How to Motivate Your Players During a Slump: 10 Tips

From bad luck to negative emotions, the unpleasant things in life have a way of compounding. When your team suffers a series of losses, it’s natural to feel down —  but you need to reverse the tide to reach victory. So, how do you do it?

Here are ten ideas for how to motivate your players during a slump.

1. Watch an Inspirational Movie

When your on-field energy drags, why not declare a movie day and get a bit of theatrical inspiration?

Movies such as “Goal! The Dream Begins” and “There’s Only One Jimmy Grimble” tell the tales of underdogs sure to inspire your flagging players. Bring plenty of popcorn and Gatorade.

2. Provide an Incentive

People started awarding trophies and money to winning athletes for a good reason. Your younger players might enjoy incentives like remote control car kits or other buildable models. Older children could compete for coffee or pizza shop gift certificates.

3. Play a Silly Game

When your players are in a slump, they can start to lose cohesion as members begin blaming each other for the team’s woes. You can rebuild their spirit with a game.

Have small groups work together to figure out how to drop an uncooked egg without the shell breaking. Rebuild trust by littering the playing field with “mines” (soccer balls?) and having sighted teammates lead blindfolded colleagues through without setting off an explosion.

4. Attend Another Match

You live for the game, and you can learn a lot from watching it. Instead of dragging out old loss videos that only make your players feel worse, why not take them to a game featuring other teams?

They can be in the same age group, or you can catch a minor league tourney if there’s one near you. Let the thrill of another’s victory inspire you.

5. Decorate the Stands

Is your next match on your home turf? If so, you know you already have a decided advantage. Why not build on it by going crazy decorating your stands?

It doesn’t matter if you expect a big crowd or not — you’ll always have parents in attendance. You’ll intimidate the opposing team when they see your bleachers adorned with streamers and balloons in your team colors.

6. Have a Tailgate Party

Who said that tailgating was only for the NFL? You can bring this tradition to any sporting event, including your next soccer match.

Please avoid the temptation to sip a brewski or two — alcohol increases negative moods, and you want positive vibes. Bring along your camping hibachi and fire it up with burgers and dogs. Have each player’s parents sign up to contribute to the potluck.

7. Compete in Something That Doesn’t Matter

The pressure to perform on gameday turns every practice into serious business. However, sometimes, you need to let loose a little to break out of a slump.

Consider taking your team to compete in something completely unrelated to soccer. Why not sign up for an adventure race that gets you muddier than a match in the rain? Head out to the paintball field or indoor laser tag center as an alternative.

8. Get Matching T-Shirts

Your team wears uniforms to impart a sense of unity. Why not keep it going strong even off the field with some matching T-shirts they can wear to class or out running errands with the folks?

You can usually score significant bulk discounts on screen printing. Why not ask parents if they want to contribute and get some adult-sized ones they can wear in the stands, too?

9. Invent a Celebratory Song

Sports teams had used music to motivate themselves since way before Queen sang “We Are the Champions.” Why not get your teammates’ creative juices flowing by asking them to invent a motivational song? Spend some time listening to popular team’s anthems and draw inspiration from them.

10. Practice Your Post-Game Interview

Many professional athletes use visualization before vital matches. Why not follow their lead and have your teammates experience a taste of victory by having them practice their post-game interviews?

Have one player act as the interviewer and the other as the star. Change roles so that each player has a chance to feel the thrill of sharing how they won the gold.

Motivate Your Players During a Slump With These Tips

A series of losses can create a negative downward spiral for your team. Motivate your players during a slump with these tips.

Author Bio:

Oscar Collins is the managing editor at Modded. He writes about cars, fitness, the outdoors and more. Follow @TModded on Twitter for more articles from the Modded team.