Performing Under Pressure: Tips for Improving Your Players’ Mental Game
Interview with Marc Sagal by Manni Klar, Editor, SIS
Click here for the original magazine version of this interview.
In order to develop the complete player, we must pay attention to the mental part of the game. As the quality of coaching improves and players have access to better physical training programs, the key differentiator is the player’s “mental fitness” – the ability to manage pressure effectively. The best coaches and clubs understand that the training of each of these different components should be coordinated. Everything is connected and it is all ONE.
Success in Soccer had the opportunity to sit down with Marc Sagal, Managing Partner of Winning Mind, LLC to discuss a number of aspects of the mental game.
SIS. Why do some players play well in training but not in matches?
MS. The likely reason is that the player feels more pressure in games than in practice. In training, players are usually more relaxed, less concerned with making mistakes, better able to enjoy themselves and get into the flow of things. In matches, a number of factors serve to increase the stress that players feel. There is more at stake and players want to perform well—for the crowd, for the coach and for their teammates. Results are more important. Player performance is scrutinized and future participation can be affected.
SIS. Why does pressure hurt performance?
MS. Pressure itself doesn’t necessarily damage performance; too much pressure does. Research shows that there is an amount of pressure that seems to optimize performance. Without any pressure, players would find it difficult to motivate themselves. It would be hard to focus. I’m sure you have all experienced what it’s like to coach or play for a team that is playing in a game where nothing is at stake. It tends to be less fun and less exciting. This is the problem with many friendlies. There just isn’t enough at stake to produce the best performances.
The reason that too much pressure tends to impair performance involves a number of factors. First, there are physical responses to stress that we’re all familiar with—butterflies, breathing changes, muscle tension, and fatigue, among others. Less familiar but equally important are the mental changes that occur. The ability to pay attention effectively is reduced. Peripheral vision, so crucial in fast moving sports like soccer, is compromised. The tunnel vision that creeps in makes it more difficult to react effectively to the flow of play. Players also may find themselves increasingly “in their heads”, thinking too much about their play and not reacting instinctively.
SIS. How can you get players to quickly recover from mistakes and get their heads back in the game?
MS. Even great players make mistakes; they just don’t let mistakes undermine performance. The key to getting players mentally back into the game after a mistake is to get them to quickly focus their attention back out on the field and stop replaying the mistake in their heads or thinking about the implications of the mistake. One useful technique is to teach players to quickly find the ball and to visually track it while telling themselves where the ball is, as in “ball in the keeper’s hands”, “ball at number seven’s feet”. This only needs to be done for a few seconds to help a player get back into the flow. Another suggestion is to train effective reactions into players. Coaches can set up situations in training where a mistake is simulated and players must react quickly to recover the ball. Try integrating this into fitness/reaction training and you’ll be setting a very powerful mindset for your entire team. Mistakes will happen, but there is no excuse for not recovering quickly.
SIS. What are some ways to control pre-game jitters?
MS. One of the simplest ways to minimize the anxiety that comes right before big games is to get players active as soon as possible. It’s almost always the case that a few minutes after the opening whistle, most players are in the flow of the game. This is because their mind is off the upcoming match and simply reacting to ongoing play. Small sided matches (played with moderate intensity and only after appropriate warm-up) can make for effective pre-game preparation. So can sprints or any movement that can get players focused and just tired enough to reduce the nerves that can get in the way of a good start.
It’s very important to understand that players will not necessarily be feeling the same way before matches. Each one will react differently to pre-game talks and will have their own way of managing stress. Coaches MUST be sensitive to these individual differences and pay attention to the signs of stress so they can quickly make the kind of adjustments that can help each player be ready to play. Often times, coaches and managers are caught up with other pre-game logistics and fail to pay enough attention to how each player is feeling before a game. The best coaches take the time to check in with individual players to provide some simple guidance for the game and to make sure they are prepared to play.
SIS. What’s the best way to motivate players at halftime?
MS. Every team and every player is different and it is the coach’s responsibility to know how to get the most out of each one. At best, a one-size fits all approach will fail to get the intended boost in performance; at worst it will backfire completely. I’ve found that the best coaches speak to what I call the “sweet spot” for each player. The “sweet spot” is the term I use to describe the overlap between the things that motivate and excite the player and the things that the team must accomplish. If coaches truly know their players, they should be able to tap into the things that are powerful and inspiring for each individual player without expecting that every player will react the same way. Some people call this pushing the right buttons, but this can sometimes have manipulative connotations. The best way to communicate points to players is to take each player aside and offer one or two suggestions (not more). Be balanced with your feedback. Half-time isn’t just there to provide coaches with an opportunity to criticize or fix; it is an excellent opportunity to reinforce, encourage and refine. This isn’t to say that a good ol’ tongue lashing isn’t sometimes effective, but by and large, the carrot is much more effective than the stick. There’s a great quote by Aristotle that is right on point…
Anyone can become angry – that’s easy. But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way – that’s not easy.
