NLP Sports Training and Coaching Tips for Performance Coaching

Even if you have no interest in soccer, there’s every chance you’ve heard of Robert Green. But, in case you’ve been hiding out in a cave to escape the 2010 FIFA World Cup football frenzy, Robert Green is the England goalkeeper who fumbled the ball pretty spectacularly, allowing a run of the mill shot at goal by Clint Dempsey of the USA to hit the back of the net. The result was a 1 - 1 draw in a match that England could have won. So how do you put a mistake you’ve made in front of the whole world behind you; how do you move on when the world’s press are having a field day at your expense, and you’re now the butt of every global text and email joke in circulation? In this case, mental preparation will be key.

Robert Green didn’t let his mistake upset the rest of his game. His mental preparation allowed him to put it instantly behind him and to focus on the job in hand. He said, “I didn’t let it affect my performance. It’s about mental strength and worse things have happened to people. You go through mental preparation the night before a game and prepare for moments of trauma in a game when it happens.” His ability to pick up the pieces and perform well for the rest of the game clearly demonstrated his strength of character and the effectiveness of his mental skill training. But what happens next?

Could the negative press surrounding Green’s performance have an effect on his next performance? Mistakes are only ever mistakes if we can’t learn from them and move on. Judging by his post-match statements, he’s already there: “It was my mistake and I’m responsible. I’ve made errors before and I’ve been big enough to get over them, and I will this one.” One thing is for sure, his mental preparation for the next match will be absolutely crucial to his performance.

It takes physical and mental skills to cope with the intense pressures created by top level international competition, so only those in peak physical and mental condition will survive. England have not won the World Cup since 1966 - that’s 44 years ago - yet every English team in every World Cup tournament ever since has continued to carry the hopes and dreams of every loyal English fan who believes the team of that year will be THE team to bring the World Cup trophy home gain. That’s a lot of added pressure in an already high pressure environment.

Today, it takes considerable mental skill to remain “stubborn” and to have unwavering courage in your convictions when an entire nation are at liberty to tell you you’re doing it wrong. Current England manager Fabio Capello clearly understands the power of mental skills training. He says, “In my career as a manager, I’ve built teams, worked with teams, worked with players, and always I’ve been focused to win. That’s all that matters to me…in my mind we play to win.” Mental skills training matters. It takes self-belief and a positive mental attitude to maintain a winning mentality in the face of constant criticism.

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It’s well known that negative feedback can affect a players performance. Brazil weren’t favourites to win in 1970. They hadn’t played well in 1966 and it seemed the majority of their supporters doubted the teams ability to improve on that performance. Even their coach questioned their abilities to form an effective team because he considered the top players to be too similar in their abilities. In sports psychology terms, the players were subject to a great deal of negative external feedback.