become a great teammate and feel the support of their mates. They may want to try a new position or skill or learn to make better decisions in the heat of the competition. Surely they want ALL the participants to be good sports, maintaining emotional control and not let the competition bring out the worst in human behaviour. Finally losing is often necessary to help strong teams remain humble. Sure everyone wants to win; I just don’t want to always have to talk about it!”
Yash Anand – Table Tennis – Patna/Bihar (India) – 2 years
“…Losing is important for children because it teaches the importance of win and it encourages to do work harder.”
Sheri Cappa – Ice Skating – London – 31 years
“…In our sport, It is important for the young athletes to understand that they have to perform all of the skills for each level to a particular standard before they can advance. If they are unable to achieve that, they know they have to try harder next time and work at improving those skills. When they see others getting a ribbon or badge for the achievement, it makes them “hungry” and they know they have to work harder to get there. They may not yet understand but will learn that athletes have different strengths and weaknesses and progress at different rates. They will hopefully soon learn that they cannot compare themselves to others. As they advance through the levels, they must fall back on their training to get them through. They learn that there are rules they must adhere to and specific actions they must perform and if they are not good enough, they will have to practice more and try again. It creates a desire to achieve and good work ethic can get them a better result next time. It may encourage them to seek out other skills like mental training to allow them to be better prepared for the next time. They may start to look at the big picture of the importance of sport in their life and realize there are other things that important, too. That sport does not make them who they are but is merely a part of what they do.
Wins and losses are opportunities to understand the ups and downs of life. Circumstances happen but they can control how they react to them. It is opportunity for teaching appropriate actions and reactions. It is a chance to slow down and take time to figure out how to move forward, what to do to improve next time. Athletes should always take something positive from every negative to create balance in their life.”
Excerpted from the Coaching Association of Canada Coaching Resources
6 Ways to Deal with Concerns about Your Coaching Conduct
A concern about coaching conduct should not be interpreted as a criticism of you as a person. Rather, it is an opportunity to learn, reflect, and improve as a coach! What matters is how you receive the feedback and incorporate any lessons learned into your coaching practices. With that in mind, what do you do if another person expresses concerns about your coaching conduct?
How do you handle criticism about your own coaching?
Martin Cavanagh ChPc – Curling – Montreal – 20+ years
“…in addition to these 6 great tips on dealing with coaching conduct, and perhaps a subsection of all of them is “Coaching Style”. Your coaching style is the manner, method or pathway that a coach uses to empower their intended recipient(s). This is not a “one style fits all” philosophy, as not everyone shares the same learning or skill acquisition system. A coach requires intuition, diverse communications and critical thinking to know if they have chosen the proper style for their audience. Conflicts, concerns or criticism may be mitigated if you appropriately use these 3 coaching styles towards your coaching success.
A successful Coach will know what, when, where, why, how and with whom use these styles, or a “Blended Approach” selecting the best style at any given opportunity to reach out and empower!”
Pam Coburn – Equestrian – Richmond Hill – 10 years
“…Understand that people learn in different ways. From adults to children, and across cultures your goal as a coach is to help your athlete learn and progress – whatever their goals are. If it’s not working for the athlete, you have an opportunity to learn and grow as a coach.
I heard a while ago a quote about successful Olympic Athletes – that one of the strongest common attributes was optimism. For me, this translates into turning challenges into opportunities to learn and grow.”
Darren Thompson – Ringette – Waterloo – 1 year
“…I try to listen to the person (player/parent) and provide them feedback on why I acted how I did or why we were instructed as we were.”
Lynne Jobe – Multi-Sport – Calgary
“…One tip that works in coaching and in many settings is to think of the criticism as “purposeful” rather than “personal”. With this approach, the emotion subsides and it’s easier to use the opportunity as a teachable moment.
Many parents that comment is seeking understanding so provide the background LTAD related info (or other) to help them to support your coaching philosophy.”
