'Win one for the Gipper' pep talks keep losing their appeal

It's been a long time since I was in a high school locker room before the start of an event.

Like 53 years long.

When I was actually covering sports as a Daily Herald reporter, I might wind up in the locker room after the game to get some quotes -- but never before.

I haven't seen the inside of a locker room before a high school event since I was putting on my spikes for track meets in the spring of 1954.

I have no idea what really goes on there today. I only see the Hollywood version.

From Notre Dame's Knute Rockne, my favorite movie "Hoosiers," and many other highly publicized "win one for the Gipper" speeches, I have observed the powers of the pregame pep talk as portrayed by actors.

I have never heard a real pep talk over the 53 years since my head track and field coach Russ Attis would try to inspire us to run faster, throw farther and jump higher.

In fact, I wonder if there is such a thing as a true pep talk today in high school sports. You know the kind I'm talking about -- the fire-and-brimstone, "It's us against them" speeches.

I do know some coaches question the use of pregame pep talks as a means of psyching their team. Some talks challenge. Others calm.

The players have many different personalities, and what may be good for one who benefits from the stirring pep talk may be bad for the athlete who already is overstressed and intensified with the anticipation of the competition.

It can be petrifying for a teenager if they're pushed beyond their optimal intensity level.

Anxiety is caused by athletes' uncertainty about whether they can meet the demands of coaches, parents, peers or themselves.

The more uncertainty and the more important an outcome is to them can lead to tremendous anxiety.

Words of encouragement and clarifying the game plan by the coach are appropriate, but seeking to instill motivation with a firestorm of words can backfire because it doesn't address the needs of individual players.

One young athlete may need a chest-thumping sermon and kick in the pants before the game starts. The kid sitting next to him or her may respond better to quiet reassurance.

I was somebody who needed quiet reassurance. I always felt I was pumped up enough on the day of our track meets and didn't need any yelling or screaming.

Even at the high school level, the modern athlete is too sophisticated to be worked up into a lather and sent out to win for somebody's Gipper. He or she just wants to win and wants the coach to say how it can be done.

Many coaches give pep talks out of tradition and to help alleviate their own anxiety. They need to choose their words carefully as they remind the kids who they are, what their responsibilities are and what's at stake.

If you've done a good job coaching in high school, your players should have pride in the program and know they're playing for themselves but also for the athletes who represented the school in the past.

The key for coaches giving pep talks is to stay within themselves. Not everybody can give an inspiring speech. Some coaches may trip over themselves when they say anything more exciting than, "Let's go get 'em!"

I would think a little less works much better than a little too much.

Halftime pep talks obviously are dictated by what happened on the field in the first half. They also may come with more volume from the coach if you find yourself on the losing end.

Some of the more colorful stuff happens at halftime when games are hanging in the balance and emotions are high. That's when the coach appeals to perseverance, poise, tradition or toughness.

Coaches, like athletes, are individuals. Some are vocal, energetic, hyper. Others are low-key.

Successful pep talks require work and creative thinking.

The best advice for high school coaches is to be yourself and play to your strengths.

Enthusiasm can be contagious if it doesn't appear contrived.