Ron Schmittling is a renowned Mental Performance Coach and author of Winning Starts Within who contributes articles frequent with us.

Ron is excellent at providing ideas, tips and training on how to improve “mental performance for fastpitch athletes!

In today’s post, Ron tells us what confidence is, how we can lose it and, most importantly, how to get it back so we maximize our performances!

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She looks unstoppable in practice. Line drives. Smooth swings. Confident body language.

Then the game starts.

Her swing tightens. She’s late on pitches she crushed yesterday. After one strikeout, the confidence that felt solid an hour ago is suddenly gone.

Parents say she “lost confidence.”

Coaches say she needs to “believe in herself.”

But here’s the truth most people miss: Confidence doesn’t disappear. It gets replaced.

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The Confidence Myth

Most athletes believe confidence is something you feel.
When they feel good, they play well.
When they don’t, confidence must be “gone.”

That’s backwards.

Game pressure doesn’t remove confidence — it exposes what it’s built on.

If confidence is built on:

• Results
• Praise
• Past success
• “I feel good today”

…it won’t survive competition.

Because games introduce uncertainty:

• Better pitchers
• Faster speed
• Tougher situations
• More eyes
• Higher stakes

And when uncertainty rises, confidence based on comfort collapses.

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What Replaces Confidence in Games

When confidence fades, something always fills the gap.

Usually it’s:

• Fear of failure
• Overthinking mechanics
• Playing not to mess up
• Worry about outcomes
• Self-talk like “Don’t strike out”

The athlete doesn’t suddenly become less talented.
They become less anchored.

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The Confidence That Actually Works

Game-ready confidence is not a feeling. It’s a structure.

Elite athletes don’t ask:

“Do I feel confident?”

They ask:

“Do I know what I’m focused on right now?”

That’s the difference.

Confidence that survives pressure is built on:

• Clear cues
• Simple intentions
• Repeatable routines
• Commitment to the next action

Not emotion.

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The 3-Part Confidence Reset

Here’s what to say — and train — instead:

1. Shrink the Window

Pressure grows when athletes think big:

“I need a hit.”
“We need this run.”
“I can’t mess up.”

Instead, shrink the moment:

“See the ball.”
“Win this pitch.”
“One breath. One swing.”

Small windows create stability.

2. Anchor to a Cue

Confidence returns when the mind has something specific to do.

Examples:

• “Drive it middle.”
• “Fast hands.”
• “Stay tall.”
• “Smooth and aggressive.”

Not mechanical corrections — trust cues

3. Commit Without Negotiation

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Why Practice Confidence Lies

Practice confidence is built in controlled environments:

• No consequences
• Familiar pitchers
• Comfort and repetition

Game confidence is built by training pressure, not avoiding it.

Athletes who train only when things feel good are shocked when games feel hard.

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Your Challenge This Week:

• For Athletes:

Before every at-bat or pitch, answer one question: “What am I focused on right now?”

Not results. Not feelings… FOCUS!

• For Coaches:

Stop asking, “Are you confident?”

Start asking, “What’s your cue?”

• For Parents:

Replace “You’ve got this” with: “What are you focusing on?”

Confidence doesn’t disappear. It just needs something stronger to stand on… and that’s the real mental edge!

— Ron Schmittling for Line Drive Softball

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Previous Articles:

• Mental Mindset: Why “Just Relax” Is the Worst Advice in Softball (Jan. 5, 2026)
• Mental Mindset: The 5-Second Rule That Separates Winners from Quitters (December 13, 2025)
• Mental Mindset: From Dropout Statistics to Champions… Why the Mental Game Can’t Wait (November 24, 2025)

Want More?

NEW BOOK: 

Written specifically for softball athletes, Into The Storm (Book 1 of the Lighthouse Trilogy) follows the emotional and mental battles of one athlete’s journey, teaching how resilience, confidence, and focus are built one pitch, one play, and one response at a time. Available on Amazon… CLICK HERE!

NEW COURSE: 

Athlete Level 1 – Foundations is a new foundational online course designed for softball players, helping them develop focus, emotional control, and confidence under pressure. 

Learn more by CLICKING HERE!

COACHES:

Want your whole team trained in these tools? I deliver 60-90 minute workshops where players and teams learn and apply these techniques immediately.

Ron’s Podcast LINK

Author Bio:

THE MENTAL EDGE is written by Ron Schmittling, MPM—Certified Mental Performance Coach, NFCA Coach of the Year finalist, and author of Winning Starts Within. After more than a decade coaching and directing a national fastpitch program with a 100 percentage college placement rate, Ron now trains the mental side of the game, helping athletes stay composed under pressure, reset fast, and compete with clarity and confidence.

Here’s how to access Ron directly and via his info on social media:

• E-mail: ron@coachronmpm.com

• Online (website): coachronmpm.com

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachronmpm

Want More? Here are More Ways to Get Ron’s Great Insights into Having the Mental Edge:

*30 Day Mental Performance Challenge

My challenge helps fastpitch athletes, coaches and parents train the mental side of the game with simple, daily tools for confidence, focus and fast recovery when pressure hits.  Click HERE to join

*”Winning Starts Within” (Ron’s book & E-book)

My book breaks down the 10 mental skills every athlete needs—including the 3 R’s, routines, visualization, and how to build confidence that doesn’t crack under pressure. Available on Amazon or CoachRonMPM.com.

* Mental Edge Workshots

Coaches: how would you like your whole team trained in these tools? I deliver 60-to-90-minute workshops where players and teams learn and apply these techniques immediately.

Here is the link to his 1:1 Coaching or Team Informational Session Link.