The important thing to remember is that if you don’t really know and understand your players, you won’t be able to get the most out of them.
It’s also useful to remember that teams with good leadership can sometimes sort out their own issues without the coach needing to take control. Think about giving additional responsibility to captains or other “unofficial” leaders to help provide additional inspiration and assistance.
SIS. How can I get my players to focus and concentrate for an entire game and reduce the amount of mental mistakes they make?
MS. There is a strong relationship between physical fitness and mental fitness. When players get fatigued, it becomes very difficult to maintain proper focus. Reaction time is affected and the ability to execute tasks effectively diminishes. One reason for this is that the body uses up the fuel that it needs to concentrate and coordinate muscle movement. Mental mistakes are often made late in matches when players are tired. So, one way to reduce mental errors is to have fit players. It’s also smart to incorporate a mental training program to complement the physical training. There are many ways to approach mental skill training and development, but any program should to include efforts to simulate game conditions and the pressure put on players to make sound decisions even when they are at or near their physical limits. One simple way to do this is to occasionally play training games and engage in mentally challenging exercises after players are already tired (e.g., keep away after fitness training). Care should be taken to appropriately transition to more challenging tasks so that players are able to adequately adjust to more and more stressful conditions.
Other problems may have a variety of causes so it is important to assess each player individually in order to obtain vital information about concentration strengths and weaknesses. Each player should have the opportunity to learn about the things they find distracting, derailing, motivating, inspirational, etc. Once athletes and staff can get a sense for what is causing the distraction, they’ll be in a much better position to make effective adjustments. Sport psychology professionals are trained to design and implement these kinds of programs, and help with the assessment of mental skills and associated efforts to enhance performance by improving concentration and reducing mental mistakes.
SIS. Do you have any suggestions for helping players manage pressure during penalty kicks?
MS. Before giving some advice, I think it would be helpful to understand why many players miss PKs in the first place. Physical tension caused by the stress of having to take an important PK can affect body position during the approach and kick. The player’s center of gravity shifts (ever notice how you feel like you’re breathing through your upper chest when you are nervous?) and this causes the player to lean back as they make contact with the ball. Muscle tension creates “bracing,” a situation where the body is not relaxed and is actually working against itself. All of this, plus the desire to immediately see whether the kick was successful, increases the chances that the ball will either miss the mark or lack sufficient force.
My suggestion is that players develop a “pre-kick routine”. By practicing a consistent approach to the taking of a PK, players can minimize the negative impact of pressure during important kicks. This tried and true approach is simple but requires practice to be effective.
Here are the steps:
- Learn how to “center.” This is a technique borrowed from the martial arts and involves taking a deep breath and focusing attention in order to control anxiety. There are many ways to center, but to get you started I’ll include the main points. If you’re interested in learning more, there are a number of sources on the web to which you can refer.
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- Stand comfortably with your knees slightly bent and your feet about shoulder width apart, with one foot just slightly in front of the other. Inhale slowly and deeply from your abdomen.
- As you exhale, relax your neck and shoulder muscles (feel your shoulders drop). Feel yourself sinking down with your feet pressing firmly on the ground.
- Visualize yourself hitting a successful kick and begin your approach.
- When you are ready and centered, move towards the ball at whatever angle and distance you have practiced and are comfortable with. You may find it useful to count to yourself as you approach the ball (this helps prevent negative thoughts from creeping in). Be sure you have taken the time to decide where you will be aiming and have glanced at the goal if need be.
- After striking the ball, follow-through with your entire body by running “through” the ball in the direction of your kick. Resist the temptation to watch the shot until you are past the original position of the ball.
An effective pre-kick routine only comes with a great deal of practice and no routine will overcome a deficiency in skill or poor technique. Part of the effectiveness of centering is based on something called “the relaxation response”, a term coined by Dr. Herbert Benson who described how with training, the body can almost instantaneously relax with appropriate practice and reinforcement.
SIS. How do you get a player out of a “slump” in performance?
MS. If I knew this, I’d be rich. Seriously, it really depends on the player and the situation, but here are some general thoughts. The first is not to add pressure by calling attention to the problem in negative ways. Most players will naturally recover from declines in performance with time and encouragement. The balancing act for coaches involves how long to gamble with an underperforming player, especially when there is talent on the bench. The act of substituting or starting another player can backfire because it can further interfere with the reduced confidence that often comes with a slump. There are instances where benching a slumping player can bring about a swift revival, but I’ve seen it cause more problems than not. The key is to let the player know that at one time or another, everyone has ups and downs and the important thing is to hang in there and stick with the things that the player and coach know to be effective. Often times the worst thing to do is to look for the magic ingredient that will fix things. By showing faith in the player and his ability, you will have gone a long way in assuring a successful comeback.
To learn more about Winning Mind and Marc Sagal, please visit www.TheWinningMind.com or email Marc at sagal@thewinningmind.com