How do you get your team to believe when you know there is little or no chance of you getting a win in a game?

Because you can believe you can win because you believe in your players. Thats what I do.

A coach never goes into a game thinking he can't win. If he does, IMO he is in the wrong business. There are obstacles in everything you do and you have to prepare the best you know how and do everything in your power to get over those obstacles. If a coach does that, he has won.

If you don't think you can win, you're in the wrong business. How do you expect your players to believe they can win if the coach doesn't believe it. The players can see that doubt in their coach. It's the coach's job to put together a gameplan that gives them the best chance of success. If you don't think your plan works, I'd advise getting one you truely believe will work with execution. Any team can beat any team on any given day, that's why you line em' up and play the game. You must believe or your players never will.

How do you get your team to believe when you know there is little or no chance of you getting a win in a game?

 

Are you talking about going into the game...or when you're down a big margin and in the process of getting it handed to you? If it's the former, I would agree with prior posts...there isn't a game you don't plan to, expect to, and go into knowing you can win. The kids follow you're lead; you can tell them the truth...ie here's what we have to do to stop them....

If it's the latter, you ignore the score and teach the lessons of personal integrity, persistance, never quit, etc etc etc....then use that as a barometer of where you need to go.

I was talking about going into a game.

 

EX. 9-0 VS. 0-9

I was talking about going into a game.

 

EX. 9-0 VS. 0-9

In this case I would have to agree with everything that cville and UKCatsfan said in post #3 and 4. You have to come up with a game plan and preparation that attacks the opponets weakness (and they all have one or more weakness) - convince your kids that if they execute properly that they WILL win. Imo if a coach goes into a game knowing he won't win, regardless if he says it or not his team will pick up on it and this will be his kids attitude. That team has lost before the game has been played. (if a coach has no confidence how in the world would you expect his team play with confidence?) H.S. players aren't stupid, they can pick up on when a coach has no confidence in them and it will reflect in their attitude.

Never really thought there was not a chance that we couldn't win.

If you are the head coach at any program and go into a game believing your kids have no chance of winning, then you need not be coaching, and should be fired on the spot!!

To quote Lou Holtz "You don't have to be a better team all season, you just have to be the better team on that night!";) . Never go into a game thinking that there is no way that you can win................Never! Show me a coach that thinks this way and I will show you a loser that has no business in coaching.

I was talking about going into a game.

 

EX. 9-0 VS. 0-9

 

No offense NCF, but I would never want to play for you.

Your team will know if it is a huge underdog. If so, ask them if they think they can win one play. The answer is always yes. The next step is to win another play. The mental approach to winning as a big underdog is to say we are going to win one play at a time- which is really the approach regardless. Then, when you get to the 4th quarter and have a chance to win, the kids are excited and ready to go. They believe it will happen.

 

This approach has served us well. Mason County won 10 game from 1992 through 1995. Since that time, we have had much more success. Still seeking our ultimate goal- a state title. But, we are really proud of our young men and their ability to win as big underdogs, especially in the beginning.

Smoke knocks it out of the park again.

Smoke knocks it out of the park again.

 

Thank you oldonetechnique. We have had alot of experience being the underdog. In the early going, the KY POST would pick us to lose about every game- didn't matter who we were playing!:laugh:

 

Merry Christmas to you!

Have an anonymous person call the 9-0 teams coach or AD and tell them that the game has been moved from Friday night to Saturday afternoon. Have your 0-9 team show up Friday night and win 2-0 by forfeit. Then, say that you had nothing to do with the phone call and have no idea what they are talking about.