Strikers Psychology
Scoring goals starts from your mind. Nike Academy Sports Psychologist Jane Dodd shares her mental preparation techniques.
JANE’S ADVICE:
USE VISUALISATION
The best time for this is at night, just as you’re drifting off to sleep. Your mind should be at its most relaxed. Think about the goals you’ve scored and visualise the goals you want to score.
Take visualisation into training in small-sided games. As you play, visualise the ball finding the net every time you shoot. Work on visualisation during the week and you should just visualise in a game without even trying.
The best time for this is at night, just as you’re drifting off to sleep. Your mind should be at its most relaxed. Think about the goals you’ve scored and visualise the goals you want to score.
Take visualisation into training in small-sided games. As you play, visualise the ball finding the net every time you shoot. Work on visualisation during the week and you should just visualise in a game without even trying.
FOCUS ON POSITIVES
Feeling confident and believing in yourself is about taking control of your game. You’re the one with the talent – just show it. Focus on the good parts of your game. It’ll make you want more.
You’ll easily remember the negatives, but it’s the positives you want to bring to your game. Learn from the negatives and forget them. Build on the positives and remember them.
Feeling confident and believing in yourself is about taking control of your game. You’re the one with the talent – just show it. Focus on the good parts of your game. It’ll make you want more.
You’ll easily remember the negatives, but it’s the positives you want to bring to your game. Learn from the negatives and forget them. Build on the positives and remember them.
MAKE THE GAME YOURS
Sharpen your focus while you’re waiting for kick-off. Don’t worry about questions you cannot answer. While waiting, look straight ahead and focus on one thought, for example: “Take ownership of the game, make it yours.” Ownership is a good word. When you have the ball, it’s yours. When you take a shot on goal, it’s only going one way.
Sharpen your focus while you’re waiting for kick-off. Don’t worry about questions you cannot answer. While waiting, look straight ahead and focus on one thought, for example: “Take ownership of the game, make it yours.” Ownership is a good word. When you have the ball, it’s yours. When you take a shot on goal, it’s only going one way.
ENCOURAGE YOUR TEAM MATES
It’s important to take belief onto the pitch as an individual as well as a team. A team is only as strong as the individuals. Focus on yourself first – you’ll be even stronger to encourage and support your teammates, especially on the pitch.
If you feel strong and confident, so will everyone around you. Confidence breeds confidence. Never focus on the negatives while playing. Always focus on the positives. Encourage teammates even after a mistake.
It’s important to take belief onto the pitch as an individual as well as a team. A team is only as strong as the individuals. Focus on yourself first – you’ll be even stronger to encourage and support your teammates, especially on the pitch.
If you feel strong and confident, so will everyone around you. Confidence breeds confidence. Never focus on the negatives while playing. Always focus on the positives. Encourage teammates even after a mistake.
ACADEMY LEARNING:
Winning on the pitch starts with winning in the mind. Going to the pitch fully focused and with the right attitude can change your game. Work on building up your confidence every day and you’ll get more out of the game.
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