Confidence at Tryouts: Show It; Don’t Wait to Feel It!
By: Brian Haukoos, Mental Performance Coach – Haukoos Performance Coaching

Here’s the deal: a lot of players think confidence is something you either have or you don’t. They wait for the right day, the right hit, or the right feeling to show up before they believe in themselves. But confidence doesn’t work like that. It’s not a feeling you hope shows up, it’s an action you take every time you step on the field.

Control What You Can Control

Baseball is full of stuff you can’t control. Bad hops, umpire calls, even the weather. So stop wasting energy there. Instead, lock in on what you can control:

- How you carry yourself (body language)
- How focused and ready you are
- The words you say to yourself (self-talk)
- How quickly you bounce back from mistakes

That’s what coaches notice. That’s what separates players who stand out.

Body Language

Confidence shows up before you even touch the ball. Stand tall, head up, shoulders back. Move like you belong there. And if you make an error? Don't hang your head, don't give a negative reaction. Reset and get back into position. No slumping, no dragging. Your body language should say, “Next play, I’m ready.”

Focus

Lock in on the moment. Don’t drift, don’t get casual. At the plate: step in with a plan, see it, hit it. In the field: be ready before every pitch. Even when it’s not your turn, stay engaged. Coaches notice the players who are always locked in. Focus on the moment you can control, the present moment.

Self-Talk

The way you talk to yourself matters. If your inner voice is negative, your game will be too. Flip it. Instead of “Don’t strike out,” go with “See it, hit it.” Instead of “Don’t mess up,” or "Don't hit it to me," say “I’m ready. Hit it to me!” Keep it short and simple so you can repeat it under pressure.

Reset Fast

Mistakes happen. Everyone makes them. What matters is how you respond and how fast you move on. Step back, take a breath, and use a reset word like “Next play.” Then get back to competing. Confident players have a great "Next Play Speed." No matter what just happened, good or bad, you've got to quickly move on to the next play. Players who don’t get rattled show real confidence, and coaches love that.

The Bottom Line

Confidence isn’t something you wait to feel. It’s something you do. So at tryouts, focus on what you can control: strong body language, sharp focus, positive self-talk, and quick resets. That’s how you stand out. That’s how you show coaches you’re ready.

Take the Next Step

If you’re serious about leveling up, training your mental game is just as important as training your swing, your mechanics or your speed. That’s where I come in. I help players build confidence, focus, and routines they can trust under pressure. Reach out at brian@h4sports.com to learn more. And be sure to follow Brian on Instagram @BrianHaukoos for more tips and tools you can use to improve your mental game!

About Coach Brian

Brian Haukoos is a Certified Mental Performance Mastery Mental Performance Coach who helps athletes, teams, and competitive professionals build the mental skills, processes, and systems they need to perform with confidence under pressure. A former two-sport collegiate athlete and coach, Brian has also led large national teams in the corporate world before founding Haukoos Performance Coaching and H4 Sports Academy. He works with athletes from youth through professional levels on building confidence, focus, and routines that translate to game-day results.