30 Compliment Statements You Can Use During Practice

Parents that are supportive, enthusiastic, and actively motivate their children are greatly appreciated by coaches, members of the team, and other parents. It’s too easy to be focused on winning and to see mistakes that players make. Some spectators even try to manipulate the game by making comments that decrease motivation in the opposing team. This is poor sportsmanship. Baseball is, and should always be, about the pleasure of the game. A perfect praise during practice, or during a game, is one of the greatest gifts you can give a player.

Compliments have increased value when they are specific, authentic, well-timed, and clear. Compliments can be focused on an individual’s technical competency or skill, the effort or improvement that a player has made, or his / her sportsmanship and team building activities.

Baseball is about more than winning. It is about camaraderie; personal goals, challenges, and achievements; and above all, having fun!

Words of Encouragement

Below you will find 30 compliment statements you can use during practice to encourage young players to build confidence.

1. Good effort. I can see how much of a challenge that was, and you really gave it your all.
2. All that extra practicing is really paying off!
3. Way to tag on the ground!
4. That was the most accurate throw we’ve seen all day – you’ve set us all with a challenge!
5. Your swing is looking good!
6. I’m proud of you.
7. Nice teamwork.
8. Excellent sportsmanship.
9. Your enthusiasm is making this practice a lot more enjoyable for all of us.
10. Way to challenge yourself!
11. Thanks for your hard work out there.
12. You are a valuable part of this team.
13. It’s a joy to watch you play this game!
14. Your batting is consistent. Excellent hitting.
15. That’s a skill I’d like you to teach others on the team.
16. I can tell you love this game!
17. Way to watch out for each other and play as a team.
18. I wish I had gotten that last home run on video! It was a beauty!
19. Nice focus! Nice concentration!
20. Nice job communicating with each other and working together. Now that’s teamwork!
21. Good balance.
22. Great perseverance. Keep it up!
23. I can tell that was hard work for you. You pulled through very well.
24. Here comes today’s most dedicated player.
25. That was an outstanding play. Can you do that again?
26. Excellent technique. Great form.
27. You really understand this game!
28. You’ve just shown us all that baseball requires mental as well as physical agility.
29. You listened, you reflected, and you took action on the field. Nice improvement.
30. Your attitude toward your teammates and towards the game is exactly what this sport is about.

 

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Don’t Forget Nicknames for Players – Creative and Fun Ways to Give Compliments

Baseball is a game where almost every player seems to have a nickname. Kids also love nicknames, and one way to compliment a play is to give them a nickname that speaks to their strengths or a spectacular play. Not only is it a lot of fun, but it is also a creative way to single kids out for a skill that they have demonstrated. For example, “Miles” for the player who hits balls that seem to go miles away; “Diamond” for a gem of a player, the master of the diamond; or “Scooter” for the fastest runner.

Take a card from the pros, if you’re looking for some nickname ideas. Many of the baseball greats have legendary nicknames:
• “Joltin” Joe DiMaggio – Joe received this name because he hit the baseball very hard.
• George Herman “Babe” Ruth – The New York Yankees’ Babe Ruth is one of baseball’s most known players. As a young boy, he always wanted to play baseball with the older neighborhood children. When they wouldn’t let him, he would cry, and the neighborhood kids called him a baby.
• Ted “The Splendid Splinter” Williams – Tall and thin, with a splendid swing, this legendary player came to be known as “The Splendid Splinter.”
• Mitch “The Wild Thing” Williams – The major league pitcher used to hit and walk a lot of batters, and he also threw wild pitches. In addition to his wild pitching motion, he also had wild hair!

Compliments help motivate players. Particularly during practice, kids appreciate encouragement and recognition. Confidence-building is essential for kids, and practice is a great time to shell out compliments! With confidence, a kid can put his or her best foot forward in a difficult situation, and know his or her strengths and weaknesses. There are a million ways to compliment a player during practice, don’t hold back! Some say that 90% of baseball is mental, not physical. Your compliments help support players to build confidence and operate effectively as a team – skills that are essential both off and on the baseball diamond.