In the Wizard of Oz, the main characters set out on an adventure to find things that they believed would make them a better person. They believed the wizard could magically help them and make them better. Dorothy wanted to go home, the cowardly lion wanted courage, the scarecrow wanted brains, and the tin man wanted a heart. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could get the wizard to give us confidence in ourselves during soccer games.
I recently had a conversation with my son about how a player’s game can be significantly impacted by the lack of confidence. Not only does it seem that nothing goes right for that player, but coaches smell the lack of confidence in a player and they will bench them until the confidence returns. In my soccer career, I’ve faced this dilemma many times. I controlled the ball like a brick wall, I couldn’t pass the ball to save my life, I couldn’t shoot and hit air if I wanted, and the soccer gremlins would always reach up and grab the ball while I was dribbling down the field. Before I knew it, I was second-guessing myself and overcompensating on every aspect of the game. I would go to the coach constantly and ask for feedback on my game. I was a walking soccer mess.
I learned that when my confidence is on empty, I had to mentally reset. Meaning, as a player I often thought 2 or more plays ahead. I knew that when my feet touched that ball, I would pass it for a one-two and slot it through to my teammate; or take a soft touch and dribble past the other player, spin, and take a shot to the far post. My mind was cluttered and outran my body. So, I learned that I had to focus on the most fundamental techniques in soccer: control, dribbling, and passing. Once I controlled the ball, then I would take the next step. Then, I would focus on dribbling one step at a time and then pass the ball with the instep with my non-passing foot pointed in the direction I wanted my pass to go. In other words, I went kindergarten on techniques and I had to do that several times during my career.
There isn’t always a wizard that can solve your problems, but returning to the basics will never go wrong. Confidence is one of the most important characteristics of successful soccer players. Just remember to reset when the soccer gremlins are after you and close your eyes, click your boot heels twice, and say, “Reset to the basics, reset to the basics.”
SoccerMist 