Mental Drill: Mental Skills For Softball Infielders (Softball)
Mental training techniques specifically for infielders to reduce errors through improved focus, confidence, and error recovery strategies.
How to Run This Drill
- MENTAL TECHNIQUES FOR GAME PERFORMANCE
- 1. Pre-Pitch Preparation
- • Visualize the ball coming to you and making a successful play.
- • Mentally rehearse your responsibilities for each position and situation.
- 2. Positive Self-Talk
- • Replace negative thoughts (e.g., “Don’t make an error”) with positive, actionable cues (e.g., “Soft hands, smooth transfer”).
- 3. Quick Reset
- • After a mistake, take a deep breath and refocus on the next pitch.
- • Use a simple physical cue (touching your hat or glove) to reset mentally.
- 4. Process Focus
- • Concentrate on what you can control: footwork, glove work, and throwing mechanics.
- • Trust the process and let the outcome take care of itself.
- 5. Confidence Building
- • Keep a success journal.
- • Regularly recall past great plays and positive performances.
- • Trust the work you’ve put in during training.
- 6. Pressure Training
- • Practice under pressure to build comfort in high-stress situations.
- • Use pressure reps to develop confidence in clutch moments.
Coaching Points
- Most errors are mental, not physical - skills are there
- Negative thoughts create tense body leading to errors
- Quick reset after error prevents snowball effect
- Focus on process you control, not outcome you don't
- Confidence comes from preparation and positive focus
- Practice mental skills just like physical skills
- Everyone makes errors - champions recover quickly
Quick Actions
At a Glance
- none
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