Coaches and players alike always look for new ways to improve. They try to find a secret "weapon" which would help them separate from others. The quest to find it, is a driving force behind the evolution of the sport. We have been stretching the limits of human performance by giving it constant makeover through new tactical solutions, modern physical conditioning and advancements in technical preparation. There have been one more, very significant, change in the field of athletic performance. Top coaches and athletes openly talk about the importance of the mental aspect of the sport. We all instinctively know, that mind can be the difference between winning and loosing, but how much of a difference can it be? Marek Citko-former polish national player- who scored at Wembley Stadium against England- went as far as saying that the mind accounts for 80% of success. This is staggering! Let's explore some of the psychological techniques that many of the top performers successfully use.

 

1. Visualizing positive outcome.

Simply speaking: what you see is what you get. In order to be most effective, visualization should be combined with a state of deep relaxation. Here is how Wayne Rooney- English national player- describes his own experience: "Part of my preparation is I go and ask the kit man what color we're wearing-if it's red top, white shorts, white socks or black socks. Then I lie in bed the 1 night before the game and visualize myself scoring goals and doing well. You're trying to put yourself in that moment and trying to prepare yourself, to have a "memory" before the game. I don't know if you'd call it visualizing or dreaming, but I've always done it, my whole life."( From the interview for "The Guardian" newspaper).

 

2. Directing your focus by staying in the present.

Normally we tend to drift into the past, perhaps because of the guilt associated with earlier mistakes, or the future, because of the anticipation of the outcome. The key to this technique is The ability to concentrate on using all your senses and being aware of your breathing pattern. If you are successful in doing that, you will experience the illusion of time slowing down.

 

3. Using positive affirmations.

Everything that we see around us originated as a concept in someone's mind. In order to materialize something, you have to start with the idea first. It is very helpful to verbalize your thought, because the subconscious mind reacts to repeated stimulus best. We don't exactly know, how this process works, but I like to think that perhaps it has something to do with the laws of quantum mechanics. The famous "double slit experiment" for example shows us that photons can behave as either wave or particle depending on expectations of the observer. Therefore it is advisable to use only positive statements that are also realistic. Saying to 2 yourself: " I can't commit any fouls in the penalty box" will not work, because the subconscious mind will focus on "can't" and "fouls". On the other hand, the statement: "I will pass very well today" is positive therefore it can bring positive results. The mental techniques described above should become an integral part of preparation for a serious competitor who wants to succeed on the high level.