How Do You Keep Players Motivated Through a Long Preseason?

With under two weeks to go until the season opener how is practice coming along?  Are your players still energized?  Are they drilled out and itching to play against someone else other than their teammates?  

It’s that time in the season where the excitement generated in the first week has slid a bit.   It can even feel like Groundhog Day.  

Remember that movie?

The relentless replaying of the beginning of the day, even with the small changes in choices, can drive one around the bend.  (Others seem to love it.  You often see it on “best ever” lists)

So here we are almost a month into preseason and you can imagine that for some of your athletes preseason has become Groundhog Day.  Repetition with daily improvements based on what they are learning, but a little dull.

Where are the games?  How are they to discern the significance of the attention to detail without them?

It’s a good question.

What can we do to make sure the middle of our preseason is as valuable as the start to preseason? How can we generate the focus that will naturally arrive in a week as we prepare for the first game?

Keep in mind you are teaching/coaching Generation Z athletes (kids born after 2000) who have an average attention span of 8 seconds.  For those of you who coached Millennials their attention span was no better it was 12 seconds. (Frankly it wasn’t much better when we were kids….just saying)

So how do you keep these Gen Z athletes motivated and competitive?

Here are a few ideas:

Create the right training environment

Gen Z’s learn by doing and seeing … not listening.  

Practices should include drills that simulate game-like situations.  

Drills should be outcome oriented, competitive with winners and losers.  Gen Z’s want immediate feedback which includes knowing they are winning or hitting their goals.

Leverage Your Veterans

Ask your seniors to model proper training.

“Watch the veterans.  They know how to act and they know what is expected…” Earl Weaver Weaver on Managing

He also acknowledged that rookies would go up and down through it all.  Be patient with them and encourage them to be patient with themselves.

Empower 

Gen Z athletes are independent and thoughtful.  Give them a voice in the process.  Ask what they think and where they are.

Shorten Your Sessions 

Student-athletes are super busy these days.  Between classes, film, practice, training room, weights, individual work, studying, sleeping, they have very little time for themselves.  Take an opportunity to give back a little time and show them you care.

Do it well and be done.

Make it Fun

Create a fun and competitive event.  Maybe a series of skill challenges that involve leadership, skill and creativity.  Let them compete and laugh all at once.

Connect 

Coaches are the stewards of their program’s energy.  They inspire, or demoralize players by managing their own energy.  You influence the energy of your players so be mindful what you are putting out through words, tone and body language.  

Re-visit performance and process goals with each player.  Catch up with them on where they are with school and life.  Listening deeply, asking powerful questions, and acknowledging them shows that you care about them not only as a player but as an individual.  

Today’s coaches need to be agile, adaptable and be able to connect with, engage and empower their athletes.  Building truly meaningful relationships with your players will build trust and help foster their accountability and commitment through the lulls.

Conclusion:

These are just a handful of suggestions to mix it up in the middle of a long basketball preseason.  They might come in handy midseason as well.

If you notice the lull trust that your players do care and that this is natural.  

Work to find proactive solutions to a short-term problem.

Catch up with you next week as you prepare for the first game.

Co-authored by Cathy Andruzzi and Marcia McDermott

Cathy Andruzzi writes at Druzz News.  You can follow Cathy on Twitter @CathyAndruzzi, Instagram at coachdruzz and LinkedIn. 

Marcia McDermott writes at The Coaching Conversation.  You can follow Marcia on Twitter @SoccerChicago and Instagram at coachconversation.