For many young players, the love for the game is constantly at the top of their minds. While at school in math class their minds are rarely in the numbers but out on the pitch blasting a soccer ball in the back of the net. When we are young we have many obligations that keep us from the pitch. However, this may not be a bad thing if you know how to practice soccer without even touching a ball.
Science has proven that our minds can't distinguish between what we think and what is our reality. This is why we often look back at dreams that we have had and can't remember if that actually happened or if it was something that we had dreamt about.
Understanding this concept we can manipulate our brain into thinking what has yet to happen in reality. Training our brain to think play by play and shot by a shot while just sitting in an empty room can make a huge difference. When we learn about professional athletes from any sport we find that they will always picture in their minds the entire game before they have even stepped foot into the competition.
Do not let the present circumstances of a game decided how well you will play that day. Decide in your mind way before the game has even started how the game will go. Will you score? Will you stop ever defender? Will you block ever shot? Decide how every training, game, or practice will go in your mind first, don't just let life happen to you.
The mind is your most powerful tool when it comes to the game. Developing confidence on the ball and taking out hesitation all take place in the mind. Just practicing with a ball will not get you where you want to be, practice with your mind first and then take a trained mind to the pitch and it will make a world of difference.
This is something that most players don't start to learn until they are much older. However, at STG Soccer Skills we teach this philosophy from the beginning so that the trainees can begin to train their brains off the field as well. We hope this information will help you or your children take your game to the next level.
