Practice Bookends: Mental Performance Drills Playbook
Quick mental performance drills for the start and end of practice to build athlete focus, toughness, and intentionality.
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PRACTICE BOOKENDS
Quick Mental Performance Drills for the Start and End of Practice
Baseball • Soccer • Softball • Volleyball
How to Use This Playbook
Every drill below takes 30 seconds to 5 minutes and needs little or no equipment. Each one lists which sports it fits, how long it takes, and the two things coaches care about most: how to run it, and why it works.
Pick 1–2 drills per practice — don't try to run all of them at once.
Start-of-practice drills get players' minds “in the gym” before the body warms up.
End-of-practice drills lock in the lesson and help players leave frustration at the field.
Run any physical/competitive drill (like the Plank Battle) after a light warm-up, not as the very first thing — bodies should be a little warm first.
Start of Practice
Plank Battle [Both]
Time: 1–2 minutes
Setup: Two players face each other in a plank position, hands out in front.
How it works: Each player tries to knock the other's hands out from under them while yelling something like “I want to win” — first one to fall (or who lasts longest) is the winner.
Why it works: It trains players to perform and stay vocal/aggressive while under real physical stress, instead of going quiet and tight — which is exactly what happens in a tough game moment.
Coach tip: Run this after a short warm-up, not cold. Debrief for 10–20 seconds afterward: “What did you notice about your self-talk when it got hard?”
Word of the Day [Both]
Time: 30 seconds
Setup: No equipment. Players stand in a circle or line.
How it works: Each player picks one word for how they want to compete that day (locked in, calm, aggressive, etc.) and says it out loud before drills start.
Why it works: It gets players naming an intention instead of just showing up on autopilot — a tiny habit that builds self-awareness over time.
Breath + Eyes Up [Both]
Time: 15–30 seconds
Setup: No equipment.
How it works: One deep breath in through the nose, out through the mouth, then eyes up to scan the field or gym.
Why it works: It's a simple physical cue that shifts players from “I just got here” mode into “I'm present and ready” mode.
Rapid-Fire Competition Reps [Both]
Time: 2–3 minutes
Setup: Pair players up. Pick a quick, low-stakes physical contest that lasts about 10 seconds — examples:
Hand-slap reaction game: one player holds palms up, the other hovers hands above and tries to slap the top of them before they're pulled away.
Staring contest: first to blink or laugh loses.
Grip battle: both players grab a ball (or clasp hands) and try to wrestle it away or off-balance the other.
Ball note: use whatever's already on hand — a baseball/softball, soccer ball, or volleyball all work. A tennis ball, rolled towel, or foam ball works too if you want less risk of jammed fingers.
How it works: After each round, the loser has to say something genuine and positive to the winner (“good hands,” “nice job”). Rotate partners every round or two.
Why it works: These games are short and a little silly, which lowers the pressure. But they still create a real “winner and loser” moment, so players get safe reps practicing good sportsmanship under a loss — before the emotions of a real game are on the line.
Weather Check-In [Both]
Time: 30–45 seconds
Setup: No equipment. Uses GRM's weather framework: Sunny (locked in and ready), Cloudy (needs a breath and reset), Stormy (needs a full release routine before competing).
How it works: Each player says which “weather” they're walking in with today — Sunny, Cloudy, or Stormy.
Why it works: It gives players simple language to name their mental state honestly, and gives coaches a fast read on who might need a check-in during practice.
End of Practice
One Word, One Lesson [Both]
Time: 1–2 minutes
How it works: Each player says one word for how practice felt and one thing they'll take into the next practice or game.
Why it works: Keeps reflection short so it doesn't feel like a lecture, while still building the habit of self-review.
Win/Learn Share [Both]
Time: 2–3 minutes
How it works: Go around the group and have each player name one thing that went well and one thing they're going to work on.
Why it works: Teaches players that mistakes are information, not failure — and normalizes talking about both wins and struggles out loud.
Reset Breath [Both]
Time: 15–30 seconds
How it works: Same breathing cue as the start-of-practice version, but framed as “leaving practice at practice.”
Why it works: Helps players close out frustration from a hard practice instead of carrying it home or into the next day.
Team Gratitude / Shoutout [Both]
Time: 2–3 minutes
How it works: Each player quickly recognizes one teammate for something specific they did that day.
Why it works: Builds team trust, which makes the harder mental drills (like the Plank Battle) work better because there's already psychological safety in the group.
Release Routine [Both]
Time: 30–60 seconds
Setup: Uses GRM's ARC framework — Acknowledge, Release, Compete.
How it works: Players briefly acknowledge one tough moment from practice out loud or to themselves, then use a physical release cue (shake out hands, exhale hard, snap a towel) before heading out.
Why it works: Gives tough moments a clear ending point instead of letting them linger — so players walk away ready for tomorrow instead of stuck on today.
Bonus: Sport-Specific Resets
Next Pitch Reset [Baseball / Softball]
Time: 5–10 seconds, used in the moment
How it works: After a bad pitch, at-bat, or error, the player uses a small physical cue — adjust the batting glove, step out of the box, one deep breath — before the next pitch.
Why it works: Builds a repeatable routine that separates the last pitch from the next one, so one mistake doesn't turn into three.
Next Play Trigger [Soccer]
Time: 5–10 seconds, used in the moment
How it works: After a mistake (missed pass, lost ball), the player uses a physical cue — touch the grass, clap once, roll the shoulders — to mark the reset before getting back into position.
Why it works: Soccer doesn't stop for mistakes the way baseball does, so players need a fast physical trigger to refocus without losing track of the game around them.
Quick Reference
A one-line summary of every drill, grouped by when you'd run it.
Start of Practice
Plank Battle (Both) — competitive plank contest that builds composure under stress
Word of the Day (Both) — one word to set today's competing intention
Breath + Eyes Up (Both) — quick physical cue to arrive mentally present
Rapid-Fire Competition Reps (Both) — fast, fun winner/loser reps that build sportsmanship
Weather Check-In (Both) — Sunny/Cloudy/Stormy self-check using GRM language
End of Practice
One Word, One Lesson (Both) — quick reflection on today and tomorrow
Win/Learn Share (Both) — one win, one growth area, said out loud
Reset Breath (Both) — leave practice frustration at practice
Team Gratitude / Shoutout (Both) — builds trust through quick recognition
Release Routine (Both) — ARC-based close on tough moments from the day
In-the-Moment / Sport-Specific
Next Pitch Reset (Baseball / Softball) — physical cue between pitches or at-bats
Next Play Trigger (Soccer) — physical cue to refocus after a mistake mid-game
Game Ready Mindset™ — gamereadymindset.com
About the author
Scott K. Wilder is the founder of Game Ready Mindset™, a program and platform for teams and athletic programs, working with players, position groups, and teams in baseball, soccer, softball, and volleyball. He holds a Master’s from the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology (now Sofia University), an MBA from New York University, and a Master’s in International Studies and Conflict Resolution from The Johns Hopkins University, with coaching credentials from Georgetown University, Brian Cain’s MPM Program, the National Federation of High Schools, and FC Barcelona Football Club. He is the author of Millennial Leaders, Find What Energizes You (just published), and Compete in Any Weather.