Post-Game Routines

You just stepped off the field, and you had a big win. You played well, but there were a lot of things you wished you did differently. Some things for which you had prepared didn’t happen. Still, everyone is excited about winning, and you will be celebrating tonight.

This is a typical scenario in the locker room after a victory. Flip it on its head to a loss and I’ll tell you the same thing. Post-game is a time for decompressing and reflecting, not criticism and detail.

Post-game is not a time to review detail about what went right and what went wrong. Save that for the next practice.

This is a time to unwind and relieve the intense focus you have been building for days or weeks. It can be a confusing period for an athlete, as sometimes you may feel “relieved” that a game is over even if you lost. There are logical reasons for this. Don’t let feeling “relieved” that the game is over be confused with the fact that you are disappointed that you lost.

Here is another Sports Psychology Paradox, as it is perfectly normal to have several conflicting emotions after a game and you need to parse them out. Conflicting emotions can occur if

your team lost, but you played well. Conversely, they can also come up if your team won and you played poorly. Much effort and intensity has been put into the game and it is complex. At

the proper time, let yourself assess all aspects of the performance holistically to improve all of them.

It is time to celebrate if you won, and if you lost, it is still important to bond with your teammates, family, and friends and reflect generally on what transpired. So getting dinner, for

example, with the team after a win or a loss is a good bonding experience to build camaraderie.

On the physical level, post-game is for stretching, massages, saunas, and ice tubs. You want to take these steps so that you are recovering properly. This includes fitting and healthy nutrition and supplements as well.

The recommendation for post-game is for you to assess, and

for coaches to review, the “Big Things”: effort, focus, toughness, etc. Save the details about missing a block or a screen in the second quarter for the next practice or film session. This type of detail can be overwhelming after a game, and it will simply not be digestible after an intense contest. Win or lose, you just want to reflect on big issues right after the game, and save

minute details for the next practice and film review.