How to Cope with Pressure
“It’s Playoff Time!” Are you or your ball players excited or fearful?
Playoff time is exciting for some baseball players but, for other players, playoffs are a nerve-wracking time filled with pressure.
All season long, ball players put in tireless hours sweating, sacrificing and grinding to put themselves in position to contend for a championship. Once the hard work is complete, it’s time to perform on the big stage.
Each pitch is an opportunity to get on base, advance a runner, drive in a run, make a play in the field, strike out a batter, hold the opposing team scoreless and make your mark on the game.
Not all players relish these moments. Some players see these opportunities as a chance to fail, to NOT get on base, to NOT drive home a run, to NOT make the play in the field or to NOT stifle opposing hitters.
Ultimately, this type of player fears being the reason that their team loses. This player is in an avoidance mindset.
It’s not that this type of player does not have the ability. They often have no problem performing at a high level during regular season games. Something changes for these players when they go from practice to games. The BIG moment becomes too overwhelming!
They put too much pressure on themselves because they view playoff games with an exaggerated sense of importance. These players have the mindset that playoff games are do or die so they approach these games with a sense of fear and apprehension.
In essence, when a player with this approach under performs, it’s not their abilities or skills that fail them, it’s their mindset that holds them back.
Whether regular season or playoffs, the game remains the same… nine players on the field, 90 feet between bases, 60.5 feet from the pitcher’s mound to home plate and both teams start the game tied at 0-0.
If you focus on playing the game, rather than the “importance” of the game, you can manage the feeling of pressure you experience in the moment.
Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Mike Foltynewicz was able to manage the pressure of the moment during Game 2 of the 2019 National League Division Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. With being down 0-1 in the series, Foltynewicz was dominant throwing seven scoreless innings, striking out seven and not issuing a walk.
Foltynewicz’s ability to cope with pressure of the moment helped lead the Braves to a 3-0 win to tie the series 1-1.
FOLTYNEWICZ: “These games are pretty big, but at the same time it’s just the same game we’ve been playing all year. I said that the other day and that’s kind of how I took it tonight. But I really made sure to slow things down, to stay in my mechanics and make sure all my pitches were working like they were tonight. And it was smooth sailing, so it was a lot of fun.”
When you can manage your emotions and perform like you do in practice, not only can you elevate your game but you can have fun while doing it with no pressure.
Coping with Pressure During Playoff Games
Remind yourself that the game is still the same you have played most of your life.
A key word or phrase such as “same game” or “90 feet to first” can keep you grounded in the moment and lessen the pressure you experience in that moment.
Pressure is not external–you put the pressure on yourself to be successful or not fail in big moments.
How you interpret the importance of the game can change your mindset from fearful to fun.
Related Sports Psychology Articles
- How to Manage High Expectations
- Change Your Mindset, Overcome the Yips
- How to Manage the Throwing Yips
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Instilling Confidence in Baseball And Softball Players
Confidence, more than any other mental game attribute, is vital for your team’s success. If your players have it and know how to keep it, they maximize their success. Your team cannot reach their full potential unless each player can harness the power of stable and enduring self-confidence–so your team can perform as a confident team.
Your players might possess a ton of physical talent, have great coaching, and train harder or practice more than anyone else in your league, but if they do not have the self-confidence to match, your team can’t utilize this talent.
“Instilling Confidence in Baseball and Softball Players” program consists of one 72-minute audio CD that includes 7 days of confidence-fueling exercises. You’ll also receive a simple-to-follow 74-page coaches’ manual that guides you through the 7 team session you’ll conduct!