Pep Talks for games you probably will not win.

[4Martini]

I’m curious what pep talks people give their kids for games they are unlikely to win- but still need to try their best and gain experience and knowledge from the game.

And what you say after an expected loss.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

Always follow the five "B's". Be Brief Brother, Be Brief.

Seriously, no one cares about your "burn the boats" speech. It will have zero impact on the outcome of the game. Save your motivational speeches for practice.

Post-game breakdowns should be LESS THAN 30 SECONDS. Tell them when your next game is and where it is (what diamond or location) and tell the starting pitcher and catcher so they can be prepared/warm up accordingly. Bring it in for team chant and break it down. Move on to the next game ("We're on to Cincinnati.")

There should be no talk about what did or didn't happen during the game. They were all at the game and (they) already knew what had happened. They can beat themselves up about mistakes or the parents can do it in the car ride home.

Make a list of (team) things to talk about or discuss at PRACTICE or before the next game (preferably in person....praise in public, criticize in private).

 

[Orange Socks]

You know the after the game meeting is long when the facilities shut off the lights and you have to walk to your vehicle in the dark.

If you believe your team is going to be over matched which will happen often, set goals for the game. Total number of bases, QAB's, barreled up balls, good bunts, SB's, getting the lead runner out, hitting cutoffs to keep the trailing runners from getting extra bases. Fundamentals.

 

[CoachJD]

You know the after the game meeting is long when the facilities shut off the lights and you have to walk to your vehicle in the dark.

If you believe your team is going to be over matched which will happen often, set goals for the game. Total number of bases, QAB's, barreled up balls, good bunts, SB's, getting the lead runner out, hitting cutoffs to keep the trailing runners from getting extra bases. Fundamentals.

I like this, and it's something I'm going to try. I'd add limiting errors to that, too.

Make the goals things they can mostly control, even in a game where they're overmatched.

 

[CoachJD]

I’m curious what pep talks people give their kids for games they are unlikely to win- but still need to try their best and gain experience and knowledge from the game.

And what you say after an expected loss.

Never tell them they're unlikely to win. Talk to them about competing.

Definitely keep the post-game short, especially if you have another game. Unless there is something immediately fixable that you can address, you have to move on to the next game.

If you don't have another game, two options: 1) If you played well and just lost because the other team is better, tell them they played well, competed, and the other team was just better. 2) If they played poorly, save the discussion of what they did poorly for the next practice.

 

[RADcatchers]

Always follow the five "B's". Be Brief Brother, Be Brief.

Seriously, no one cares about your "burn the boats" speech. It will have zero impact on the outcome of the game. Save your motivational speeches for practice.

Post-game breakdowns should be LESS THAN 30 SECONDS. Tell them when your next game is and where it is (what diamond or location) and tell the starting pitcher and catcher so they can be prepared/warm up accordingly. Bring it in for team chant and break it down. Move on to the next game ("We're on to Cincinnati.")

There should be no talk about what did or didn't happen during the game. They were all at the game and (they) already knew what had happened. They can beat themselves up about mistakes or the parents can do it in the car ride home.

Make a list of (team) things to talk about or discuss at PRACTICE or before the next game (preferably in person....praise in public, criticize in private).

What age is that feedback for?


Have to disagree about that comment save the motivational speeches for practice. * unless you're just talking about don't make it a long speech. I agree with keep it brief.

Imo, use motivation all the time!

Motivation is an awesome fuel!
It produces energy!
Motivators or to be able to motivate is an awesome asset at every game!

 

[canyonjoe]

I've never been a big pep talk guy but the thing I stressed every game is that I wanted us to play well.

 

[CoachCeetar]

pre-game? Mostly just "do the things you can do" stuff. Make clean plays. Know where you're going with the ball. Be ready to swing.


Post-game.. This is specific to town travel type teams, but is probably true of a lot of teams starting out or new or younger. "They're not _better_ than you, they play more than you, they practice more than you. You practice that much, you'll be just as good if not better."

It's a good learning experience for them. Seeing the other team makes plays and instantly know what to do with it, hustle in to field a ball, etc. Nothing teaches like someone else on the field doing it in a game in front of you. "Why you out at first on that close play?" "Because the fielder hustled in and WENT AFTER the ball. If she'd waited for it to come to her, you'd have been safe." That sorta stuff.

I disagree with the "Don't talk about what happened in the game" aspect of post-game conferences. You don't have to break out a whiteboard, but the adage in MLB is "You see something you've never seen before every time you go to the ballpark" Well, these kids are young. Even the 16u kids that are fighting for big scholarships. Hell, there are arguments/questions in this forum about specific rules and how/why calls were made. If we're fuzzy on it, the kids have no idea. Teach them the trail runner is out when she passes someone in front of her, but it's a live ball and you still have to make the play. Teach them that if they field a pop-up standing in fair territory and it bounces off their glove and lands foul it's still fair. I guarantee for most uncommon plays there's at least one player there that's at least a little fuzzy on exactly what happened and why and is just not going to speak up and say so. Teach them.

 

[CatchersPaPa]

Post game loss, BLAME THE BLUE.