If you’re not doing well in practice right now, there are a few questions that you can ask yourself.
Now, I talk a lot about helping athletes perform better during games, but there’s also the idea of making sure that you are performing your best during practice.
That’s especially important if you are working for a starting position or just trying to get more playing time.
But it’s also important in general when it comes to your own improvement.
And so, in this article, we’re going to go over a few questions you can ask yourself if you’re currently underperforming in practice.
Question #1: What Is Your Goal for Practice?
The first question you want to ask yourself if you’re not playing well during practice is: What is your goal for practice?
It’s easy to have the goal simply be “I want to have a good practice.” But that may not be specific enough for you.
You want to figure out the specific intent you have for the day. In other words, what are you working on today?
Your goal for practice needs to be aligned with what you are trying to improve. Even if you’re working for a starting position or more playing time, you still need to have clear focus going into practice.
Having a clear intent involves identifying the controllable parts of your game that you’re working on. This is separate from what your coach has you do—whether that’s drills, plays, or other structured activities. You can still have your own clear intent for that day.
Maybe it’s working on a specific part of your technique. Maybe it’s something mental. But when you go into practice with a clear, controllable goal, you take your attention off just “having a good practice” and put it on something specific for that day.
Tip: Write these goals down before practice. Then you can remember them during practice and reflect on them afterward to check in on your progress.
Question #2: Are You Treating Practices Too Much Like Games?
This can be a tricky one. On one hand, you do want to give the same focus and effort during practice as you do in games—after all, people say “practice like you play.”
That’s 100% true.
But I see a lot of athletes—especially those working for more playing time—become stressed during practice because they treat it like a performance. They begin playing for their coaches’ approval.
When you get caught up in trying to perform for your coach, you limit your improvement. You’re no longer focused on what you want to work on—you’re just thinking, “I have to do my best today; I have to perform well for coach.”
That kind of thinking can cause anxiety, fear of mistakes, and ultimately lead to underperforming in practice.
Question #3: Are You Overthinking During Practice?
On the flip side of treating practice too much like a performance, you can also get too analytical during practice, which limits your athleticism.
You want to have something specific you’re working on that day—but you never want to overthink your mechanics. It’s okay to think more about technique when doing drills, but you also need to be present and not overanalyze every movement.
Overthinking leads to a stiff style of play where you’re not being athletic or playing freely. Even though it’s practice, you want to train your ability to be present and in the moment.
Question #4: Are You Responding to Mistakes in a Positive Way?
This one applies to both practices and games. No matter when you make mistakes, if you don’t respond positively, those mistakes can snowball into more.
During practice, work on responding well to mistakes. That doesn’t mean you don’t care about them—it means you recognize that moving on quickly is a skill that helps you perform better.
If you get caught up dwelling on mistakes, that habit will carry into games. But if you train yourself to move on quickly during practice, you’re strengthening a mental skill that’s crucial during competition.
Make this one of your goals for practice—to respond positively to mistakes.
Question #5: How Are You Evaluating Practices?
When you underperform during practice, it’s easy to beat yourself up. But that negative thinking keeps you from seeing the lessons that could help you improve.
After practice, take time to evaluate objectively:
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What did I do well?
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What didn’t go well?
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What can I work on next time?
Use those answers to set goals for your next practice. If you repeat this process day after day, you’ll see steady improvement and eventually perform better in both practice and games.
Practice Your Game-Time Mindset
While practices are the time to experiment and work on new things, there are moments—like scrimmages or game-like drills—where you need to practice your game-time mindset.
You don’t want to treat every drill like a high-pressure performance, but when it’s a game-like situation, that’s your chance to train your ability to be present, not overthink, and play freely.
For example, I’m working with a soccer player who tends to take too many risks during scrimmages.
We talked about how during those moments, he should focus on being in the moment and playing freely with the skills he already has, just like he would in a real game.
Then, in drills or individual work, that’s when he can focus on trying new things and refining technique.
Final Thoughts
I hope these questions help you perform better during practice. Especially if you’re working for more playing time or a starting position, how you practice is almost just as important as how you perform during games.
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Thank you for reading and I wish you the best of success in all that you do.
