Improving Confidence

marshmallow

This is a general question for any sport but I play basketball so..

Basically how to improve confidence on the court? I know that I'm not the best player on my team but I want to try and change that.

Some of the better players would apologise if they beat me. In saying that they are pretty polite people, but I reply with "it's fine, do it as it's the only way I'll improve."

I know this year that I'll probably end up on the bench for most matches but want to change that. Maybe it's physchological? As I wouldn't be the most confident person off the court either.

Any advice would be great, thanks.

phil

This is my take on it. I ain't a sports psychologist, but, it's an interesting subject nonetheless.

Confidence breeds success, but the important of that phrase that people miss is that success also breeds confidence. You need to stop viewing success as winning a game, taking the game winning shot or performing some miracle on the court. When you score, that's a success, you note it, you focus on it, you aim to replicate it the next time you're in a similar position to do so.

Knowing that you've been in a particular position/situation before and succeeded means that your mind believes that that particular success can be repeated.

There is no easy pill to take to simply increase your confidence. If you want to become a better basketball player, you need to practice more. Whether it's with your fitness, your jump shot, your inside game. Whatever is relevant to you as a player, practice until you know you can do certain things extremely well and then focus on those training with your team and in matches.

Confidence isn't just something that some people have and some people don't. You're not born with it. You become good at things and become confident in your ability to succeed at things. OK, there are always a few idiots who think they're better than they are, but I call that arrogance not confidence. Confidence is your inner belief that you can succeed.

How exactly do you think your confidence is negatively affecting your game? I do think that people definitely bring their personalities on the court a lot of the time, but there are lots of quiet people who are confident people. Quietness is different to confidence though. You need to believe you are good at what you do, and the best way to do that is to actually be good at what you do. And the best way to achieve that is practice and work. Then you try and bring onto the court what you've done in practice. That's the hard transition, once you do that, confidence comes with it I think.

marshmallow

Thanks. I think that's what I was trying to get at. My coach has always said I have a good shot but then when I'm in a match, even in training, I just don't focus properly and miss the shots.

I'm quite inconsistent I think.. guess the only way to become consistent is to pratcice?

Coach is doing a lot of fitness with us so that's my focus at the moment: to improve stamina, speed, etc.

phil

Your shot, especially if you're spot shooting (i.e. just catch and shoot) is just practice. Your overall fitness will help. The more tired you are, the more you have to adjust your shot and concentrate as you go on in a match/scrimmage.

If you're finding that you're very inconsistent all the time, your form may not be the best. If it's only when you get tired, then all three - form, fitness and practice - need to be improved.

Practice shooting closer to the basket when you start shooting first in or around the key. Slow down your shot at the start of your shot practice, and make sure you're keeping good form. Shoulders square to the basket, feet pointing towards the ring shoulder width apart, bend your knees, spread your fingers, follow up & through with your shooting hand (i.e. the hand you write with). You need to start shooting this way shot after shot.

So try and get some time on your own either before or after practice (preferably before) and when practicing at the start, try to slow and exaggerate your movements. Do it close in until you are hitting shot after shot. Even if it's ridiculously close. Then start moving further and further out.

You may need to make some adjustments to your shooting position to do this, in which case you'll find during a game/scrimmage it's taking longer to shoot. This is natural at the start, but work on form first until you've improved your shot accuracy and then work on increasing the speed at which you can shoot.

marshmallow

Thanks for that. I don't think I was that clear in what I was trying to explain, sorry..

Shot shooting is fine. My shots would be quite consistent then. I actually prefer long shots rather than close to the basket which I'd say is slightly peculiar.
It's not that I get tired during the matches, I just find myself under pressure and unable to control the ball.

For example, yesterday's training I didn't play well at all. Missed shots, made bad passes, etc. As each mistake is made I get more determined to make up for it, but when mistake after mistake occurs I get disheartened.

Whereas, last weekend's training I felt I played much better. Made my shots, controlled the ball, made the passes, etc.

So that's what I mean about the inconsistency; I have good days and bad days in the space of a few days. Not the just the odd bad day here and there.

phil

Do you have regular sleeping and nutritional habits?

From the psychology end I would imagine it's hard for anyone to help without knowing you or speaking to you in person / watching you play (and obviously having some qualification in the area). I can't tell you that there's any exercises that I've seen people use apart from constant positive self-reinforcement. Obviously, focusing too much on mistakes is a bad idea. Try and forget mistakes you've made when you're in practice / game. If you reckon it's purely a psychological thing though, I would suggest reading up on sports psychology and self-confidence, after that, it's hard to help.

It may be more than that. It may be other factors that you're not consciously aware of. Try keeping a diary of foods, sleeping patterns, work / school habits etc. and see if there's a common pattern on the days that you're playing well. Proper sleep and nutrition is probably one of the most overlooked parts of sports. You may think it bears no relation to your situation now, and it may not. However, it certainly won't hurt to have a look into it.

Lafortezza

Maybe working harder on defence would be a good way to improve confidence.
I haven't played competitively for years now but I do remember that I got a boost in confidence from concentrating on D. Getting steals/deflections/blocks, putting pressure on the ball and even just boxing out so your team gets rebounds helps get you into the game.
Getting a steal and throwing an outlet pass for a teammate to score an easy layup gives you a buzz and that can lead on to shooting a higher % and making better decisions.
Also your team mates will appreciate seeing you putting alot of effort into individual and team defence. Team morale++, everyone plays better++, you get better situations for scoring++, your confidence improves.

akuhdiah

hi..

I am not psychologist or something, I am just a basketball hobbies and often play in basketball game.

I was also like you, that I was not confidence what in the court especially when I was at the beginning on playing in the game. If I play in training session with my teammate, it was ok, I was confidence, but when in the game I lost my confidence.

But the more I play in the game, my confidence is higher. At first I didn't realize to this situation. But when I watched other people who didn't have confidence in the game, I became realize when I was like that. When I saw to those people, there was no technical matter to make them inconfidence. That I was realize the my came from my feeling! I just underestimate to my skill.

My advice :
1. Throw away your bad feeling about your skill.
2. Improve your skill by playing with other player who has a better skill than you.
3. See your other team just as people like you. They are human, you are also, right?
4. Watched other player when in the court, even better or worse than you. The more you watched, you will find "something" what you have to improve on yourself - technical, habit, exercise method for yourself.
5. Think that you play as good as other better player and never think that you worse than other player.

If you do to my advice, I am sure you will improve your confidence. I often train myself without coach, and I improve myself a lot.

And follow Phil's advice for technical improvement.

Good Luck!

(sorry for my english......)