Mental Soccer Skills Training- The Hook
Introducing our newest Team Member Anthony Lanzillo. Anthony is a Sports Counselor and Mental Skills Trainer to athletes. He is the Developer The Mental Peak Playbook and The Mental Tune-Up as training materials for athletes. Anthony writes on mental skills for various sports and has guided professional players back from injury in overcoming psychological boundaries. Anthony brings a wealth of experience to our team and will be a huge asset to our community going forward. Welcome Aboard Anthony.
Here’s a few samples of what to expect over the coming months:
The Hook
At one of your soccer practices, gather your players together and show them a door or wall hook. Ask the players what a hook is used for and talk about how hooks are used to hang clothes and coats so that they don’t fall down to the floor. Then begin talking to your players about encouraging each of them to find their own personal hooks…so that they don’t fall down mentally or emotionally. The hook is their answer to the question “why?” or “what hooks you?” Why do you love playing soccer? Why is this game important to you? Why do you want to learn how to play soccer? Tell them that without the “why”, there is no what, where, how or when in sports.
The hook fuels their desire to play and devotion to the game. It directly impacts every facet of their preparation in practice and performance in a game. It will set the tone for how they approach their conditioning and training. Their hook is the one thing that will hold them up when they are feeling down, when they think that they are not playing well or even feel like quitting. It is at the core of who they are as players and how they choose to practice and play.
As a coach, it is very important that you help each of your players find or discover their love (hook) for the game of soccer, and to continuously remind them to carry this love with them throughout all their training, practices and games. It will sustain them on good days and revive them on the bad days.
The Anchor
At another team practice, bring the team together and show them an anchor from a boat. Ask your players what an anchor is used for, and talk about how an anchor keeps a boat steady and in one place; and is especially important when the boat is in bad weather and turbulent waters.
Now talk to your players about the game of soccer, and that there will be times in a practice or game when they may make a mistake or don’t play up to their expectations, and then they become mentally or emotionally upset. Given the physical demands and emotional stress of playing the game, there will be times when a player may need a “mental anchor” to keep him steady and composed. They may feel like they are emotionally drowning or being pulled under, and that they can’t keep their heads above the “turbulent waters” of a challenging or difficult moment in a practice or game.
Encourage each of them to find a specific word, image, quote, or piece of music that they can use to help them refocus, stay mentally steady and become reenergized. It can help them regain their composure and confidence in any situation of the practice or a game. And then, during various practices, point to a particular player and ask him what is his anchor and in what kind of situations that he will want to use it.
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Article By:
Anthony Lanzillo
