Most difficult mental skill: How to re-focus

Re-focus is the hardest thing to do when it comes to mental skill.  But it is even harder to re-focus when you are a goalkeeper in a game where NOTHING is happening or perhaps, lots is happening but you JUST simply can’t get in the game.

It is very easy to tell when goalkeepers are not totally involved in the game. One example is a goalkeeper who is standing in the goal being very reactive.  Basically they are just waiting for things to happen then react to whatever happens in the game; sort of like being inside of a BURNING HOUSE and you get to ESCAPE from this fire ONLY when the room you are standing in is literally on fire! Then you react!  This generally happens with lots of amateur young goalkeepers and goalkeepers who struggle to focus on any game. But sometimes goalkeepers just don’t know what they are supposed to do!! 

But, think about a goalkeeper who is playing and all of the sudden something “distracting” happens such as a goal, nervousness, fans, crowds, side-line arguments or fights, ejections, screaming parents, maybe an annoying aggressive player or even weather. These are just few examples of things that can DISTRACT any goalkeeper during a game and make it even near impossible to RE-FOCUS.

Here are few tips to RE-FOCUS during a game:  by using CUES!!!

Goalkeeper VISUAL cues:

LASER-TARGET focus on SOMETHING on the field . Example, you can just focus on the ball as it moves around the field and read the game by imagining what your opponent team will do next.  Take few breaths as you do this.

SENSORY or TANGIBLE cues:

This could be something that you can do physically. Example, touching a certain spot on your gloves or touching a body part or even something like jumping and touching the cross bar…. ANYTHING that is out of your NORMAL ROUTINE to remind you to RE-FOCUS.

SOUND cues:

it can be a WORD or PHRASE such as “PRESS ON”, “LET IT GO”, “SHAKE IT OFF” and repeat these words or phrases as much as possible until you are back into the game mentally…. It can also be a sound like a scream or a weird sound you can create or ANYTHING!!.

These are just few examples but you can make them WHAT YOU WANT….remember, it is YOU who is playing in the goal not the fans, your parents or your coach, it is YOU.  Therefore,  find what works for you.

Let us know your thoughts?