Encouraging your team is a good thing. When you see your mate in nets play a nice shot, you shout "shot!" because it's the done thing. But, does this encouragement help?

Does it build confidence and help a player improve through positive feedback?

It can do, but only if you do it right.

Let's say your star batsman is in the nets facing a lesser bowler. The batsman can easily play the bowler. A half volley is is slammed into the netting at express pace. Everything is as expected.

Now is not the time to say "good shot".

It was a good shot of course, but it's only to be expected. The batter is far superior. The bowler has served a poor ball and it has been dealt with correctly. What's good about that?

The batsman has not build any more confidence nor improved. It wasn't that good.

Instead save your praise.

Save it for when a buddy does something that is difficult or at the edge of their ability. For example, for the good batsman against the weaker bowler, it's batting with focus for the whole net without getting bored of the poor standard. It's way more powerful to wander up to that guy at the end of the net and say "I know it was pretty easy in there today, but I loved how you stuck to your game plan and never got fed up.".

One sentence like that is worth 10,000 shouts of "shot".

The praise hits home in a stronger way. The person getting the praise appreciates it more because they realise you spotted something most miss: they achieved something challenging.

If you are more sparing with praise in this way, you help your team mates grow.

But hang on...

What if you feel the urge to scream "shooooooot!" Every time the ball hits the middle? It's a tough habit to break.

Try this; for a good shot say "good". If it goes slightly wrong another time say "fair enough". That way you can save the massive praise for genuinely good play and the telling off for genuinely poor play (like slogging because you get bored).

Try it out and watch how people respond. I bet you'll see some fast changes in skill levels.