Keep Your Team Motivated As The Season Nears Playoffs

Season winding down and looking to find ways to keep your team motivated and engaged?

There are a lot of great ways to try to motivate your youth or high school team as the season winds down. Try some of these…

• Bring in an Alumni as a Guest Speaker to talk about his experiences as a career or season is coming to a close. Use this speaker at a meeting or before a game. Maybe have him even run a practice.
• Schedule a Zoom Call with someone from out of the area. Maybe a high level pro or pro coach.
• Do Team Building activities like a Movie Night or Team Dinner. Can be at a parent or boosters home, or even a local restaurant.

Here are some great videos I’ve shared with my teams that have been helpful in keeping them engaged in the season.

1. Relate their season to a professional team or athlete who went through similar circumstances as your team. I would recommend these 30 for 30 episodes:
   1. Come From Behind Team battling adversity?- Watch “Four Days in October “Four Days in October
   2. Are you a lower seed in the playoffs playing a higher seed? Watch “42 to 1”42 to 1
   3. Looking to have your team commit to defense? Watch “ Bullies of Baltimore”Bullies of Baltimore
   4. Want to teach them about Never Giving Up? Watch the 4th Episode of “Once Upon a Time in Queens”Once Upon a Time in Queens
2. Trying to impart Grit and Perseverance in your athletes? Show them a Ted Talk. Here are some great ones on this subject:
   1. Angela Duckworth- Grit- Angela Duckworth
   2. Dr. India White- Power of Grit- India White
3. Need Bulletin Board Material?
   1. Try printing off your team’s record and correlate it to a Pro or College Team that was in a similar position and won the championship.
   2. Gather Quotes Online that are relevant for your team and post them in the locker room.
   3. Post a review of your teams’ statistical merits that they have accomplished thus far (Wins or PP Efficiency. Wins streaks or Individual Success) and have them strive for another statistical goal.
4. Set a New Goal for the Final Month or few weeks of the season that is personal to the team and members of the team. Teach them about Never Giving Up. Show them the Terry Fox Story on Youtube. Terry Fox

Enjoy. I hope some of these ideas keep your team motivated and engaged to finish strong! If you have any questions please feel free to reach out- scoringconcepts@gmail.com

Andrew Trimble is the General Manager and Co- Owner of the New England Wolves Hockey Club.  He is also the Owner of Scoring Concepts LLC, a New Hampshire based hockey training company that offers camps, clinics, private lessons and teams. He has coached at all levels from Learn to Skate to College Hockey.   For more info on his teams and programs check out- www.scoringconcepts.com  or www.ne-wolveshockey.com