Late Season Challenges

Coaches,

I'm interested to know what type of problems you are facing as you head into the State Championship tournaments.  Some teams are on the rise, while others are fighting to avoid a tailspin.   Others might find themselves on a performance roller coaster not sure of how to get some consistency and peak at tournament time.  Please share with us your experiences and any unique steps you take comign into tournament time to handle these challenges.  What I usually have found as a coach is that players, and even often coaching staffs wear down mentally from the intense schedules and can lose focus on key elements which are success to performances.  Usually about this time of year I pull out every players team and individual goal sheets and remind them foremost of why they must continue to work so hard, and the daily practice steps necessary to be champions.  I'd love to hear what others coaches do to motivate their teams to avoid the grind becoming their biggest opponent.