Next Play Mentality

Unleash the secrets of mental toughness in high school baseball with Coach Ken Carpenter, who promises to transform your approach to the game. This episode is packed with strategies like visualization, goal setting, and the next play mentality, all aimed at developing a resilient mindset that thrives under pressure. Discover how focusing on process goals can empower players to control their performance, boosting confidence and perseverance regardless of immediate results. Coach Carpenter shares his 27 years of coaching wisdom, offering insights that not only elevate athletic performance but also equip players with invaluable life skills.

Explore the art of building a positive team culture where effort is celebrated over results, creating a motivated and respectful environment. Coach Carpenter sheds light on the power of positive self-talk to replace negative thoughts and maintain focus. This episode serves as a practical guide for coaches eager to enhance their team's mindset and for baseball enthusiasts curious about the mental intricacies of the game. Whether you're aiming to nurture mentally tough athletes or seeking inspiration for personal growth, this episode offers actionable techniques that transcend the baseball diamond, preparing players to tackle any challenge with confidence.

Join the Baseball Coaches Unplugged podcast where an experienced baseball coach delves into the world of high school and travel baseball, offering insights on high school baseball coaching, leadership skills, hitting skills, pitching strategy, defensive skills, and overall baseball strategy, while also covering high school and college baseball, recruiting tips, youth and travel baseball, and fostering a winning mentality and attitude in baseball players through strong baseball leadership and mentality.

Chapters

• 0:00 Developing Mental Toughness in Baseball
• 10:04 Building Positive Mindset for Baseball Players

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

You hear it all the time we got to become mentally tougher. We got to have a next play mentality. Hello and welcome to Baseball Coaches Unplugged. I'm your host, coach Ken Carpenter, and in this episode you're going to discover what coaches want from every one of their players A next play mentality and developing mental toughness. Play mentality and developing mental toughness. Why not put it down on paper and start in the off season and work on it before and after team lifts, everything from visualization, goal setting, positive self-talk and breathing techniques and so much more. Next on baseball coaches unplugged.

Speaker 2: 0:41

Welcome to baseball coaches unplugged with coach Ken Carpenter, Presented by AthleteOne. Baseball Coaches Unplugged is a podcast for baseball coaches With 27 years of high school baseball coaching under his belt, here to bring you the inside scoop on all things baseball, From game-winning strategies and pitching secrets to hitting drills and defensive drills. We're covering it all. Whether you're a high school coach, college coach or just a baseball enthusiast, We'll see you next time, coaching leadership and crafting a team culture that champions productivity and success. Join Coach every week as he breaks down the game and shares incredible behind-the-scenes stories. Your competitive edge starts here, so check out the show weekly and hear from the best coaches in the game. On Baseball Coaches Unplugged.

Speaker 1: 1:39

This episode of Baseball Coaches Unplugged is powered by the netting professionals improving programs one facility at a time. The netting pros specialize in the design, fabrication and installation of custom netting for baseball and softball. This includes backstops, batting cages, bp turtles, screens, ball carts and more. They also design and install digital graphic wall padding, windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches and cubbies. The Netting Pros also work with football, soccer, lacrosse and golf courses. Contact them today at 844-620-2707. That's 844-620-2707. Or you can visit them online at wwwnettingproscom. Or check out Netting Pros on X, instagram, facebook and LinkedIn for all their latest products and projects.

Speaker 1: 2:36

Today we're going to talk about something crucial for every high school player's development their mindset focusing on the next play. If you've been around high school baseball long enough, you know that the mental game is just as important as the physical one. But how do we, as coaches, teach mindset? How do we get our players to shake off the mistakes, stay confident and keep grinding, even when the going gets tough? Today I'm breaking down specific strategies you can use to train your players' minds for the game. Let's get into it First up. Let's talk about visualization and mental imagery. It's all about helping players see their success before it happens. Here's how you can bring this into your practice. Set aside a couple minutes before a big game or even during practice, or you could start working on it in the offseason and have your players close their eyes and visualize a high-pressure situation. Think bases loaded, two outs, game on the line. Now walk them through it, see themselves taking a deep breath, stepping into the box, tracking the pitch, making contact. When they visualize success, they're creating a mental rep that actually makes these moments feel more familiar when they happen. This exercise has been used by pros in college and some of the top athletes for years. It can work wonders for high school players trying to build confidence under pressure.

