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Pre-game preparation: Mental Routines that Prepare Athletes for Success.
An often neglected aspect of preparation for young athletes is creating an effective pre-game routine.
Young athletes get confused about what constitutes a routine. I see athletes utilize a wide variety of techniques that may or may not help them prepare for their game.
The purpose of a pre-game routine is to narrow focus and allow the athlete to prepare physically and mentally for the competition.
Athletes frequently get confused with superstitions that they believe are related to their performance.
Eating 20 Chicken McNuggets and drinking Red Fruitopia is not why they played well. That is correlation, not causation.
Athletes need a structured routine to allow them to leave all of the busyness of their day.
A well-structured pre-game routine isn’t just a superstition—it’s a scientifically backed way to narrow focus, regulate emotions, and prepare for peak performance.
Why Pre-Game Routines Work
Research supports that routines:
✅ Prime the Brain for Performance – Engaging in a structured sequence of actions creates a psychological cue that signals “it’s game time,” helping athletes transition into a performance mindset.
✅ Reduce Decision Fatigue – By automating preparation, routines limit unnecessary decisions, conserving mental energy for competition.
✅ Narrow Focus & Reduce Anxiety – Pre-game routines help athletes avoid distractions by giving them a clear process to follow, which calms nerves and boosts confidence.
✅ Enhance Consistency – By following the same process before every game, athletes create a stable mental and physical state, reducing fluctuations in performance. This allows them to take the same approach regardless of whether it is a regular-season game or the championship game.
Leaning into the routine prevents nerves from taking over.
Coaching Athletes to Build Their Pre-Game Routine
As a coach, you can guide your athletes to develop a pre-game routine that works for them. Here’s how:
1️⃣ Start with What Works
Encourage athletes to reflect on past performances. When did they feel their best? What actions led to that? Use those insights as a foundation.
2️⃣ Create a Step-by-Step Process
A great routine should include:
- Physical Activation – Dynamic warm-ups, stretching, or specific drills to wake up the body.
- Mental Preparation – Visualization, breathing exercises, or positive self-talk to create focus.
- Game-Specific Cues – Reviewing strategy, watching film, or rehearsing key plays to sharpen readiness.
3️⃣ Keep It Simple & Repeatable
A routine shouldn’t be overly complex. The goal is consistency, so athletes can rely on it in any environment.
4️⃣ Practice It Before Every Game
Like any skill, routines need repetition to become automatic. Have athletes commit to their pre-game process before practices and scrimmages, not just big games.
5️⃣ Adjust & Refine Over Time
Encourage athletes to evaluate their routines. If something isn’t working, tweak it. The best routines evolve to meet the athlete’s needs.
Sample Routine
Here was the base routine we used this season. Athletes were allowed to make some alterations as long as they remained engaged with their teammates. I did have two non-negotiables. Phones away at 45 minutes before tipoff and no headphones for warmup,
60 min prior to tip - Arrive at the gym
50 min- get ready; uniform, bathroom etc
40 min visualization and relaxation
35 min coach reminders
30 min physical dynamic warmup
20 min on floor warmup
2 min reminders
Tip-off
Key Coaching Point
Help your players understand that at each step, their focus should narrow so they are ready at tipoff.
They also need to be taught to relax or energize, depending on how they are feeling, as the game nears. Being too hyped up 50 minutes before game time isn't helpful, nor is feeling like napping as the game approaches.
This is what sets them up to play their best.
Pre-game routines separate the prepared from the unprepared.
They give athletes a sense of control, helping them step onto the field or court focused, confident, and ready to compete.
The difference between a scattered mind and a locked-in athlete is often the quality of their pre-game routine
A Great Read
Cody Royle has written great books on coaching (I recommend any of them), hosted a great podcast (Where others won't) and now works providing coaches with a second set of eyes.
I respect his perspective on coaching.
His newsletter, Coaching Craft, is always insightful.
This week, he asked a great question. Where's the Quentin Tarantino of coaching?
Why are there so few innovative coaches? A great question.
You can read it here.
When I get together with my coaching buddies, our discussions frequently lead us to similar conclusions, but Cody was much more eloquent.
I would love to hear your thoughts on it.
The Key to Effective Professional Development is Honest Assessment.
