How to Coach Athletes to Respond Better to Mistakes

Mistake Response System

When players hit adversity, we want them to choose a better response. But as JP points out in this week's Tool of the Week, we usually only coach the behavior. E + R = O (event plus response equals outcome) is a great equation, yet the response is shaped long before the player acts. It starts with awareness: ask athletes what their triggers are, what they think in their worst moments, and what they feel physically in their bodies.

From there, help them create new soundtracks, an idea JP borrows from Jon Acuff. The thinking we carry into a game dictates what we do. "Referees shouldn't miss calls" sets players up to fail. "I'm going to miss shots, teammates will make mistakes, referees are human" sets them up to ask what they can learn, what's in their control, and how they can help their team. As JP says, "If we don't train our thinking, if we don't become aware of how we want to feel in those moments, then we'll always struggle to do better."

The Mistake Response System PDFs are available in the TOC Coach community on Skool, with a guide for running the system through workshops with individual athletes, your team, and your coaching staff.

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