Playing or Competing? How To Use A Wining Mindset in Soccer
“Players who PLAY bring skill; players who COMPETE bring everything!”
You will find a lot of soccer workout which will show you the best way to play soccer. To gain proficiency will take hours of soccer practice drills and soccer training drill for soccer endurance. There is a lot of stress on studying skills and playing in American soccer and not enough on competing. A large amount of people confuse speed and skill for talent. Genuine ability Begins with vitality, drive, work ethic plus the mindset to win. With out these kind of traits, a player can never be exceptional. Coaches have centered a lot on playing that we haven’t taught players to be competitive, to struggle, to work hard or to possess the mindset to win. In the American soccer culture, we have at all times had an inferiority complex, so we stress playing, technical ability and skills. Our youngsters play a whole lot of soccer, but few are competing. But all the speed and agility drills won’t assist a player to advance the next stage if they don’t possess a winning soccer mindset. (based on the principle that the mind leads your body, and your soccer game is an expression of your mentality, (that’s why the term “Mindset”).
It’s not always the players’ fault. Our structure is doesn’t work. Our coaches are normally concentrating on strengthening a players expertise with soccer agility training and soccer drills for speed rather then focusing on building a winning mindset as well as the skills needed to win. There’s no thought with regards to fighting for a place on the team or being better to compete for a spot…they simply change teams. High school age players don’t think much about the outcome of games (whether they are playing in high school or a team), but they do care about “showing off”…about playing to showcase their skills and ability for college coaches. Add to this the large number of meaningless games in youth soccer and now we have a toxic combination. Young players have gone to soccer players training and played in lots of worthless high school and club games. The main focus slowly but surely changes from the game to the individual, to playing and showing off. Competing is lost. When the players move to the next level, they haven’t figured out ways to be competitive. They just don’t have the drive, work ethic or mindset to win. Players drop commitment and self-confidence when the “work/play” is not simple (i.e. college soccer, or the next level). The measures alter at the next level; the emphasis changes to being competitive and hard work and the players just can’t deal with it. They feel they are playing (and they are) – but they’re not competing. We require players who compete and play; players who have the mindset to win.