I love to learn, and over the last two decades, that has meant diving into all things coaching.
I have purchased a lot of videos, read books, attended a ton of clinics, and eventually pursued a master’s degree, all in the name of professional growth.
I do not want to see what I have financially invested in my development.
Some of it profoundly impacted my coaching, sometimes it had a profound impact on the direction of my life, sometimes it was a waste of time and money.
I have a library of books and coaching DVDs (what the hell am I going to do with all of them? Disc Golf?) that were occasionally hit or miss.
As a young coach, I chased anything shiny. The new offense, the video from the hot name in basketball, or the quick hitter that would put my team over the top.
After years of investing money, I finally found a path to meaningful professional development that works for me. It all starts with honest self-assessment.
Here are a few steps I take at the end of each season to try and find what I need to work on during the offseason.
1️⃣ Solicit feedback from my players
What went well and what would they do differently next season?
I like to find out what I can do as a coach to enhance the experience for my athletes. I am always surprised by the answers to these questions. This year, the answer was a greater variety of shooting drills in practice. The takeaway wasn’t to diversify my portfolio of shooting drills. I have plenty of them.
It's making sure they understand that I want to know when they are bored with a specific drill so I can create an environment that stimulates them.
Lesson learned.
2️⃣ Meet with coaching staff from all levels
The process is similar for coaches across all levels of your program.
What went well, what do we need to do differently next season?
This conversation was extremely insightful for us this year. Our staff identified several common weaknesses across our teams.
Primarily shooting the ball.
This provides a focus to create consistency in how we teach shooting across the program and offering more shooting time in the gym.
3️⃣ Assess strengths and weaknesses on the floor
What is your program known for? What caused your team challenges during the season?
Is your team easy to prepare to play, or do your opponents have to dedicate time to prepare for your style? What does the best team in your league do to be successful?
My goal is always to be a team that our opponents need to prepare for, so I try to learn about new tactics that fit what I assume will be our roster construction and are different from what everyone else is doing. I also want to keep the top team in mind.
Mark Twain wrote:
"The best swordsman in the world doesn't need to fear the second best swordsman in the world; no, the person for him to be afraid of is some ignorant antagonist who has never had a sword in his hand before; he doesn't do the thing he ought to do, and so the expert isn't prepared for him; he does the thing he ought not to do; and often it catches the expert out and ends him on the spot"
How can we be the unconventional swordsman?
I wrote more about this in issue #70, you can read it here
4️⃣Assess strengths and weaknesses off the floor
In the last five off-seasons, my focus has shifted to the development of the humans I coach.
This is the area of coaching that I believe makes the largest impact on both performance and their lives.
Improving the culture of my team, developing leaders, and teaching them mental performance skills has helped me find a renewed purpose that does not involve the scoreboard
I have found it much more impactful than a new play or drill.
5️⃣Determine what is the best way to address weaknesses with time & money available.
When I started coaching, professional development options were limited. The Nike Coaching Conferences or videos from Championship Productions.
This has completely flipped today. There are so many different opportunities for coaches to engage in professional development.
How do you choose from all of the conferences, videos, subscriptions, mentorships, or cohort-based courses?
All have their value, but what fits your program best?
Hopefully, all of it motivates coaches to learn, improve and maintain a growth mindset. I find the cohort-based course to be a very effective way to improve my coaching. Small groups allow coaches to form relationships, share ideas & experiences, and also provide support when the season gets hard (it always does).
6️⃣ Set Goals to improve one skill, one tactical area, and one cultural/team-building area.
After taking an honest look at your program, I would recommend finding one focal point in the areas, skill development, tactical planning and one important area of off-court development.
This year all five coaches are working towards the same goals with a few slight differences in focal point, and I am interested to see if there is consistent improvement across the whole program.
How can I help you on your coaching journey?
Let's work together.
I help coaches thrive.
I would love to help you or your team build a competitive advantage. Here are a few ways I can help:
- Join our community
- Consult with your team or coaching staff
- Teach mental skills to your team via Zoom
- Work 1 on 1 with coaches
- Work 1 on 1 with athletes
Shoot me an email, I love to talk coaching and see how I can help you.
Coaching is hard, let's make it easier.
Send me an email at jasonpayne@evolutionmpc.com
Thanks for reading and have a great week.
