My Game Day Coaching Routine

I am often asked by other coaches, what my Game Day Routine is as a coach, what do I do to build myself up to the game.

Well no matter what time the game is on the day my actually routine doesn't change, the timing of each thing in the routine may change slightly but the general activities within the routine doesn't. This is generally what I like to do.

- After I wake up in the morning on game day I like to go out and take a bit of a walk, this isn't a long walk often its to get a paper, or a coffee or even just to a local park where I might sit on a bench and just watch the world go by around me, this I find helps me to clear my head and begin my day.

- I will then have a light breakfast, normally some toast or cereal nothing to heavy

- Then I finishing packing my coaching bag, making sure I have everything I need in there. This bag generally includes my magnetic board etc.

- Then I will review my game notes, the line-up and my opposition intel which I acquired from my forward scouting etc.

- Next I go and have a shower and get dressed and ready to go.

- After getting dressed, then I step off the routine a bit depending on the time of the game and either watch a bit of TV, generally some sort of sport, or listen to Sports radio.

- Then depending on game time, I will have a light lunch, if time doesn't allow a light snack.

- Then I get my head-phones on and turn on my music and off I go to the ground. I will generally listen to music all the way to the ground, I like to do this as it gives me that alone time to focus and get my ready for my players.

- I will arrive at the ground a good hour before the players start arriving, and during this time I like to watch other games or chat to people I may know at the ground.

- As the players arrive I like to greet each as they come in, with a smile and hello, and just check in see how they are feeling.

- Then about 50 minutes before start time we head down into the rooms, and I give my pre-game talk to the players, I try to make sure this is kept to a minimum and short as possible with only key points and not allot of detail, fact is by this stage the players can only take on a small amount of info.

- Then the players go off to warm-up and I will stay and chat to the Manager and just relax.

- Then we hit the turf, and I am giving my last minute messages to individual players, and also looking at the opposition to pick up any last minute points.

- I will then go shake the oppositions hand and wish them luck and also the umpires, I think this is very important.

- Then with a few minutes to go, we come back to get and I simple say ok lets take the game away from them.

Then we are into it.

So thats pretty much my routine, and while it may change slightly in terms of the timing of it depending on game time, mostly the pattern is the same. As Coaches I urge you to make sure you develop your own routines.