How To Help An Extra Competitive Footballer
By working with David Charlton, you and your organisation will be better equipped to rise to modern day challenges and better informed to thrive on and off the pitch, course or court. Where he inspires individuals and teams to:
- Cope with pressure and challenges more effectively
- Maintain positive mental health
- Compete with confidence more often
- Manage your emotions better
- Improve your commitments levels
David is a Mental Toughness Practitioner, as well as a Health Care and Professions Council (HCPC) Registered Sport and Exercise Psychologist. He has successfully supported athletes, teams and organisations for over 10 years in order to ensure that they perform at their maximum more often.
He has a comprehensive knowledge around the development of Mental Toughness, a plastic personality trait, which determines or limits people to deal effectively with change, challenges and stressors. In today’s climate, during the Coronavirus pandemic this quality is becoming more and more valuable to individuals, teams and organisations.
In episode #277 David and Gerard Fitzgerald discussed how to help shift the focus of an extra competitive footballer or athlete, using the example of a boy named Joe who hates losing. Key points included the importance of harnessing anger positively, as seen with Wayne Rooney’s iconic goal in 2005 for Manchester United versus Newcastle United. They also share the need to normalise emotional responses like anger where footballers may kick out, tackle over aggressively, shout at team-mates or display poor body language. Parents and coaches are advised to avoid adding to the child’s stress and activating their sympathetic nervous system anymore by shouting and yelling at them, instead helping them regulate emotions.
Key Learning Points:
- Develop standardised behaviour routines for young footballers, focusing on the attributes of their favourite players (e.g., work rate, commitment, shooting of Ronaldo).
- Ask the athlete questions to understand their perspective on what behaviours (work rate, commitment) mean to them as often a coach or parents’ interpretation can be very different.
- Accept and seek to understand individual perspectives, traits and subsequent behaviours without being overly judgemental.
- Focus on solutions to help young footballers and athletes manage their emotions effectively.
Connect with David Charlton
Join David @ The Sports Psychology Hub
Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIN
Podcast Episodes Related To The Youth Sport Experience
Ep082: David Charlton – Supporting Children in Sport with Positive Feedback
Ep122: Prof Camilla Knight – Helping Your Children Get The Most From Their Sporting Experiences
Other Valuable Resources To Help Children, Young Athletes, Parents and Youth Sport Coaches
Youth Sports Psychology Library
Frequently Asked Questions – Sport Psychology for Children and Parents
Helpful Resources For Young Football and Soccer Players, Parents and Youth Sport Coaches
Frequently Asked Questions – Goalkeeping Psychology
Frequently Asked Questions – Football Psychology
Ep276: How To Help A Footballer Who Focuses Too Much On Other People
Ep049: James Maurice – How Does Sport Psychology in Elite Football Academies Help
Click the button below to join The Sports Psychology Hub a Facebook group that David hosts to help ambitious athletes, serious sport coaches, sporting parents, sports psychologists and mental game coaches to support each other.
IF YOU ENJOYED TODAY'S SHOW PLEASE SHARE
SUBSCRIBE AND LISTEN ON YOUR FAVOURITE AUDIO PLATFORM
Also, kindly consider taking the 60-seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes, they’re extremely helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and we read every single one of them!
Best Wishes
David Charlton
Global Sports Psychologist who is located near Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK and willing to travel Internationally. David also uses online video conferencing software (Zoom, Facetime, WhatsApp) on a regular basis and has clients who he has supported in USA, Canada, South America, UAE, Australian and New Zealand.
Managing Director – Inspiring Sporting Excellence and Founder of The Sports Psychology Hub. With over 10 years experience supporting athletes, coaches, parents and teams to achieve their goals, quickly.
T: +44 7734 697769
