Championship Chat with Coach Tim Walton

"Can’t Be a 3 star coach with 5 star talent"

Coaches in the Georgia Impact had the opporunity to chat with Coach Tim Walton, 5x SEC Coach of the Year, about team culture, building trust within team relationships, mental preparation, and the importance of consistent routines.

Coach Walton provided templates and tools that he uses with his team, that have been added to our Coach's Playbook on our website, giving us practical strategies we can implement within our teams to strengthen our organization.

Tim's Coaching Style and Team Culture

• Tim discussed his coaching style, emphasizing the importance of living in the objective world and using a self-evaluation form to understand his players' strengths and weaknesses. He also touched on the significance of setting standards and maintaining a strong team culture.

Building Mental Strength in Athletes

• In the meeting, the importance of building relationships and self-confidence in their players. Tim shared his experiences, highlighting the challenges of accurately assessing players' abilities and the need to balance physical and mental development. Chad expressed his desire to focus on the mental aspects of their players' development, particularly in preparation for university-level sports. Tim agreed, emphasizing the need to spend more time on mental tools and less on physical ones. o discussed the importance of culture and standards in their coaching approach.

Building a physical and a mental routine - in the box, out of the box 

Every player should establish a mental routine -

• Identify where players feel confident

• Mental Skills Checklist - Pre-Game Routine, In-Game Routine, Post-Game Routine 

  • Having a routine simplifies things significantly 

  • In-Game Routine - Awareness of Unproductive Thoughts 

  • Release Routine 

Well rounded athletes are trained in:

• Mechanics

• Plan, Approach & Strategy

• Mental Performance Training - Doing their best when it matters the most 

Focus more on the process and less focus on the outcome!!

Areas to focus on as Coaches that would better prepare players for collegiate softball:

• Incorporate more base running in practices

• Arm Care focus for players (players are getting hurt, not accustomed to the intense workout)

• Focus more on developing players' softball IQ, including relays and cut plays.

• Incorporate more group competition drills in practices to help players perform under pressure.

• Team Practices are not enough for players to be successful - they must practice on their own

  
  

  Zoom Recording:

• Zoom Call 5/15/25 Championship Chat w/Coach Tim Walton
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Templates: Player Self Evaluation | Georgia Impact (Position/Pitcher)

Mental Checklist: Mental Skills Checklist | Georgia Impact

Routine Questionnaire: Routine Questionairre for Players | Georgia Impact