WHEN you're a footballer, being in great psychological shape is as vital as being physically fit.
Here are top five tips to help players kick on for the New Year from sport psychologist Sam Kotadia, who advises Charlton Athletic and is managing director of Mindsport Ltd, makers of Mindcards - an easy, affordable, accessible way for players of all abilities to improve their game by the power of positive thought.
1. Move in the right direction
Success is built on direction. By setting yourself or your team match-goals and devising targets you streamline your focus towards continued progress. Before performances, set yourself three or more targets to achieve during matches, and afterwards review how effective you were at reaching them.
2. The fun factor
How well you perform on the pitch is often helped by how you feel. By being positive and generating a resourceful internal state, you increase your chances of playing your best football. Focusing on the enjoyment of playing football will maintain your enthusiasm and zest for the game.
3. The power of process
Everyone in sport wants to win. But by only focusing on the desired outcome you can damage your performance. It creates pressure and causes you to forget how to win. Focus on the processes behind winning. In football, some of these key processes may include ‘keeping your head up’ and ‘being first to the ball.’ By focusing on the ingredients of success, winning becomes a natural by-product.
4. Relaxed excellence
Often during a heated battle on the football pitch there is a danger of trying too hard to gain an edge over your competitors. Whenever this happens you are likely to tighten up, and consequently your technique becomes restricted, losing its fluidity. Aim your efforts between under and over-trying, and you will obtain an optimal level of performance.
5. The magic of music
Music is a commonly applied strategy to get pumped up before performances. Individually or as a team exercise, compile a mix of motivational songs. Eye of the Tiger by Survivor and Song 2 by Blur are popular choices but everyone has their own personal favourites so don’t try to impose your tastes on others, or the team unification could rapidly disappear.
These are just a few pearls of expert advice available from Mindcards, packs of psychology cue cards for footballers of all abilities to improve confidence, focus and motivation.
"The cards are concise, portable and easy to use which increases the likelihood of players applying the strategies in order to benefit from them,” said Kotadia.
“It is about developing a winning edge. Developing a robust mental approach to improve performance requires positive action.”
The packs come in two separate 52-card decks and bring sport psychology within the pocket of all footballers from serious professionals and academy teenagers to folks aspiring to play a better game for their local Sunday league team.
Charlton Athletic manager Phil Parkinson is a big fan. "I have worked with Sam for many years and he does things in a very clear and structured way. As a player you have to learn mental toughness and how to cope with adverse situations. What matters is how you respond when things go wrong. These cue cards are handy because they instil positivity. This sort of support hasn't been readily available for grassroots players before. I think it is fantastic."
Footballers can use the cards to get their psychological boost anywhere - on the bus, in the car or even in the dressing room.
Mindsport Ltd is donating 25 percent of sales from each pack of cards (roughly £2 per deck) to a local Kickz community project. Kickz is a social inclusion programme managed by the Football Foundation, the Premier League and the Metropolitan Police, which uses the power of football to develop young people's potential and create safer, stronger communities.
Funding from the Mindcards will be rolled out across the country – the project aims to start with Charlton Athletic’s community programme in south east London. Recommended retail price for the cards is £7.99 for a pack of 52 cards. For further information visit www.Mindcards.com
We've got two sets of Mindcards to be won in an easy to enter competition. All you've got to do to be in with a chance of winning is answer this question: Who finished runners-up to Manchester United in the Premiership last season?
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