Before the massive scoreboard lights up, confidence is already building for the future of all young athletes, from early-morning practices to recurring mistakes and moments of doubt.
You see the pitch as it comes in, and it whispers a threat, then roars across the plate with speed. In your head, all the negative thoughts attack you; you lose all confidence in yourself and strike out, losing the game.
In an athlete’s mind, having confidence benefits their performance, increases their adrenaline, and inspires the team. Oakmont’s Assistant Athletic Director Mr. Ed Fitzgerald said, “You have to feel that you can execute every single time you get put in a position you have to make a play.”
According to Pyschology Today, when an athlete practices at an optimal level, their motivation stays high and they are pushed to improve, so their success feels earned.
When your confidence is high, you can boost your ability to play phenomenally. Your confidence in a sport builds through genuine accomplishment, either from fixing mistakes, learning something new, or making a great play in a tough game.
Walking down to the field, believing in yourself floods your mind with positive thoughts. You stress less and feel great, ready to perform the best. Oakmont athletic director Mr. Eric Dawley said, “It is the preparation that leads to performance and confidence in what individuals can do and ultimately the team as a whole.”
If you believe in yourself, your confidence can spread throughout the team, but your energy needs to stay high to keep it up.
Parents also have an important role in their children’s developing confidence as athletes. Encouraging them to push themselves, supporting them at games, or watching their emotions are all ways parents can help their children succeed.
Your coach is another key part in building up your confidence. Instead of always wanting to win, a coach should work to help you feel more comfortable taking risks and making mistakes – it only goes towards your improvement.
Younger players often improve and have the most confidence when their coach believes in them, even after a bad play or a mistake in a game. Positive coaching can turn any mistake into motivation to do better.
Dawley said, “In the 2017 Super Bowl, the Patriots were down 28-3 in the third quarter and came back to win in Overtime 34-28. Tom Brady’s belief in himself and his team was off the charts.” He further explains that, “there are only two types of energy, positive and negative. Both are contagious. Positivity and belief will only help an individual and team, no matter what the circumstance.”
Oakmont senior Joseph Catalfamo said, “I think your atmosphere is the biggest factor to your confidence, and there are a lot of things that go into your atmosphere.”
Teammates can have a small or large impact on your confidence. One encouraging word or comment from a teammate after a simple mistake can completely change an athlete’s mindset and attitude.
Sports aren’t just about physical ability, but also about trust and support for one another. When teammates work together to stay positive and motivate each other, they perform better because they feel valued and appreciated.
Confidence doesn’t mean you won’t fail in the sport you love most; every single athlete struggles at some point, either making a mistake, having a bad game, or under heavy pressure.
Oakmont junior, Macie Shattuck, said, “I wasn’t playing to my best ability, and coaches would notice, but once I grew confidence and stopped caring what other people were thinking of me, coaches would notice me and ask me to be on their team.”
True confidence comes from continuing to push through despite those obstacles. Athletes who learn to recover from setbacks often become much stronger mentally.
Oakmont Varsity Baseball Coach, Tim Caouette, said, “When you believe in yourself and your teammates, you really do feel like you have total support. No one feels like they are on an island alone. It’s the team behind you that allows you to play more freely.”
Caouette explained further that having confidence in yourself is just as important as winning a game. To win a game, you can’t walk in afraid, thinking you’re going to lose right away. You should build confidence in yourself and in the team as a whole.
Confidence can change the outcome of the game. If you don’t believe in yourself, it will have a domino effect on your team. One by one, each player could slowly lose confidence and struggle in the game.
If you think optimistically, you will succeed. If you think negatively, you will fail.
Confidence is one of the most important aspects of being a young athlete. It builds through practice, support from your coaches, parents, and teammates all around, as well as learning from mistakes.
When you, as an athlete, believe in yourself and stay positive, you will perform better, grow stronger mentally, and help your entire team succeed.
