Soccer Mindgames

Soccer, like any sport, is a game not just play with the body but also the mind.

Don't be afraid to make mistakes, but be ready to fix them.

A game of two halves, and a game played with the body and mind. Using your mind is just as, if not more important than your athletic nature and body. You can have all the skill in the world but you have to be confident in yourself using it or it will go to waste.

My favorite quote of "hard work beats talent, when talent does not work hard" exemplifies the mind games. It isn't just about being talented in skill and athleticism, its about working hard off the field. This includes pushing your mental toughness to get you to the level you want.

Its about perseverance on the training pitch when no one is looking, that will apply to game day. It is about the facet of being confident in what you are as a player, and developing that confidence to make you as strong as you can be.

These books here can help you on and off the field:

• Bring Your "A" Game: A Young Athlete's Guide to Mental Toughness
• The Mental Game of Soccer: Playing the Game One Touch at a Time (Masters of The Mental Game Series Book) (Volume 14)
• 44 Secrets for Mastering Mental Toughness in Soccer
• or even this general sports guide Mind Gym : An Athlete's Guide to Inner Excellence

I wish I had used any one of these books, but instead I got other assistance as you'll see below!

Mental fortitude is huge in gaining an upper hand over other players. The biggest players in the world are also the most confident in their own skill. Lets look at a standout of this, Zlatan, a player whose Ego knows no limit.

He makes himself the center stage of any interview and captivates the people around him. He protrudes confidence, and in doing so it shows when he stands out on the field. His skill alone is tremendous don't get me wrong, but it wont give hi all the success he has had without the confidence.

 Lets look at his recent arrival at Manchester United, his skill was not giving him the results he wanted. He struggled in his first couple of weeks, but has now started to pick up his usual scoring with 5 in 4 games. Through his dry spell he has to stay mentally tough, and cant reminisce on mistakes or errors he made, and has to be ready for the next opportunity.

"Dare to Zlatan"- Be confident in yourself

Just as Zlatan has to stay confident in rough patches of form, so doesn't you or me.. Its tough to pick your head up after making a sloppy pass, a poor touch, or a shank of a shot, especially when you know you can do better.

Yet what I have learned is to not worry in the moment, but to immediately move on from the mistake. Look to improve the next pass, shot, or touch. You can critique yourself after the game or practice of the errors you made, but do so in a positive manner.

There's no reason to punish yourself, and make yourself feel like crap. You just have to see what you work on  to fix the errors you made, and that is working and training in consistency.

Soccer can be tough, but you have to be more tough!

I have had tons of mental breakdowns and moments of lack of confidence throughout my career. I still get them time to time, and at the collegiate level it can affect your game more than lower levels, as the competition only gets tighter.

You can be playing great in a few games, then make a few errors, and next your sulking on them and getting down on yourself. This can lead to playing even worst, and creating a deeper hole for yourself. From here you can find yourself playing less and less and eventually on the bench, but there's a way around this. Mental toughness is the answer, and digging yourself out of every hole.

https://exactsports.com/soccer/

The biggest moments in a soccer match are 10 minutes into each half, and 5 minutes after a goal is scored. Be mentally ready for those moments and your skill will do the rest.

The best thing I ever did in my soccer career was an ID camp for colleges, but with a goal to enhance and enrich the players mental game. It was the perfect timing for me as I was needed that extra confidence before heading to play college soccer.

 It was called Exact soccer camp, and to this day I still try and use the methods they taught me. Its simple really, its about positive thoughts leading up to the game day- mental fortitude and imaging the success you want on the field. Picturing yourself doing the actions well and correctly and usually that's relays over to the actual game. Pump yourself with a battle cry, let yourself be infused in the moment but not relying on every play or mistake.

What it comes down to is using mental techniques of positive imaging before the game, and than use it during the game always trying to stay positive and look for the next play. If you make a bad pass or loss possession , immediately work to earn it back! If you miss a shot wide left or right, focus on the next one and get it on frame, one step at a time! If you want a training guide for enhancing those skills than Click Here!.

