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The title does not suggest that you will win at soccer by heading the ball. Although the soccer header is a big part of the game, it’s definitely not the most important.
Soccer success and performance can be improved by understanding the mental elements of the game. Factors like concentration, confidence, motivation and belief are significant contributors to your overall performance.
The first step to becoming a better player is to prepare yourself mentality. Your performance is influenced by mental factors. Just like practice improves your skills, mental strength can also be developed and trained.
The easiest way to recognize a player with mental toughness is through his consistent performances and form. Players that are consistent and reliable week in, week out have a certain level of mental toughness. Your main objective in soccer is to play to your best ability, but to also perform consistently.
If you’re reading this and you coach the game, this article also concerns you. As a coach, you are given the duty to develop and improve their game. You must also be aware of these mental factors and encourage their natural progression.
Soccer drills and training should always be a distant second to mental training. The simplest praise or encouragement gives a young player confidence and belief. A young player oozing confidence is a motivated player and one that’s hungry for the game.
Make sure when coaching you instruct with a calm and friendly voice. Shouting, screaming or intimidating should never be used as a coaching aid for young kids. The main objective should be to preserve a young players confidence while teaching them the basics of the game.
A player that smiles and is confident will always outperform a player that’s stressed, unhappy or even scared. Remember consistent performances rely heavily on a player becoming mentally tough and have the ability to control these mental factors.
If you practice and develop your mental game you will inevitably become a better a player. If you’re coaching, you will significantly increase your status as a coach and your team’s win-loss ratio.
Soccer is the most popular sport in the world and the stakes are increasing with every year. Ever wondered why the big, successful clubs all employ sports psychologists? Could it be that mental toughness and awareness is just as important as fitness and skills. Behind every championship is a great motivating coach with the help of his psychologist.
My goal here is to talk about not only the game of soccer itself but also getting in shape for the soccer season.
