Top 3 Ways Coaches Are Sabotaging Their Athletes Without Even Realizing It
Coaching is a delicate balance between pushing your athletes to their limits and holding them back. But let’s be real—sometimes coaches are their own worst enemies. You might think you’re doing the right thing, but those well-meaning actions could be the very thing dragging your players down. Here are the top three ways coaches undermine performance without even noticing—and how to stop making the same mistakes over and over.
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1. Yelling Out of Frustration: Congrats, You Just Created Fear, Not Progress
Here’s the deal: Yelling because you're frustrated isn’t “tough love,” it’s counterproductive. Sure, you don’t want your players to make the same mistakes you did. But here's the harsh reality—when you yell, all they hear is that they’re messing up, and they start playing scared. They’re not thinking about how to improve; they’re thinking, “Don’t screw this up.”
When athletes are too afraid to take risks, they stop growing. They stick to the safe route, stay in their comfort zone, and guess what? Their performance flatlines. If you want them to stop making the same mistakes, don’t just yell—teach. Break down the why and how of their error and give them the tools to fix it.
Yelling might feel good in the moment, but if you're trying to build an athlete who can perform under pressure, you need to build confidence, not fear.
2. You're All About What’s Wrong—and Never What’s Right
If your entire focus is on what your players are doing wrong, news flash: you’re not helping them. Constant criticism, without highlighting the positives, will crush motivation faster than you think. You’ve got athletes out there grinding every day, giving everything they’ve got, and the only thing they’re hearing is what’s not good enough.
When athletes don’t hear any acknowledgment of their progress, they start questioning if they’re capable at all. They’re thinking, “What’s the point if I’m never going to be good enough?” You want them to be better? Start reinforcing what they’re doing right. Recognize their strengths, even if they’re small victories, and use that to fuel their growth.
Highlighting the good isn’t “soft.” It’s smart. The more they believe in their abilities, the more they’ll push themselves. It’s that simple.
3. Pointless Drills: Stop Wasting Time With Useless Exercises
This one’s a killer. Too many coaches throw out pointless drills because “that’s the way it’s always been done.” Spoiler alert: Just because it’s tradition doesn’t mean it works. If your drills don’t directly translate to the actual game, you’re wasting everyone’s time.
We’ve all seen it—athletes grinding away on drills that have zero relevance to what they’re actually doing when it counts. How is running mindless conditioning going to help your point guard make a clutch decision in the final seconds? It won’t. Mental conditioning is the same—generic routines that don’t apply to the specifics of the sport do nothing for performance.
Your job is to prep them for the real thing, not waste time with exercises that never make it past practice. Tailor your drills to mimic game situations.
At Iceberg Performance we don’t waste time on generic exercises that don’t make a real impact. Our approach is built specifically for athletes, and every mental drill is designed to translate directly into their sport. Whether it’s building focus under pressure, improving emotional control in high-stress situations, or sharpening mental resilience during tough competitions, our training ensures athletes perform when it matters most.