Football is arguably one of the most physical team sports, but the truly successful football athlete is one who is not only physically strong, but also possesses a strong football mind and football confidence. Some of the most impressive athletes fall short in reaching their full potential because they lack the football mental capabilities that allow their thinking to fully control and push their physical prowess.
Psychology in football is necessity for coaches and players both to recognize as a component of reaching their goals on the field. The average player experiences a setback or failed play and allows his focus to remain on the past mistake, reliving and rehashing how he should have done better. The great athlete exhibits football mental toughness as he leaves the mistake clearly in the past and reframes his thinking to the present play and positively executing his mission. Understanding football psychology is a key component to being a winning team.
Every athlete in any sport suffers from setbacks, disappointments and even failures. Sports psychology in football addresses how the player addresses these negative struggles and uses them to enhance future performance. While the premise sounds easy enough, the actual practice is sometimes difficult without outside assistance from a mental game coach.
Increasing an athlete’s football confidence allows his total mental effort to be focused on completing his assignment rather than on the probability of a mess up. The anxiety of the “what if” completely cripples an athlete and weakens their football mental toughness. Unless a player develops his football mind, he will never truly reach his full potential to be a great football player.
Learning to develop a strong football mental game requires both time and effort by the individual athlete as well as the entire team. A player who succumbs to poor football mental toughness is a liability to his teammates as well as himself. A poor mental outlook can spread like a cancer throughout the entire team. Everyone has seen the losing team that turns on each other, and their body language shouts “defeated”.
The same can be said of individuals who inspire their team to a better performance by their constant positive outlook and motivational ability. Football confidence does not occur accidently, but is rather a deliberate process to increase their mental toughness. Seeking knowledge from football psychology articles as well as a football psychology expert greatly increases a player’s ability to develop a strong football mind. Incorporating positive activities that enhance mental preparation for football rituals increase the performance during the pressures of game day situations.
Psychology in football suggests that the controlling of emotions and anxiety over mistakes allows the athlete to fulfill their complete physical capabilities on the field, and not limit themselves because of performance anxiety. Activities such as visualization allows for players to imagine themselves in all game situations, and in all situations reacting in the most productive manner. The visual of making the throw, the catch, the tackle, or the block depending on your position.
Learning to limit any negative “self talk” also empowers players when they face all adversities. Changing your vocabulary to eliminate “can’t, won’t and impossible” and later filling with constructive responses such as “I will, I can, and everything is possible” allows for strength of a positive attitude even in the most dire game situations.
All players and coaches commit errors, but mental game coaching helps develop the mind to overcome these mistakes and learn to decrease anxiety over future slip ups. The brain spends the greatest part of energy concentrating on thinking that produces positive results wasting little time to rehash previous shortcomings.
Developing strong football confidence which creates a winning football mind is a skill to seek by both coaches and players alike who strive to reach their fullest potential.
