Can you teach/coach mental toughness?

[philtenn]

I've had similar thoughts, coach17. The point about how society effects the development or hinderance of mental toughness was especially good.

 

I think everyone is born with a capacity for mental toughness and I have a hard time believing that many are born with zero capacity. Just like some athletes are born with a capacity for speed - some more than others. You can take the capacity and take its full extent with the proper program. The same could be said for mental toughness.

 

That said, most people operate way below their potential or their full capacities in many areas. I think that's especially true with mental toughness. The best personal example I have of increasing mental toughness is a young lady who was a competitive cheerleader. She was afraid to do a certain gymnastic move. She could do everything else just fine and her coach said that she knew how to do the move and would do it as long as the coach was there to spot her. But in compeitition, of course, that wasn't going to work. Anyway, she worked on her mental skills and was able to do the gymnastic move just before the time for competition and competed well I'm told.

 

The example I used in the original post, of shooting 3 free throws to tie the game, is a real example. That player was once intimidated by just getting out on the court, never mind performing in the clutch. That player ended up winning at least a couple of games with clutch shots from the field and, of course, sending that one game into overtime.

 

Maybe it's more accurate to say that mental toughness can be improved and it can be improved through the use of proper learning approaches.

[bigdave25]

Mental toughness can be taught. I think what you're talking about is a kid that is calm under fire. When she's trapped in the corner she has the presence of mind to make a good decision, hit the open man, or save the possession by calling a timeout.

 

Kids that are mentally tough simply do not panic! Today I see coaches going crazy on their players yelling and throwing things. That makes for an environment of panic and kids respond by being spastic, overly wound, and make many mistakes because it feels to them the gym is falling in on them. Positive energy, a vision and belief that you will be successful from the head coach will go a long way to making a kid be mentally tough. I love to hear a coach yell at a kid and tell them they missed a layup.......I'm pretty sure they know they missed it no use beating them in the head with it. Fix fundamentals in practice, manage players emotions and composure during a game.

 

The mentally tough miss a layup and go on to their next job, they don't slap the floor, blame the refs, or a teammate. They simply go on to the next job or task at hand. To me mental toughness, confidence, and composure go hand in hand. Each one brings about the other.

 

I really think it can be taught!

[Overton County Fan]

QUOTE(coachh17 @ Feb 16 2007 - 02:46 PM) 826374806[/snapback]I will say that in my coaching career I saw very little change in individual players mental toughness from around 4th grade through their senior years. The "gamers" had it at 12 years old and never lost it. The others never had it and it never came. You could improve their skills, strength, and create a tradition and an expectation of winning, but the "soft" players generally stayed soft all the way through. They still made valuable contributions to the program, but the mentally tough athletes carry you to the big wins.

 

 

Good post.