Developing a Mistake Ritual
Share This Resource
Mistakes in sports are inevitable. Athletes at all levels make mistakes, from youth to professional players. What makes a good competitor stand out is how they deal with and learn from those mistakes.
A mistake ritual is a physical gesture athletes can use in the moment to overcome a mistake and re-focus on the game. Doing so can also reduce the fear of making mistakes, allowing athletes to play more freely. Establishing a mistake ritual ahead of time can help make it second nature.
Related Resources
Audio
Member of the 1980 Miracle on Ice USA Hockey team Jim Craig encourages youth athletes not to be afraid.
Video
Watch this wrestling coach teach his youth athletes that being nervous is completely normal.
Video
Northwesterm University Basketball Coach knows mistakes happen, so he accepts the right kind of mistakes.
Audio
Wilson, former NHL player, discusses how parents and coaches can encourage youth athletes to focus on mastery.
Book Excerpt
These six steps help coaches introduce a mastery approach, instead of focusing just on the scoreboard.
Video
Mistakes are the lifeblood of learning and coaches should aim for a mastery approach to learning new skills.