The NEXT Play System: Reset Fast and Dominate the Next Rep

Mistakes happen. A bad pass, a turnover, a missed shot. It is part of the game.

But the difference lies between regular athletes and the elite ones. Most athletes get stuck replaying the mistake. Physically, they have moved on. Mentally, they are still in the past. That means the next rep is already lost.

Elite athletes do not stay there. They flip the switch, move on immediately, and lock back into the moment.

Recently we’ve been hearing a lot of athletes, parents, and coaches talk about either staying in the last play, or not knowing how to move on to the next one.

This is the NEXT Play System, a repeatable reset system to keep your head clear, your confidence high, and your performance sharp.

The NEXT System

NEXT stands for:

• N = Now
• E = Explode
• X = X-Out
• T = Time

Here is how athletes use it.

N = Now

It is either now or never.

Think of a sprinter at the start line. When the gun fires, there is no pause. They launch. Same with you. If you hesitate after a mistake, you drag it into the next play.

Athlete example: One of our basketball players claps twice after every turnover. That clap is his reset trigger. By the time the ball is inbounded, he is fully back in the game.

When I played, I would replay one turnover for three possessions, and it would wreck my rhythm. I wish I had a reset trigger back then. Or, if I’d miss a shot, it would have me missing every shot after!

I learned if I could leave it behind, the worry would be left behind too!

When you go, the worry goes.

E = Explode

Do not crawl out of mistakes. Blast out of them.

Slow is sticky. Quick is clean. If you move slowly after a mistake, you are carrying it. If you explode, you shake it off.

Athlete example: A volleyball player we coach takes three quick steps forward after every error. That micro-sprint is her explosive reset, her way of saying “I am still here, I am still locked in.”

I am an explosive player. Yes, I have ran a marathon, but on the track, field, or court, the quick step is my greatest advantage! It reminds me every time to explode out of the last play and leave it in the dust!

Momentum in games often swings with energy. Create your own momentum by exploding into the next rep.

X = X-Out

Mistakes do not belong on your back.

Learn from them, then cross them out. Imagine drawing a big red X over the mistake and stamping “NEXT” in green.

Athlete example: A quarterback we work with writes down mistakes during film review, then marks a red X through them. He is training his brain to learn the lesson without carrying the weight forward.

It’s harder than we think to x-out those big moments. But, it is something we must do! So to make it easiest on myself and our athletes, we write down our goals or tasks, especially if an event happened, and with a red pen, cross it out.

Mark it. Learn it. Leave it.

T = Time

Time is tighter than you think.

A week has 168 hours. How many of those are actual reps in your sport?

• High school athletes: 10 to 15
• College athletes: about 40
• Club players: maybe 2 to 3

That is not much. Every rep matters. Scouts are not at every game. Coaches do not hand out endless opportunities.

Athlete example: A player we coach has an alarm titled “168” that goes off every 6 hours. It is a reminder that every rep is rare and wasting one on replaying a mistake is too expensive.

Whenever I work with a team or an athlete, we break down the season. Yes, some understand already how short and quick it goes, but others, are not as aware. The season goes by fast! We must make the most of it.

Respect the clock. Respect your reps.

How Athletes Use the NEXT System

We have seen athletes at every level build confidence with this system:

• A basketball guard who used “clap and go” after turnovers to stay aggressive.
• A volleyball hitter who sprinted three steps after errors to reset energy.
• A quarterback who crossed out mistakes on film to free up his mind for the next drive.
• A golfer who wrote “168” on his notes to remember the urgency of each rep.

The common thread? They did not let one mistake own two plays.

*insert map going to red x

Takeaway

The NEXT Play System gives you four simple steps:

• NOW: Reset immediately.
• EXPLODE: Shake mistakes off with energy.
• X-OUT: Mark the error, then move on.
• TIME: Treat every rep like it matters.

Lose one play, not two. Reset fast. Stay composed. Level up.

Ready to Train It?

Do not over complicate it. Keep the NEXT Play System simple, and start with one letter! Then, let me know how it goes! I love to hear about the mental strength training journeys.

If you want to make the NEXT Play System automatic so your reset is second nature, let’s build it together.

→ Click here to schedule a free mental training call. We will walk through one custom mental exercise you can use right away in your next game or practice. No catch, seriously. Book it and lets get training together.

I’ll catch you on the NEXT play ;)

Gabe, TAH