When Things Go Wrong
Inevitably, things go wrong. Learn how you can help your juniors manage themselves to focus on the things that can be controlled to de-escalate the situation.
Coach: Positive Coaching Alliance, better athletes, better people.
Bio: Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) is a national non-profit organization with the mission of creating a positive, character-building youth sports environment that results in BETTER ATHLETES, BETTER PEOPLE.
Youth sports currently involves 40M children, which presents a tremendous platform on which to develop youth character and life skills. PCA ensures sports are ‘done right’ with programming that is research-based and designed to have an impact.
Since its founding in 1998, PCA has established 18 chapters nationwide, partnered with roughly 3,500 schools and youth sports organizations to deliver more than 20,000 live group workshops, reaching 19.2 million youth.
PCA gains support from a National Advisory Board of elite coaches, professional and Olympic athletes, organization leaders, and academics who share PCA’s mission. PCA is proud to partner with more than 50 national governing bodies.
Birthplace: N/A
Residency: Mountain View, CA, USA
Link: Positive Coaching Alliance
Length: 2 min 20 sec
Theme: Concentration
0:00
When things go wrong.
0:02
Things will always inevitably go wrong, whatever you're doing, but specifically in sports. And so the question is, how are you going to react to that thing going wrong? Is it going to be long-lasting? Is it going to cause you to make additional mistakes? Or is it something that you're able to timestamp, stop, and redirect that into positive energy for success?
0:25
We believe that when things go wrong, there's a stance, there's a way that we can overcome those things, that we have to be prepared for them.
0:33
We say number one, making sure that you're focusing on the controllable, you can't control who you playing, you can't control whether or not the call was called out or in. You can't control whether or not your shot is even in the first place. You can control your grip, you can control your stance. And most importantly, you can control your effort. Are you giving effort? If there's a drop shot, are you actually trying to get it? Those are things that you can control. And so when things go wrong, it's important to focus in on those things that allow you to come out of that space, and again, to focus on the things that you can control.
1:08
Secondly, breathing. Breathing is immensely important, that allows you to calm your body. When you find yourself losing control, focusing in on your breathing. Can you slow it just a tad to allow yourself a moment to think, a moment to reflect, and to move on, specifically to the most important play, which is the next play?
1:29
And lastly, but most importantly, 'positive thoughts, plant positive outcomes'. Now, positive outcomes don't mean you're going to win. That does not mean that you're going to get a chance to play at Wimbledon or the US Open. But it will allow you to become the best version of yourself. And so if you're thinking negative things, "Oh, I didn't like this draw", "Oh, I don't like playing here", "Oh, I don't like.." you know, whatever it is, it's important that you know that those things will come back on you. And that negative energy does have an effect on how you play.
2:00
When things go wrong. Make sure that you're controlling the controllable. Make sure that your breathing is what it needs to be and that you're able to use that to kind of de-escalate the situation and lastly and most importantly, 'positive thoughts plant positive outcomes'.
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