Self-confidence very well could be the most undervalued competitive advantage that an athlete/team can possess. Teams with self-confidence moves with a swagger that can be intimidating for opposing teams and self-confidence in individuals promotes freedom of movement, decisive action, and much more. I had a conversation with Asbury’s former baseball coach who is now a scout manager for the St. Louis Cardinals and he claimed that he would never scout a player who didn’t possess “self-confidence.” The way he looked at it was that players who didn’t possess this moxy would never be able to obtain it at the highest level if they haven’t already and you can’t expect any player to make a play in crunch time when he/she is unsure of themselves. When doubt is combined with athletic ability, it’s usually a bad mix.

So how do we as coaches encourage self-confidence in our teams and how do we as athletes develop our own self-confidence to optimize our results on the field? Well it starts with preparation and attention to detail. The one thing I always harp on with my athletes is, “working with intent” or really understanding the why of the movement or drill so we can maximize our “how” to achieve the end goal. It is the job of the coach to make sure the why is always explained clearly and concisely to their athletes and it is the job of the athlete to put that why to test.

The simplest way to achieve this is through the delivery of direction from coach to player. Understanding that challenging the players ability to think critically through their team role and individual assignments will allow for the player to apply thought to motivation and as a byproduct this creates a positive environment for the athletes to communicate together. As a coach we must use encouragement to our advantage, I remember watching another TED Talk video where the speaker, Dr. Ivan Joseph was discussing this concept of self-confidence with some peers at Ryerson University. There was a specific part in the video where he talked about using the teams/individual successes to coach and correct past mistakes by other team members. The reasoning behind this is because of this dedication to encouragement, we must put ego aside and understand that as a coach we are servant leaders to these kids with a focus on development first and foremost. Johnny may not understand that he is kicking the ball with the toe of his foot every time but if you compliment Sam on his knee drive and using the inside part of his foot, chances are Johnny will connect the dots and make the application to his own game if he truly wants to get better.

So in conclusion, it is the job of the coach to promote an environment in which failure is evident but also encouraged in a supported manner. Being uncomfortable is where we find true growth in all aspects of life and it is no different in athletics. Secondly, encourage your athletes and team at all costs. Allow for them to be themselves and move freely and lastly develop their critical thinking skills to build self-confidence and awareness as it relates to your team and their season.