Filling Players' "Emotional Tanks"

Consider the following scenario ... What Would You Do?

One of your players consistently runs into double plays, no matter how many times you explain the rules about tagging up. She is upset at herself for this repeated mistake and is now so tentative that she has stopped running on force plays. How do you fill her Emotional Tank?

"I'd say: You usually do so much right on the field. With just this one exception, you are a very solid player. You field and hit with the best of them. We just need to get you over this mental hurdle so you can be as dangerous on the bases as you are everywhere else. I have a lot of confidence in your ability to learn the rules and become a great base runner."

- Meg, Youth Softball Coach (U11), Rugby, ND
"I'd start by asking the player what she was seeing out there. At the age level I coach (U-16), players are starting to exercise their own judgment more instead of just reacting to coaches' instructions, but sometimes those runners don't judge the trajectory or speed of the ball just right. So by asking what the player perceives, I might better understand the root of the problem."

- Dave, Youth Softball Coach (U16), Springfield, IL
"I think I would try to come up with a certain trigger word to help her decide when to run. This not only changes the mental dynamic of her decision-making on the bases, but it also makes her feel special. It's like we have our own little secret and she feels like she has an ally in her effort to correct this mistake."

- Alex, Youth Softball Coach (U10), Albert Lea, MN
"This would really depend on which of my players was making this mistake. Some of them are receptive to advice when I offer suggestions in the dugout, but some of them get distracted when I offer this coaching during the game."

- Betty, Youth Softball Coach (U12), Waco, TX
"I've had this happen to me, and I found it frustrating because we worked on this so much in practice. Every other player on the team gets it. Sometimes I wonder if this player just wants attention. Sooner or later I might pinch-run for her, but I would be worried this might just hurt her confidence even further."

- Eamon, Youth Softball Coach (U14), Ogden, UT

Next » What Are Emotional Tanks?