A Night at the Fall League
I recently went to watch three of my basketball clients in New Jersey’s high school fall league.
It was a treat because I love the game. I loved playing basketball in high school (even though I wasn’t very good). I loved coaching even more because it was easier for me to explain than to play.
Basketball is simple in concept, but it demands precise execution at a rapid pace.
That makes it a great classroom for decision-making in sports.
It was also a treat because I don’t often get to watch my clients play.
Observation is an invaluable part of my work, but not always easy to do. On Monday, I not only got the chance to watch, but also to connect with parents.
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What Better Decision-Making in Sports Looks Like
A few months ago, I wrote about one of my basketball clients — a freshman when we started, now a junior.
👉 You can read that story here
This week, I saw his growth with my own eyes.
The biggest change?
His decision-making.
He spent the summer training it, and it showed that Monday night.
He scanned the floor before the ball came his way.
He knew his options in advance.
Space? Shoot.
Pressure? Drive or pass.
A miss? Nothing changed — same effort, same approach.
That’s what impressed me most: his ability to make decisions consistently, regardless of outcome.
That is what true consistency looks like.
It isn’t making every shot. It’s running the same process on every possession, whether the last one went well or not.
The OODA Loop: A Model for Decision-Making in Sports
Lately, I’ve been studying decision-making through the “OODA Loop,” created by U.S. military strategist John Boyd:
Observe.
Orient.
Decide.
Act.
On a basketball court, the loop looks like this:
- Observe: See the floor. Where are the defenders, the help, and the open teammate?
- Orient: Make sense of what you see. Is there space, or is there pressure?
- Decide: Pick the option. Shoot, drive, or pass.
- Act: Commit to it with full effort.
Then the loop starts over on the next possession.
The faster an athlete cycles through this loop, the greater their advantage. However, the real challenge isn’t speed — it’s maintaining the loop no matter what just happened.
A missed shot or a turnover is where the loop tends to break. The athlete stops observing the play in front of them and starts replaying the one behind them. That is overthinking, and it slows down every step of the loop. Good decision-making in sports depends on getting back to “observe” quickly.
That’s what I saw from my client that night.
The Real Test: When the Volume Gets Turned Up
And it’s what we discussed in our next session.
I asked him: “Do you think you’ll approach meaningful games the same way you did this week?”
He paused. Then asked, “Are you saying I might not play as hard during the regular season?”
“Not harder,” I said. “But will you be more affected by the results of your decisions?”
“Oh,” he replied. “Like mood changes and stuff?”
He understood right away, once I clarified that the real test would be executing the same process when the volume gets turned up.
That’s why the next few months matter — consistent practice now is preparation for pressure later.
Decision-making in sports gets tested most when the result matters, because that is when athletes start to overthink.
I closed our session like this:
“I want you to be prepared. I want you to show up, make good decisions, and play with 100% effort no matter what.”
He smiled and said:
“Kind of like prepare for everything? You can never prepare too much, I guess.”
Exactly.
3 Proven Ways to Beat Overthinking and Improve Decision-Making in Sports
So, how will he cement his mental approach leading up to his high school season?
- Consistently using his existing routines. Routines give an athlete a familiar starting point before every practice, every game, and after every mistake. They give the mind a job, which leaves less room for overthinking. Performance routines for athletes work because they stay the same when the stakes change.
- Increasing challenges, consequences, and risks in practice. Decisions feel easy when nothing is on the line. Adding a score, a clock, or a consequence to a drill lets an athlete rehearse decision-making in sports in conditions closer to a real game. The more familiar those conditions feel, the less there is to overthink when the games count.
- Holding himself accountable. After each game, the honest questions are about the process, not the stat line. Did I see the floor? Did I know my options? Did I keep my approach after a miss? Questions like these keep the review short and specific, so it doesn’t turn into replaying every mistake.
For more on this, read my post on overthinking under pressure.
What Parents Can Watch For
If you go to your athlete’s games, you can see decision-making in sports for yourself.
Watch the possession right after a mistake.
Does it look like the one before it, or do the effort and body language change?
A change can be a sign that your athlete is still thinking about the last play.
That one moment says a lot about consistency. It also gives you something better to ask about on the ride home than the final score.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is decision-making in sports?
Decision-making in sports is how an athlete reads a situation, chooses an option, and commits to it, often in a second or less. In basketball, that means knowing whether to shoot, drive, or pass before the ball arrives.
Can decision-making in sports be trained?
Yes. The player in this story spent a summer working on it. Athletes improve by scanning early, knowing their options in advance, and practicing in situations that carry real consequences.
What is the OODA Loop?
The OODA Loop is a decision cycle created by U.S. military strategist John Boyd. It stands for Observe, Orient, Decide, Act. Athletes move through it on every play, and the goal is to keep the loop going no matter what just happened.
Why does overthinking hurt decision-making in sports?
Overthinking pulls an athlete’s attention back to the last play and away from the one in front of them. When a game matters more, athletes tend to be more affected by the results of their decisions. A miss changes their mood, and their mood changes the next choice. Routines and higher-stakes practice help them run the same process when the volume gets turned up.
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Michael Huber is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant® with a Master’s Degree in Sport Psychology. My mission is to help athletes ages 14 to 22 be themselves when everyone is watching. Learn more about me.