Slow The Game Down- Winning the Mental Game Of Soccer
“A player who gets nervous will speed things up, and this typically will have a negative impact on performance.” -Jason Selk
10 Minute Toughness: The Mental-Training Program For Winning Before The Game Begins
“When we worry, our minds are not paying attention to the reality of the moment, and making good decisions can be very difficult, since important information is not being recognized and considered within our thought processes.” -Craig Manning
The Fearless Mind: 5 Essential Steps To Higher Performance
“A struggling athlete will think of all matters except the task at hand while he’s competing. That’s a loss of focus, due to weakened mental discipline.” -H. A. Dorfman
Coaching The Mental Game
Given the fast-paced nature of soccer, as well as the physical demands and emotional intensity of the game, it is very easy for players to become mentally distracted and speed the game up in their minds. When this happens, these players will be more anxious, are not paying attention to what is happening in the moment, and often make bad decisions. As a coach, it is important for you to teach your players how to mentally slow the game down so that they can play with greater concentration and composure.
There are seven key steps that a soccer player can take to slow things down and think more clearly in order to make good decisions on the field:
1. Play in the present moment
2. Focus on what you control
3. Concentrate on what you want to do
4. Tune out the distractions around you
5. Take a deep breath
6. Let go of the last mistake
7. Avoid the mental landmines of complaining or blaming yourself or others
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Article By:
Anthony Lanzillo
thementalprepcoach.blogspot.com
