Posted on October 9, 2009: Mistakes
A Responsible Sports Fan suggested the following Scenario Question:
My 13-year old daughter was sat due to making mistakes and not being able to come back and make up for them during a softball game. How do we explain to her not to dwell on her mistakes and that nobody is perfect?
Dear Diane,
In the game of softball, being able to bounce back from mistakes is an especially important part of the game! The most successful softball players have "short" memories. They clear their mind after mistakes and focus on the future, rather than repeating the mistake in their mind over and over again, which results in playing tight, which results in more mistakes.
Responsible Sports Parents can introduce the concept of the mistake ritual to their kids. The mistake ritual can be used any time a player feels like she made a mistake, and she needs help bouncing back.
A good mistake ritual for softball is "brush it off." If your daughter makes a mistake like throwing the ball to the wrong base, she can make a motion with her hand as if she is brushing dirt off of her uniform. This reminds her to brush off the mistake and to focus on the next play.
Often players look to their parents after they have made a mistake, so you, too, can be ready to help her brush it off (by making the same motion if she looks to you in the stands after a mistake).
To learn more about this visit the Responsible Sport Parenting Guide
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