Your pre-game pep talk.

How to Get It Right!

Although the conventional "pep talk" is as defunct as its ancient practitioners, the principle lives on, except that it is now called the pre-game talk and its purpose is to clarify the game plan and prepare the athlete mentally for what lies ahead.

The modern athlete is too sophisticated to be worked up into a lather and sent out to win one for somebody's gipper. Neither does he want to die for dear old Rutgers or the little red schoolhouse. He just wants to win and he wants his coach to tell him how it can be done.

But make no mistake about it. Though the emotionalism has to be tempered, the pre-game talk is still a vital part of the game plan. Every athlete can use a helpful word from the coach before the competition and the coach must come prepared.

He must be sensible, straightforward, and organized. And he must convey calmness, especially if his athletes exhibit tension or uncertainty.

If the situation is right, the coach may use emotion. Some coaches have a knack for it, and can be very effective. But the coach must be careful not to overdo it. He should never make himself sound foolish or get his kids too excited. The idea is to get them ready to play ball, not kill.

Here are several guidelines for the pre-game pep talks:

Have a theme.

It is important to be specific and straightforward. It could be about perseverance, poise, tradition, or toughness. The coach can choose the subject, select the words, and make sure everyone is attentive.

Psyching up the athletes has its rewards and drawbacks. One athlete may require a high level of arousal, others may respond better to a low-keyed approach. Each athlete's arousal level, personality, and attitude have to be assessed.

Introverted or low-keyed groups have to be handled differently than younger, more excitable groups. Low-keyed teams don't have to be psyched up as much as extroverted players, but you want to make sure they don't remain indifferent to the challenge of the day.

For complex tasks, such as a tournament, athletes obviously need less arousal. Veteran teams likewise require less psyching.

Eliminate distractions.

Coaches should avoid giving pep talks while the athletes are dressing, listening to music, or adjusting their equipment. Coaches should wait until the players are seated, relaxed, quiet, and attentive before going into their talks.

Avoid impromptu pep talks.

Most of such talks are doomed to fail and can be embarrassing. Note: Never embarrass a player or assistant coach as an excuse to inspire the team as a whole. And don't make foolish promises (like shaving your head if you win); such stunts are more foolish or amusing than motivating.

Be selective in your word choice and format.

Keith Dambrot lost his job as basketball coach at Central Michigan for using the work "nigger" to motivate his black players. He believed the word conveyed the "positive qualities of toughness, determination, perseverance, and character." The racial epithet, Dambrot believed, had more to do with his closeness with the players and his style of coaching than with the abuse that university officials accused him of.

"I wanted to be their friend," Dambrot explained. "We don't view ourselves as white and black. We view ourselves as family. I'm a victim of having been around players who used that term in a positive way around me. Plus, I've allowed them to say things to me that other people might term offensive."

Central Michigan administrators fired Dambrot anyway.

Even before Dambrot, a well-known high school coach, alienated his superstar forever by using the same word for the same reason. He never realized that the boy was brighter and more sensitive than he was, and that you just couldn't play games with him.

A Florida football coach staged a fake shooting of himself during a pep talk in the school cafeteria. After the players fled in horror and three police cars raced to the school, he admitted that the stunt was "poorly contrived, a gross mistake."

The coach explained, "Football demands so much physically, mentally, and spiritually, that I attempted to motivate them to perform beyond their limits."

The school superintendent disagreed: "It is my opinion that using a weapon of any sort - whether it's real or not - is totally inappropriate."

Let others give the talk.

There's no rule that restricts the pep talk to the coach. Community leaders, former players, popular teachers, and administrators have been pressed into service as pregame and pre-practice motivators - and have usually worked out well.

During my own coaching career, I've worked with other coaches in getting our champion players to dialogue with each other's team.

I once arranged for the girls championship volleyball team to sit down and converse with my wrestlers, who were preparing for a league tournament.

The volleyball coach and I paired them up, provided space for a conversation the day before the tournament, and let them do the rest.

The kids talked to one another seriously about competition, pressure, winning, and their responsibilities as athletes. It was a marvelous experience for both the players and the coaches. Maybe it wasn't a coincidence that my wrestlers, expected to finish fourth, placed second in the tournament.

The post-competition talk.

After a competition, many coaches like to meet in the locker room or bus to review the game and performances.

I do not. I believe that after a game or match, especially one that was rigorous or disappointing, the athletes don't want to hear about it. If you must have a meeting, do it quickly and objectively and make only positive comments. If they played badly, they'll know it.

You can use this moment to remind them of the next day's game and to congratulate the outstanding performers. A wise coach will also use this time to check for injuries.

You must remain positive after a competition (and prompt the kids to stay positive, too). In time, you'll get better results by praising and rewarding rather than criticizing and punishing.

Try to be realistic about your expectations. If any part of your motivation includes a promised reward or a victory - steak dinner, for example - make sure to follow through on it immediately. Always live up to your word, especially if it involves a matter of discipline.

At times, you may prefer to motivate only individuals. At other times, you may choose to focus on the team. Decide on what kind of awards or praise to deliver in each instance.

Create enthusiasm and pride.

Your pep talks have to meaningful. If you do it right, you will develop an enthusiasm and pride that your athletes will pass on to the younger kids. Proper motivation will keep the athletes committed to the program and excited about competition.

Coaches have to recognize that some athletes will plod passively toward the arena, while others will practically dance all the way to the kick-off. It can be a struggle to get the kids to commit to you, the program, or their teammates, no matter how good you are at pep-talking.

If you will identify and promote their intrinsic needs, they will usually become productive members of your programs and go on to achieve their potential.

You must be willing to be flexible; i.e., turn on the vocabulary one day and simply pat the kid's back the next.

Successful pep talks take work. They require creative thinking. Coaches, like the athletes, are individuals. Some are vocal, energetic, hyper. Others are taciturn, low-keyed, more studied.

Every coach must know himself and stay within himself. If he is a natural comic, fine. He may inject humor into his speech. If he isn't "funny," he shouldn't play for laughs. He will usually embarrass himself.

In other words, play to your strengths. A low-keyed, sincere speech in character can be more effective than a more forceful or "funny" speech totally out of character.

Don't over-reach. "A little less" will usually go farther than a "little too much." And, remember, enthusiasm is contagious. It sells, it wins over athletes, and it wins ball games.