There are four things to remember when coaching mentally disabled athletes. The first thing that needs to happen is that the coach needs to break the skill required down into its most basic components. By breaking down the skills into the most basic components, then the athlete can master each skill in order. For example, to put on a batting helmet, the first skill is to pick up the helmet. The second skill is to put it on your head. The third skill is to fasten the strap.
The second one is repetition. These athletes need to repeat the same thing many more times than the average athlete. Depending on the level of mental challenge, the athlete may need to practice picking up their helmet many times before they are ever ready to start placing it on their heads.
The third one is that the mentally disabled athletes do not respond to yelling. They will simply melt and become overwhelmed. Therefore, it is very important to stay positive with these athletes.
The fourth thing to remember when working with mentally disabled athletes is that they really do not care who wins or looses. For them, the fact that they got to participate is the most important thing.