3 Ways to Overcome a Negative Attitude in Softball
I previously wrote an article about the Negative Mind and how it never wins in softball. Softball is a sport that is full of failure and there will be lots of ups and downs along the way. It is also important for players, coaches, and parents to stress the controllable’s versus the non-controllable’s. There are many things that happen in softball that is out of the players, coaches, and parents control. One thing that a softball player can always remain in control of is her attitude, and a positive attitude will take an athlete further than a negative one will.
There will come a time in every softball players career where the negative mind or negative attitude take over. Not everything is going to go as planned and not one player is perfect. Games will be lost, some in heartbreak fashion. Strike outs will happen, home runs will be given up, base runners will be thrown out, errors will be made, etc. All of these events will take place at one point and we can’t control them, what we can control is how we react to them.
Every softball players mind is designed differently. The negative attitude will develop over time and it’s important to address it and correct it before it consumes the player. Below are three easy ways players, coaches, and parents can help an athlete regain that positive attitude.
Take a Deep Breath: Simple, easy, and we have all been told to do this before. Athletes are competitive by nature and when the adrenaline and emotions are running high, it’s easy to get upset when something doesn’t go right. It’s important to acknowledge the negative thought or negative attitude because if you push it away, it will build up over time and you will erupt later on. Taking a deep breath when you feel these emotions come on will relax the mind and the body. I like to use my deep breaths as my reset button and it gives me a chance to regain control of my body as well as my emotions.
Run to the Fence: This is a good strategy for players during a game or at practice. When something isn’t going right and the athlete can feel those negative thoughts or emotions coming on after an event, take a jog. If there isn’t time to run to the fence, sprint out to your position on the field. Running helps flush out the mind and the body all at once. You’ll be surprised how much better you will feel after a jog. As I mentioned above, acknowledge the negative attitude or thought, dwell on it during the jog/sprint, and then let it go.
Step Away: There may come a time in a softball players career where the negative mind takes full ownership of the athlete’s brain. This can happen if the negative attitude and thoughts build up over time and don’t get released. Athletes who reach this point will have little interest going to practice and games. When they are at softball, their body language and facial expressions will speak volumes. The best thing for athletes who reach this point is to step away or take a break from the game. The time limit is up to the athlete, it could be a week, a month, or a year. Every athlete is different but sometimes breaks are the best thing, especially since this sport has turned into a year round commitment.