Speaker 1: 4:19

Next up, let's talk goal setting. I know goal setting might seem straightforward, but here's the key. We want our players setting process goals, not just outcome goals. What do I mean by that? Instead of focus on things like hitting 400 or being named to the all-state team, encourage them to set goals around things they can control. Maybe it's improving their swing mechanics, working on footwork or learning to read pitches better. When players focus on things they can control, they learn to value effort and progress over career results. It keeps them motivated and builds their confidence and helps them stay positive even if they don't see immediate results. And helps them stay positive even if they don't see immediate results.

Speaker 1: 5:10

Now here's a technique I love, and I love it when coaches talk about it. It's the next play mindset. This is all about moving on from mistakes quickly. Teach your players to say next play, reset whatever words you want to come up with after every play, especially after a mistake. This habit helps them let go of the errors and focus on the current moment.

Speaker 1: 5:38

Baseball is a mental game and mistakes can spiral if players can't shake them off. How many times have you seen a player strike out at the plate in a crucial situation, run out on the field and boot a routine ground ball? So the next time a player strikes out or misses a play, remind them next play. It's a simple phrase that can be incredibly powerful for keeping their heads in the game. Next up, let's talk about self-talk. Every player has the inner voice and sometimes it's not the friendliest voice. It's easy to get into a cycle of negative self-talk, especially after you've had a rough game. Help your players practice positive self-talk by identifying negative thoughts and replacing them with empowering ones. So if you're thinking I can't hit a curveball work with them to reframe it into something more positive, like I'm getting better at reading curveballs Over time. This small shift in language can build a mental toughness and keep players from getting stuck in a rut of self-doubt.

Speaker 1: 6:50

One of the most impactful ways to encourage a positive mindset is recognizing effort over results. And yes, I get it. Everybody wants to win. Everybody wants to go four for four at the plate and throw a complete game as a pitcher. But after practices and games, make a point of praising not just the players who scored or made big plays, but also those who have hustled, improved a skill or kept a great attitude. When players know that their effort is recognized and valued, they're more likely to stay motivated and keep working. Plus, it creates a team of culture where players feel respected for their hard work, not just their stats.

Speaker 1: 7:38

A great tool that's underused in baseball is journaling. Get your players in the habit of keeping a simple journal where they reflect on each game or practice. They can write down three things One thing they did well, an area they want to improve and one thing they'll do next time to improve in that area. Do next time to improve in that area. This helps players to reflect on their progress, making them more self-aware and helping them see mistakes as part of the learning process. Plus, it reinforces a growth mindset by showing them how far they've come.

Speaker 1: 8:21

One of my favorite tools in high pressure moments is breathing and centering techniques. Simple breathing exercises can't be overlooked. It's something you see if you watch the College, world Series, major League Baseball. Every time a player steps into pitch, they take a deep breath. Every time they step in to hit, they're taking a deep breath before the pitch happens. Simple breathing exercises can work wonders for focus and calm. Teach your players the 4-7-8 technique Inhale for four seconds, hold for seven seconds and exhale for eight. Hold for 7 seconds and exhale for 8. This can be a game changer for calming your nerves before a big at bat or in a high stress moment on the field. It's simple, but it really helps players stay grounded and reset Now.

Speaker 1: 9:15

Failure, especially in baseball, is inevitable, but here's the secret we can teach our players to view failure as feedback After a rough game instead of focusing on what went wrong. Help identify for players what they can learn. Ask questions like what did you notice about today's game or what could we try differently next time? This reframes failure as a learning experience which builds resilience about today's game. Or what could we try differently next time? This reframes failure as a learning experience which builds resilience. Over time, your players start seeing mistakes as part of the growth which keeps them positive and curious rather than afraid of messing up.

Speaker 1: 10:04

That wraps up today's episode on building a positive mindset for your high school baseball players. Remember, these aren't just mental tricks. They're powerful skills that will help your players grow, not only on the field, but in every part of their life. If you found today's episode helpful, be sure to subscribe, share it with another coach and leave a review. Baseball Coaches Unplugged is proud to be partnered with the netting professionals and brewing programs, one facility at a time. Contact them today at 844-620-2707. That's 844-620-2707. As always, I'm your host, ken Carpenter, and thanks for listening to Baseball Coaches Unplugged.