Concentration is key in being successful in any sport. Youth athletes need all the help they can get when it comes to improving their ability to concentrate.
This is part 8 of our series of interview with Coach Dan Clemens.
In this video he discusses ways on How To Help Athletes Concentrate Better In Sports.
Here, Coach Dan gives tips on how to help your athlete concentrate better. Make your thoughts known by leaving a comment below.
I try to find something the kids are really good at where they are able to focus. That is usually off of the field, so whether it is a video game or if they like a certain game like Chess or Checkers or whatever it is where I know they have that ability to focus and do what needs to be done.
Then I will try to equate if they are throwing or if they are hitting, you need to have the same type of focus you do when you are doing whatever it is, that video game that you are able to do so well. Then dissect that, “Well Coach that is a video game.” Yeah, “Okay, but you still need to do the same things.
What are you focused on? Are you thinking about what your thumbs are doing? Or what your eyes are doing? No, it’s cause you know what you are supposed to be doing. Mentally, you are doing something very different there than when you are out here on the field, so let’s see if we can start to practice some of that when you are out here on the field.”
It doesn’t always work, but it gets them thinking about it differently that success is about a process and not something that just happens because I was there. I think also sometimes I am big on taking a big breath and stepping back from it for a moment. I think sometimes kids can be trying too hard at something.
When you have been working with them at say batting practice, really work with them for 5-6 minutes then they start to feel the pressure of the world now on them.
“Everybody is watching me and I can’t do this. How come I can’t?” “You know what? Why don’t you step out and let somebody else step in? I want you to go over here and take a few swings just on your own over there.
Let’s clear your mind. Let’s take a few deep breaths, whatever it is that we need to do, maybe run through that routine of playing your video game. What is it that you are doing there that you are not doing right here?” Then get them back in the batter’s box. Then have them try it.
If you missed the first Part of this series click here.
Dan Clemens is a 10-year youth coach spanning four sports, a baseball umpire and basketball referee. He also was a Division I scholarship athlete.
Coach Dan is the author of an amazing book A Perfect Season: A Coach’s Journey to Learning. Click here to buy Dan’s book!