Girls Soccer: The Power of the Mind
Many girls soccer players are not aware of the what their mind is truly capable of. In girls soccer, low confidence levels can severely impact a players game but fortunately it can also help raise it to the next level. There are several soccer drills that you can do before a game to get yourself in the right mindset to play. This mindset is important for girls soccer players as it is one that is both relaxed and confident and ready to take on any challenge.
First of all let's explore the power of the mind in girls soccer. Do you know a girls soccer player that never misses a PK? Well this girls soccer player has what is referred to as mental toughness, or the ability to perform well under pressure. Ideally, you should be able to perform in the same manner you do with pressure as with no pressure at all.
Do you know a girls soccer player who performs great in practice but cannot transfer that same level of play in a game? This player lacks mental toughness. During games they tense up and get nervous, and thus they cannot complete normally simple tasks like making a pass, or dribbling up the field.
The power of the mind in girls soccer is extraordinary, and it can really make or break a player. Here a few tips to working towards becoming a mentally strong player:
1) Practice. Practicing and getting small wins, on your own time or during scheduled practices will help any girls soccer player improve their confidence.
2) Visualization. It has been proven that if you visualize the way you want to play you are more likely to achieve those visions and goals. Girls soccer players should add visualization into their daily routine. It is easy to do, and it has been proven to work.
3) Relax. Take deep breathes and relax your nerves before the start of every game. Nerves can really have a negative impact on a girls soccer player. It can give you that uneasy feeling in your stomach or it can just tense up muscles, that need to be relaxed to perform.
4) Pre-game rituals. Girls soccer players should have pre-game rituals so both their mind and body know it is time to focus and play. For instance, listening to pump-up songs on your Ipod is a great way to get your mind ready to play.
Theresa Ferraina is two-time D-1 Women's Soccer Player Academic All-American as well as a 2010 All-American Strength and Conditioning Athlete of the Year. She has helped to create a new program, the soccer fitness formula, which is designed to prepare girls soccer players to get ready for their upcoming seasons. There are over 150 soccer drills and exercises in this program. This is the #1 soccer training program on the web.
http://www.fitsoccerchicks.com is the #1 girls soccer fitness resource. You will find all the latest soccer workouts and and soccer drills that will not only get you fit but will also increase your soccer skills.
http://soccerfitnessformula.com is a complete girls soccer training program. This is a twelve week soccer conditioning program that you can do pretty much anywhere. I highly recommend this program to anyone who wants to improve their soccer fitness or soccer skills.
For a free sample soccer workout go to http://www.freesoccerworkout.com to download a body weight fat loss soccer training program.
