The Dreaded Post Game Speech

Hey guys,

Today I've got a coaching post.  I was recently watching a game where at the end of the game the coach stood in the outfield and went over the game play by play with his players.  If you are "that guy", please stop it, because quite honestly it's a colossal waste of time.  No kid wants to listen to the play by play.  If you win, you could care less what you did wrong and if you lose, you don't want to think about all the things that went wrong, because it's still a little sour.

This begs the question of what a coach should talk about after the game.  Let's first talk about when to address mental and physical errors.  DURING THE GAME!!!  You are a coach not a baby sitter.  This doesn't mean sit in the dugout and freak out every time something doesn't go your way.  Just offer slight bits of insight to help the players elevate their game.  You cannot do this after the game, because the players are just thinking about where the party is at or what mom made for dinner.

Now let's talk about the actual post game speech.  Make it a quick overview of the game.  Name one or two things they did well and one or two things they could work on.  Do not be boring, and do not be overly positive or negative.  The players have to see you as a good example of what a baseball attitude should be.

If your team happens to win the game, do not hound the kids with things they need to work on.  This is the biggest thing I've learned in my coaching career.  Nobody at any level wants to sit there and listen to all the things they did wrong when they're trying to celebrate a win.  If your team loses, still do not hound them about the things they did wrong.  Try to encourage them that the season is long and that things can turn around in a hurry.

Tip of the Day: The best coaches find the very perfect balance of discipline, intensity, and encouragement and put it all together for the perfect winning potion.

Until Next Time!