Frustrations as a coach...going bald?

Question

I have a JV Volleyball team that I has potential up the butt. We played in a tournament on Saturday...we played better than I could have imagined against a top ranked team...My girls pulled energy, enthusiasim, technique, skills, etc and played like they were never going to play again. After that match, they went south...it seriously looked like they never played before a day in their life. Serves landed on the 10 foot line on our side of the net. I was almost embarassed to be on the same court with them. I didn't know how to handle it. I was calm, collected and after they handed another team the trophy that we should have won, I told them that they gave up, that they just handed the other team the championship...and that they were free to go...see you at practice. So my question...how do you motivate a team that is full to the brim with potential?

Answer 1

a good coach always always accepts the blame for the players downfall and never blames the students or even the athletes..

frustrated but you have an obligation to not letting them down.... sounds like their confidence was down and egos way up... it happens.   just learn from it.  don't let them get you down,... get them excited about the v-ball game.

Answer 2

you can only do so much to make them want to play....if they worked hard to beat a really good team, and yet they cant pull it together to beat a much lower ranked team, their might not be anything more you can do!

Answer 3

I'd suggest that you approach this with "on any given day" we can blow a game.  You all have a terrific amount of potential, and we can all pull together, and be a winning team again.  Lets not let one loss ruin what we really are.  Good luck Coach.

Answer 4

first things first.......NEVER put down a team! if your getting frustrated, dont blame it all on them because this might be your fault too! were you motivating them during the game? Were you cheering, and helping them? Were you giving them help if they needed it?  You have to ask yourself those questions, and if you answered yes to all of them, then just tell them they did a great job but we need to work harder and practice more.  Find the areas they need to improve on, and work on those!

Answer 5

Your team might let you down but they must still a victory in your heart! Do not give negative fedbacks to your team, this will seriously harm them down and most will demotivated them. Am sure you guys have enough hard practice, and never thought that will lost the game!

You were doing great while you were still calm at time, i salut you as a coach of the team.

Am suppose your team girls were over confident of winning the game, maybe... Or they were nervous playing with the oponent? Well, do find the source, fact finding first before you could motivate them back.

Let your team join more friendly match, so they could get use of it in a small or big tournament in future!

Answer 6

The team recognizes the joy of playing well and winning, and also knows what led to the decompensation in that one match.  Volleyball seems to be hot and cold more than most sports.  I feel you can have that competitive team back during your next scheduled match.  I would laugh it off, show the team how much confidence you have in them, and move on.   Learn, but move on.