Mental Preparation for Out of State Tournaments
Travel advice from Coach DJ
Summer travel season is wrapping up, and as we head off to Las Vegas for The Big Foot Hoops tournament, I thought it would be a good time to go over mental preparation.
For an out of state tournament, preparing mentally could be the deciding factor between a successful, enjoyable weekend or a frustrating, wasteful feeling weekend. This goes for players and parents, alike.
For players, preparing mentally for an out of state tournament is different than regular local ones where we are familiar with our surroundings and most of the teams we will see. When traveling season is upon us, we are jet lagged or tired from road tripping. Additionally, there are distractions of new scenery, restaurants and activities to check out, and we have no idea what the competition will be like. It’s a different atmosphere. Our nerves are back and forth between excited and anxious, and it may seem like it’s hard to get our brains to focus on the task ahead.
I like to tell my players to think of this as a business trip. As much as we can enjoy ourselves, we need to always remember that this is important and not just a vacation. We are there to focus, buckle down, play hard and get a job done.
The job is to represent Rise, Colorado and the name on the back of your jerseys to the best of your ability with absolutely no excuses.
In order to do this, I ask that each player come up with a game plan to push through the distractions and discomforts that can come with out-of-state tournaments. Go into this tournament with the understanding that it is a privilege to get to be a part of a traveling club team that puts you in a position to be seen nationally. We are there to make a name for ourselves! I wouldn’t be traveling with this team if I didn’t believe in all of you. Let’s go out there and just play hard. Then we can go have some fun!
Parents-You are the ones that make all of this possible and I know what it takes to make this happen for your athlete. Time, money and tons of logistical effort are necessary, and not to mention the emotions and anxiety that can come into play for you also.
I feel the best way I can mentally prepare parents for a solid travel tournament weekend is to tell you to go into the trip with an open mind, keeping your expectations reasonable. The end goal of playing any sport is to win, especially when competing with a traveling club team. This is high-level basketball. Because of that, I like to be honest and upfront about playing time during these games. Some parents may find themselves frustrated by their child’s minutes or their child’s play in general during these out-of-state tournaments.
In these moments of understandable frustration, I ask that you trust me to know what is best for both your player and the team as a whole. I also ask that you show your young athlete grace. They are dealing with a good, heavy amount of pressure on these trips and we want to make sure it always stays at a healthy level. While I like to tell the boys to think of it as a business trip, I want my parents to remember to take time to relax, enjoy the family and just be a fan. Win or lose, we should come back to Colorado with a sense of confidence and growth.
Go Back For an out of state tournament, preparing mentally could be the deciding factor between a successful, enjoyable weekend or a frustrating, wasteful feeling weekend. This goes for players and parents, alike.
For players, preparing mentally for an out of state tournament is different than regular local ones where we are familiar with our surroundings and most of the teams we will see. When traveling season is upon us, we are jet lagged or tired from road tripping. Additionally, there are distractions of new scenery, restaurants and activities to check out, and we have no idea what the competition will be like. It’s a different atmosphere. Our nerves are back and forth between excited and anxious, and it may seem like it’s hard to get our brains to focus on the task ahead.
I like to tell my players to think of this as a business trip. As much as we can enjoy ourselves, we need to always remember that this is important and not just a vacation. We are there to focus, buckle down, play hard and get a job done.
The job is to represent Rise, Colorado and the name on the back of your jerseys to the best of your ability with absolutely no excuses.
In order to do this, I ask that each player come up with a game plan to push through the distractions and discomforts that can come with out-of-state tournaments. Go into this tournament with the understanding that it is a privilege to get to be a part of a traveling club team that puts you in a position to be seen nationally. We are there to make a name for ourselves! I wouldn’t be traveling with this team if I didn’t believe in all of you. Let’s go out there and just play hard. Then we can go have some fun!
Parents-You are the ones that make all of this possible and I know what it takes to make this happen for your athlete. Time, money and tons of logistical effort are necessary, and not to mention the emotions and anxiety that can come into play for you also.
I feel the best way I can mentally prepare parents for a solid travel tournament weekend is to tell you to go into the trip with an open mind, keeping your expectations reasonable. The end goal of playing any sport is to win, especially when competing with a traveling club team. This is high-level basketball. Because of that, I like to be honest and upfront about playing time during these games. Some parents may find themselves frustrated by their child’s minutes or their child’s play in general during these out-of-state tournaments.
In these moments of understandable frustration, I ask that you trust me to know what is best for both your player and the team as a whole. I also ask that you show your young athlete grace. They are dealing with a good, heavy amount of pressure on these trips and we want to make sure it always stays at a healthy level. While I like to tell the boys to think of it as a business trip, I want my parents to remember to take time to relax, enjoy the family and just be a fan. Win or lose, we should come back to Colorado with a sense of confidence and growth.