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Post by bird0660 on Oct 20, 2017 7:30:52 GMT -6
We have the biggest game in the program in the past ten years tomorrow. Kids have mostly lost in their career and are definitely nervous about the ramifications. We have down played the game as much as possible. Have you guys ever done anything that worked to take some of the pressure of a group of kids that arent used to executing under those circumstances?
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Post by coachfitz on Oct 20, 2017 8:02:01 GMT -6
Dont drag out pregame or try to give a Herb Brooks speech. Just be you.
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Post by fkaboneyard on Oct 20, 2017 8:05:57 GMT -6
Kids take their cues from the coaches. If the coaching staff acts like it's a big deal the kids will too. If the coaches act like it's just another game, all business, the kids will too. The school where I used to coach got smashed by their rival every year. When the new HC and his staff arrived they literally gave no discussion about it. They didn't even say the name of the school. The kids went from thinking, "We're going to get killed" to "We're going to kill them" to "it's business, we'll handle it and move on to the next team on our way to playoffs." They ended up winning the next 6 years straight.
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Post by fshamrock on Oct 20, 2017 8:49:20 GMT -6
I read Grant Teaff's book once, inside he has a great story about when he was at Baylor being underdog going into huge game against the university of Texas
according to Teaff, the players didn't really believe they could ever beat Texas, so he made a rule early in the week. Every time the players ran into each other around campus, they had to tell each other "we're going to beat texas on saturday" every time a coach saw a kid on campus he said the same thing, every speech after practice was the same. His idea was that if the kids heard it enough over and over and over they might actually start to believe it. Apparently it worked because they won the game in a huge upset
seems gimmicky..and nobody ever tells the story in their book of the motivational technique they tried and ended up getting killed..but I thought it was a cool story
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Post by StraightFlexin on Oct 20, 2017 8:52:33 GMT -6
When playing in a huge game or against a team that just plain and simple have more talent, make the talks about execution. If we play our game and execute, we win. Its a game against ourselves. Just my approach
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Post by aceback76 on Oct 20, 2017 9:02:39 GMT -6
We have the biggest game in the program in the past ten years tomorrow. Kids have mostly lost in their career and are definitely nervous about the ramifications. We have down played the game as much as possible. Have you guys ever done anything that worked to take some of the pressure of a group of kids that arent used to executing under those circumstances? Tell the to go out & have FUN (& if everybody plays to the best of their ability, good things will happen)!!! Yo do not need to be impassioned in saying that, but rather in "a matter of fact", emphatic, yet positive, tone! Best Wishes! |
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Post by coachwoodall on Oct 20, 2017 9:32:21 GMT -6
Well first thing, it's too late to address it the day before. I operate under the mind set that Monday is a Monday is a Monday. A Tuesday is a Tuesday is a Tuesday. And so forth. I always bring it up at the beginning of the week. And then we go chop wood.
Basically I say something along the lines of:
Yes this is a big game. Everybody is going to talk about in the school, in the community, at home. This game is to make the playoffs/end the losing streak/win a championship/etc.... We are going to do what we do. These type of games are why you play football. Let's go to work.
If you make it a big deal/pressure game, then it will become one. Sometimes it may be necessary to make it one, but to me I'm not going to change anything just because we aren't playing the region doormat.
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Post by 3rdandlong on Oct 20, 2017 9:40:43 GMT -6
Was an assistant on a team where we played the top team in the state in the first round of the playoffs. The HC had everyone carry around a rock all week because David slayed Goliath with a rock.
It was a running clock in the 2nd half. Our rocks didn't work.
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Post by ogre5530 on Oct 20, 2017 10:09:12 GMT -6
Keep your routine the same...don't overemphasize the importance or the game. Treat it just like any other game. The kids probably understand the significance of it. If they've prepared hard all week then there shouldn't be anything to fret over.
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Post by ksmitty79 on Oct 20, 2017 10:13:34 GMT -6
We take the bend but don't break attitude. Things are not going to go our way and mistakes are going to happen. Get all the coaches on the sideline speaking the same language so kids are not afraid of making a mistake..
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Post by RuningOutOfOptions on Oct 20, 2017 11:18:48 GMT -6
I would talk to the position coaches and have them remind the groups what they have done to prepare to ensure them that they are properly prepared. Best speech I have heard in a situation like that was simply: "The hay is in the barn". We have prepared for the game and are ready.
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Post by coachfitz on Oct 21, 2017 6:37:21 GMT -6
How'd it go coach?
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Post by coachphillip on Oct 21, 2017 12:01:10 GMT -6
What was the approach? What was the final score?
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Post by bird0660 on Oct 23, 2017 11:42:06 GMT -6
I tried to downplay it. Unfortunately, with the community excited about a team that has been bad finally being good, it got very big and very high pressure. Started out bad..bad snap into endzone recovered by them. 7-0 in a blink. They ended up up 20-0 with about 10 minutes left in the third. We went 3 unanswered scores, tying the game 20-20 on the last play of regulation....extra point...bad snap...overtime. They scored on their possession in overtime... we can up short on 4th and 5....ended up losing 26-20. But the kids played their balls off once they settled in....showed what we are capable...found some emotional investment that I dont think they knew they had...and maybe became a little more battle tested. Hopefully it doesnt hurt playoff chances too badly and we can still get in and try to make a run.
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