5 Proven Ways to Help Young Athletes Build Confidence (That Lasts)

Let’s be honest—confidence can make or break a young athlete’s season.

You’ve probably seen it: the kid who nails every drill in practice but freezes in games… or the player who won’t shoot, pass, or lead—not because they can’t, but because they don’t believe they can.

Confidence isn’t just a “nice-to-have.” It’s the foundation of growth, performance, and long-term development. And here’s the good news: confidence is coachable.

1. Celebrate Effort, Not Just Outcomes

We all love a scoreboard win. But if the only praise your athletes hear is for points, goals, or wins, you’re sending a subtle message: You’re only valuable when you succeed.

Instead:

• Praise hustle plays.

• Shout out smart decisions—even when they don’t work out.

• Reinforce effort during tough stretches.

Pro tip: Use language like, “I loved how aggressive you were on that rebound,” or “You made the right read—keep going!”

2. Give Them Small Wins Early and Often

Confidence grows with repetition and reward.

Design drills or game situations where every player can experience success. A well-timed drill tweak can be the difference between discouragement and a breakthrough moment.

Start practices with:

• “Win your 1v1” drills

• Simple challenges they can complete fast

• Games with no pressure, just flow

Build momentum.

3. Let Them Fail (But Frame It the Right Way)

Failure is a part of sport. But young athletes often fear it like the plague—because no one taught them it’s normal.

Your job? Normalize mistakes. Frame them as part of the process.

Try saying:

• “Mistakes mean you’re stretching your limits.”

• “We’re not avoiding failure—we’re learning from it.”

Confidence doesn’t come from avoiding failure. It comes from learning they can recover from it.

4. Create Roles for Every Athlete

Not every player is a scorer. Not every kid is a vocal leader.

But every athlete should know how they help the team.

Try this:

• Give each player a “superpower”—what they bring uniquely.

• Reinforce that role consistently during games and practices.

When players feel needed, they feel confident.

5. Model Calm, Focused Energy

Confidence is contagious—and so is anxiety.

If you’re frantic, yelling, or visibly frustrated… guess what? Your players absorb that. But if you’re composed, calm, and solution-focused? They mirror that, too.

Your energy is the emotional thermostat of the team. Set it on “belief.”

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Final Thought: Confidence Isn’t Built in a Day

You don’t build confidence with one great pep talk.

You build it in the hundreds of little moments—how you speak, how you correct, how you celebrate. And think outside the box in terms of how best to reach your athletes – coaching doesn’t always need to occur from the sidelines or in practice. Indeed, some athletes respond more/less to different approaches. For instance, NetCamps offers tools like skill assessments and photo sharing that can be used to reinforce both behaviors and focus areas for athletes that prefer the written word or visual examples.

And when you intentionally coach confidence, you unlock a whole new version of your athletes.

The one who steps up. The one who takes risks. The one who believes.