This resource stems from a question submitted to the Ask PCA blog. Responses come from our experts including PCA Trainers, who lead live group workshops for coaches, parents, administrators and student-athletes.

"Our high school varsity star just suffered a season-ending injury. How do I keep my team's spirits up and keep them competitive?"

PCA Response By Ray Lokar (@CoachLok), PCA Trainer – Los Angeles
It is normal for a team to be down when a player in the “star” role gets injured. It’s time to re-define those roles and, if necessary, adjust the team’s goals.

Obstacles like this are often a great way to galvanize the team by emphasizing PCA’s “ELM” Tree of Mastery (where ELM stands for Effort, Learning and Mistakes). Magnify the need for maximum Effort, more Learning, and managing Mistakes and setbacks. Helping players focus on things they can control will return a measure of the stability your team felt before the injury.

Rallying this way may create more synergy among the players, providing an energy surge that helps them "over-achieve"…or, really, just play closer to a potential they had not realized when the team could rely on the star. If your star is a Triple-Impact Competitor® -- committed to improving self, teammates and the game as a whole – keep him or her as involved as possible to provide great inspiration for the team.

Maintain a positive attitude during this trying time and concentrate on getting everyone in the program to fill each others’ Emotional Tanks. Creating a more optimistic environment helps teams overcome adversity, rise to new heights, and be as good as they can be.

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