Professional soccer players make mistakes, the like's of Messi and Ronaldo aren't 100% perfect, yet game in and game out they are consistent. They move past their errors and mishaps to get them self ready for the next play, a huge reason why their talent and hard work are able to be so consistent. Anyone can do it, its just another part of working hard to get where you want to be as a player.

Work on your mental game to increase your playing level!

Cleats, a Historical Review up to Modern Day Pairs

Soccer Cleats: A review of my past and present pairs

A Vast collection of soccer cleats, a case of a cleataholic

Soccer cleats, such a change of pace since our parents were playing. I can recall my father always telling me of his Umbro's, or some off brand of cleats that he use to wear. He would always tell me about their quality, and their durability. The constant speech of "when I was your age we didn't have no fancy cleats" or "I used one pair of cleats for years at a time", oh how things have changed. For that matter my dad still has a pair of his indoor cleats from 20 years ago!! A pair I used countless times up until my college days, and let me tell you the quality was there. A relic in a ever changing world, where cleats don't last a full seasons sometimes. A lot of factors cause that and as the times have changed, it has become less about quality and more style and cheap to make.

Cleats like the ones show below were how the mid 1930's cleats looked like. A far cry from the stylish modern boots don't you think?

A relic, a old pair of soccer "boots" from the 1930's

Lets face the music people things change. Cleats in the timeframe of my father didn't last as long as the early made leather boots. The same can be said about most pairs of modern pairs compared to my fathers cleats and of his generation. Yet change can be for the better too. I think I would prefer modern cleats over pairs like the one above, or the ugly indoors my father donated to me.

With the usage of modern online websites like at SoccerGarage.com we can find great cleats for great prices. We can now utilize picking the cleats we want from a wide range of selection containing mixed styles with durability and comfort. Granted these cleats may not last longer than past pairs, but there's a reason why!!

Its because modern players train longer, more frequently, and play in a different brand of soccer. Its a more brutal and demanding game on our feet, with increased amounts of running, tackles, and strenuous play. So us soccer fanatics and players need to have the access to replacing worn down and beat up pairs! From what I have seen they can get beat up very easily and if you wanted to you could get a cleat cover/skin from Cleatskins.com

Now with my experience of cleats I started out with Nike CTR's, and I loved every second of using them. I had, throughout ages 9-18, at least 8 pairs of CTR's, maybe more. I was and always will be a huge supporter of their comfort, quality and price. The only problem is they stopped mainstream manufacturing of CTR's. This means the last 2 pairs or so I had required searching for them. Almost like searching for the holy grail, a process that took forever and I doubtfully could find them again!

The search is no longer needed as I have found a suitable improvement to its predecessor: the Nike Tiempo Cleats, like shown above. I mostly purchase these off online websites SoccerGarage.com, or in store at Nike Outlets and other local soccer shops. The prices online are  usually the best for this cleat, but you have to try a pair on in store first to get a feel for the correct size. It seems to me the different brands of cleats like Nike, Adidas, or Puma all fit differently in the same size. That being said though I love the feel to the sole of the Tiempo, the comfort is off the charts. I suggest these to all players alike, even though I am a defender, makes no difference positional wise.

I also use ShoeBacca.com for great rates on Puma cleats that you can get for dirt cheap! Its crazy some of the deals I have purchased at least 4 pairs there, usually cheaper for Puma here versus other sites. I use the Puma's for my work of coaching 1 on 1, and as well practice cleats. They are great and love the quality for the price (I'm a bargain shopper).

All in all its safe to say the modern pair of soccer cleats has changed, no longer the "boots" they use to be. My father is always telling me about how flashy the modern cleats are, yet that style is something that defines our generation of player. New styles and pairs come out all the time like the sock attached, the new Adidas Glitch (removable parts), and anti-clog pairs!!! Its crazy what the present generation has a selection of, I can only imagine what the future holds.