Case Study: Supporting a Neurodivergent Young Footballer to Build Confidence, Emotional Control & Consistency

Understanding Ethan’s Starting Point

Ethan is a passionate Manchester City fan who loves Erling Haaland and Phil Foden and plays as a striker. This enthusiasm often turned into high expectations, which led to frustration when he didn’t score. Being neurodivergent meant:

• His emotional reactions were noticeably stronger
• He could become overwhelmed by criticism
• He struggled with impulsivity after mistakes
• He found transitions (e.g., being substituted) very difficult
• He could be self-critical and compare himself to others

Parents often see this combination high talent, high sensitivity, and high emotional reactivity in neurodivergent young athletes.

Part of the work early on involved normalising emotions, helping him understand that all footballers feel nervous, upset, or frustrated sometimes, and that emotions can be changed through actions and thoughts.

Creating His “Key Ingredients” for Success

We developed a personalised “Key Ingredients” list.  Skills he could control regardless of opposition, scoreline or role. Together with his dad, Ethan rated each ingredient, from:

• Quick clear thinking
• Clever movement
• Shouting for the ball
• Concentration, being mentally ready at all times.
• Resilience, bouncing back positively from difficulties.
• Supporting teammates

This created a non-judgemental performance blueprint he could revisit before games to stay focused.

This list became the cornerstone of his training. He was encouraged to keep it:

• In his room
• In his kit bag
• On his water bottle
• On his phone

Reviewing these after games (using 1–100 scores) helped him see progress rather than perfection, a core CBT technique to counter all-or-nothing thinking.

Building Emotional Regulation Through CBT

Ethan’s biggest breakthroughs came from learning to manage frustration, anger, and disappointment more calmly. We introduced:

1. The “30-Second Rule”

A tool to accept mistakes, reset emotionally, and return to the present moment.
This prevented rumination (“Why did I miss that?”) and redirected attention to what he could do next.

2. The “Calm & Composed Footballer” Model

We created a mental image and behaviours inspired by players like Rodri:

• Straight face
• Quiet smile
• Shoulders back
• Head up
• Strong eye contact
• Confident body language

He practised this in sessions and games, helping reduce impulsive reactions.

3. CBT Thought–Emotion–Action Training

We helped him notice the link between:

Thoughts → Emotions → Actions

For example:
“Don’t let them score” → Worry → Head down, rigid body language
vs.
“I can help the midfielders here” → Determination → Smart decisions, better positioning

This shifted his mindset from fear to challenge.

Managing Pressure and Big Games

Before difficult fixtures or important cup matches, Ethan tended to think:

“We might get hammered.”

This created a drop in energy and motivation.

We reframed these thoughts using challenge mindset CBT work:

• “We might get a goal.”
• “We could defend well and surprise them.”
• “How can I be a pest and make it really hard for their defenders?”

This improved resilience, effort, and tactical involvement.

Developing Social & Communication Skills

Ethan sometimes barked orders at teammates when frustrated. We explored:

• Asking questions instead of demanding actions
• Using calm, concise instructions
• Practising communication at home
• Reducing volume on the pitch

This boosted his leadership confidence and relationships with teammates important for neurodivergent players who may struggle with social nuance.

Handling Setbacks and Criticism

We used CBT to separate:

What he can control

Effort, movement, asking for the ball, staying positive, next actions.

What he cannot control

Referee decisions, teammate mistakes, crowd noise, comments from others.

This helped reduce emotional overload after mistakes and improved decision-making.

Outcome: A More Confident, Calmer & Consistent Footballer

By the end of our work together, Ethan had:

• Stronger emotional control
• The ability to move on from mistakes more quickly
• Much calmer reactions to pressure
• Better body language
• Improved communication
• More enjoyment and motivation
• Higher-quality decisions
• More consistent match performances

His parents reported that he was:

• Happier before matches
• Less anxious after mistakes
• More resilient
• More positive in everyday life

For further details on supporting Neurodivergent young athletes you may also enjoy the following:

>> Read: Book Review – ADHD in Sport: Strategies for Success – Dr Josephine Perry

>> Listen: Football Coaches: How To Help Neurodivergent Players Thrive with Adam Batstone

I sincerely hope that this case study has given you a flavour of how we support young neurodivergent children.  This type of challenge can be overcome with expert support and guidance and is something we support many families with.

If you’d like to learn more about how we could help your players or your children why not get in touch.

Or if you found this article helpful, please share it with your friends, team-mates, parents or coaches.