How To Take Steps to Fight Player Burnout

Here's How:

1. Take a Break!

   Give the team some time off from the normal practice schedule. Sometimes they just need to step away and be kids for a little while.

2. Make a List

   During the break, have them evaluate how well they are achieving their goals. Have them write this down:

   • Rate themselves as players from 1 to 10. What have they done that has helped them improve? What have they not done to improve, and why?
   • Pick new short-terms goals for each of their original goals. What they will do to attain it? Include plans that use any parts of their plan they have not already started. With some discussion, they should come up with new steps in the plan.
3. Go Over This Review One-on-One.

   This should be a very satisfying and encouraging discussion. Take some some time to stop and reflect on what they have accomplished so far. Often, the hectic schduele causes them to lose track of their specific improvements. When they see how much they have improved, it will help motivate them to go a little longer to gain even more improvement.

   Make sure somebody writes it all down and posts it. That will keep them on-track at practice.

4. Add Some New Drills. Have a fun practice or come up with some new drills they have not seen before. Use more competition multi-skill drills.
5. Blow 'em Away! Find a time to surprise them after a practice with a pizza or ice cream party (or maybe Subway). Make sure they know this is a reward for their hard work and effort to this point.
6. Get Your Groove On. Start playing some music during the time they are gathering before practice starts and let it run through the stretching and even the pepper. Make it music they want to hear.
7. Have a Team Meeting

   Sit the whole team down and discuss with them that they need to finish out strong and that many teams will not. They can affect their overall season improvement greatly by doing this. Explain at this time in the season, every hard working team begins to tire. This is reality; however, they are in total control of how they handle this situation and what they make of it.

8. Establish a team goal that everyone will work to get better at something every time they walk on the court. Point out how silly it would be to blow the opportunity to improve more before the end and how much it will affect their overall feeling on the season once it concludes. Also, remind them that their strongest memory of the season will be of their last match. They want to remember that moment with them giving their all, both mentally and physically and left everything on the court.

Tips:

1. Remember that you are encouraging not complaining.
2. Keep the mood positive.
3. This is a break, not a punishment.

What You Need:

• Time
• Motivation
• Positive Attitude
• Understanding