How hard can it be to be a professional soccer player?
While I was getting the oil changed on my car today, a younger man (19 years of age) took care of the duties. I got to talking with him and we slowly maneuvered our way into a conversation about soccer. After a few minutes of getting a feel for each other, the conversation got a little more intimate. He shared with me his goals and what he’s doing to put them into action.
Training and achieving success
I’ll keep this blog short and simple:
- Train at such a high level, so that when game time comes, it’ll be impossible for the game to be any harder than your training has been.
- If you train like everyone trains, then you’re going to have similar results. You must go above and beyond with your training in order to separate yourself from the competition.
- Focus on one area and become a master of it. It’s not about saying “I know that or understand that” but instead “I’ve mastered that.”
- Don’t be average in several areas when you can be great in one area. If you want to be the best then you have to concentrate your efforts in one area.
- Success is not a cake walk; it’s not a visit to Disneyland. It comes from hours and hours of daily dedication in one specific area. Focus your energy and efforts.
Pre-Game warm up: get in the zone and…relax?
Before any type of exercise, a warm up of some sort is crucial. A proper warm up consists of increasing the blood flow to your muscles while decreasing the chance for injury. Do it correctly an you will increase your capacity for a healthy performance. It is for this reason that you will see athletes in any sport warming up meticulously before any serious training session or game. Read more
How Badly Do You Want to be a Soccer Player?
How badly do you want to be a soccer player? I mean really, how bad do you want it? When is the last time you worked on your conditioning? Your right foot…and your left? How often are you training with the ball? What about your weaknesses, are you working on them? How many balls have you shot this week? Were you expecting to magically be a better player this upcoming season? While you hope things get better, players who really want it are taking action. Become better…
Soccer: it’s not just a game…
What would happen if you committed your mind, body and soul to soccer? What would happen if you spent everyday of your life trying to get better…trying to be better? What if you played every game as if it were your last and left everything you had on the field – irregardless of the circumstances? Answer: you would be a warrior of the game. You would be among those who truly have a passion for the game. Most importantly, you would realize why its call it the beautiful game.
The Real Captain Fantastic
Each of us has our own ideas as to what a good captain is and how he should behave. The ideal captain for me is someone who can inspire his entire team. He puts everything out on the field and works for the greater goal rather than any individual accolades. He sticks up for any one of his teammates when necessary. He is a vocal leader but can also lead by example on the pitch. Not only that but he is a great player, plays consistently at a high level and can even win big games. Read more
Stop making excuses
The Perfect Goal
The Brazilian national soccer team that won the 1970 World Cup in Mexico was a team that we can always learn from. They played some of the best possession and attacking football seen to this day.
Watch the build up and finally triumphant goal that Carlos Alberto scored off the Pele assist in the 1970 world cup versus Italy. The Brazilian players were calm and collective with the ball in their defense third all the way into the offensive third before the goal was scored. What an incredible play to witness. I can only imagine what it must have felt like to be in the stadium and witness this moment of history with my own eyes. Read more
Having a winning mentality makes all the difference
What is your mindset prior to a game? It could be a league, cup or playoff game. How do you mentally prepare yourself before a game? Do you believe deep down inside that you’re going to win no matter the competition? In order to win more often, you need to have a winning mentality and believe deep down that you’ll win. Read more
Use the off-season to get better
Every off-season should be used to work on your weaknesses. Ask your coach and feelow teammates for feedback as to what areas of your game you need to improve. You may already have an idea which areas they are. Read more
The importance of soccer mentors
People will say that mentors in life are important and I couldn’t agree more! There are many areas of my life to this day where mentors have helped me make decisions which impacted my future. In fact, I wish I had more mentors growing up who could have helped me in certain areas I had doubt or was unsure of myself. Read more
How to cope with pressure
Pressure. Coping with it is one of the most difficult things to master. It is especially difficult to deal with in big games, as Goalden’s own Phil talks about here. In soccer, it often turns players who are really good in practice, into players who choke in the game…they simply can’t produce. Pressure will force you to make decisions that you otherwise wouldn’t in a normal state of mind/body.