Building Confidence on the Field
As a young softball travel ball coach, I find myself not only coaching the skills of softball, but much more intense skills such as social, emotional skills. One of the biggest skills most girls lack at the middle school age is confidence and it really shows when one steps foot onto the field. There are a few tips I teach my young girls when we start our first season of the year so that they are more confident on the field and in everyday life. The first tip is in order to be confident on the field, you have to practice off the field. I encourage my girls to take control over their free time and not so free time and make sure to work in practice at least thirty minutes every day. The second tip I give my girls is to be positive when talking to themselves and to others (on and off the field). My team is a close knit group of girls, but it has not always been that way. I have simply asked my girls to make sure that they replace any negative thoughts or words with positive affirmations and words. In return, the negativity will fade and the positive will become more visible. This also helps change inner thoughts and in return takes away any self doubt or self conscious issues. I also have changed my words to being more positive as a coach and the difference is very visible. The last thing I try to teach my girls is to set goals for themselves and check them off as they go. It is so easy to lose track of goals in today’s world. If there is a visible goal list and a place to mark off the goals on a daily basis, it allows for more accountability within oneself. It is my hope that by teaching and implementing these few strategies, I can help mold more confident girls on and off the field and in return make stronger athletes and females in general. And not just physically strong, but mentally and emotionally strong females that will change the world.
