The Mindset When Closing Out Games
Some athletes want the ball in their hand in the closing seconds of a game while other athletes pray the fate of the game doesn’t fall upon their shoulders as time ticks down.
Which category do you fall into?
Some athletes are overwhelmed by performance anxiety and have great difficulty closing out games or taking the last shot…
Your mind becomes cluttered with ‘what ifs’… “What if I miss? What if I lose the game for my team? What if the team becomes angry with me for missing the last shot?”
You become so anxious and tight, which leads to poor decision making and a lack of freedom.
Instead of trying to get open, you blend in the background. You basically opt out of the game hoping another player takes the last shot to decide the game.
You may feel that there is nothing you can do about your mentality towards closing out games or how to approach game-ending pressure situations.
That is where Sport Psychology comes into play. You can change your mentality towards closing out games by applying proven mental strategies.
You CAN definitely be the player to sink the game-ending winning shot with some practice–just like junior forward Kris Jenkins of the Villanova Wildcats.
Jenkins hit a three-pointer buzzer-beater to give the Wildcats a 77-74 victory over North Carolina for the NCAA tournament championship.
JENKINS: “You know, we put a lot of work in. This team, everybody has the confidence to catch and shoot. So when Arch (Villanova guard Ryan Arcidiacono) threw me the ball, one, two step, shoot ’em up, sleep in the streets. I think every shot is going in, so that one was no different.”
What gave Jenkins the confidence to hit the biggest shot of his career?
Practice specificity or rehearse game situations in practice! Villanova practices last-second shots every day…
When you practice under pressure situations, you acclimate to it, so during game time, you are doing what you always have done.
This type of practice doesn’t eliminate anxiety, nor does it guarantee that you will make every game-ending play or shot.
Regular practice increases confidence which protects you somewhat from anxiety.
Villanova head basketball coach Jay Wright knows the value of being mentally prepared in critical situations and credits that mental preparedness for his team’s ability to produce in the clutch.
COACH WRIGHT: “We do practice that. We have certain plays with less than four seconds, from four to seven seconds. Every coach has this. Zero to four, four to seven, seven to 12. We have plays. So we know what it is. We practice it every day. I didn’t have to say anything in the huddle. We have a name for it, that’s what we’re going to do. Just put everybody in their spots.”
If you prepare yourself thoroughly for different game scenarios, you will approach those situations feeling “deja vu” instead of being overwhelmed by fear. Good mental preparation is all about being prepared to cope with any situation you’re faced with.
Top Strategy for developing a crunch-time mentality:
Write out a script for how you like to close out a tight game including: how you want the ball, the excitement of taking the last shot, a feeling of confidence with the ball in your hands, seeing the ball go through the net as time runs out and the excitement and celebration on the floor afterwards.
Take this script and act it out in practice. Make it a part of your everyday routine. You will soon see your confidence and freedom improve, as well as your mental approach to taking the “BIG” shot.
Related Sports Psychology Articles
- How To Grind Out a Round Instead of Collapse
- How to Finish Strong: Going for the Knockout Blow
- 3 Keys to Finishing Strong in Competition
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