Discipline is a huge part of being a professional athlete. We’ve all seen someone get the yips and then get inside their own head, or start smoldering when the team isn’t playing well or the player doesn’t feel like they are getting their chance to perform. All this can spread like wildfire among the team and cause play to plummet. Sometimes it spirals so quick that it can happen within a few plays.
The team staff needs to help protect against this, and it starts with emotional training alongside physical and mental training. The coaches work really hard to instill a sense of teamwork, and work to stabilize and support the team as a whole, and work on each individual player when it’s warranted. On the preventive side, this includes team building exercises, social activities, and empathy drills. On the reactive side, it’s personalized meetings with the players, and even professional help if things don’t right themselves quickly. Everyone has their moments to pop off a little bit, but repeated or systemic lapses are going to hurt the team.
(179 words)
The team staff needs to help protect against this, and it starts with emotional training alongside physical and mental training. The coaches work really hard to instill a sense of teamwork, and work to stabilize and support the team as a whole, and work on each individual player when it’s warranted. On the preventive side, this includes team building exercises, social activities, and empathy drills. On the reactive side, it’s personalized meetings with the players, and even professional help if things don’t right themselves quickly. Everyone has their moments to pop off a little bit, but repeated or systemic lapses are going to hurt the team.
(179 words)