As a former college player and as a sport psychology consultant who currently works with many elite soccer players and teams, the role mental toughness plays in the success of these groups is unmatched.  Players and teams can have unbelievable technical skill but if they are unable to manage their emotions, think clearly under duress, and maintain confidence, they will be less effective.  Therefore, developing soccer mental toughness is a necessary component for all players, teams, and coaches who want to reach their soccer potential.

Mental toughness has become an abstract concept that ESPN, FoxSoccerWorld, and other sport announcers have used to describe unbelievable feats made by players and sport teams from around the world.  However, mental toughness is anything but abstract for there are three major components that form this concept.  An athlete is not necessarily born with mental toughness but can be trained in the following three areas:

1.)   Control:  There are only three areas that an athlete has absolute control over during training and games: a.) attitude, b.) body language, and c.) work ethic.  Attitude is the internal thoughts and confidence held by an individual or team; body language is the external behaviors by a player or by the team that can be seen by competitors; and, work ethic is giving 100% of whatever you’ve got on that day.

2.)   Coping:  During a course of a practice, game, season, or during a years training for a major competition events occur that are not in a player/teams’ control.  Players/teams may get injured, they endure slumps, referees make bad calls, and/or they are “unlucky.”  The most successful teams and players are able to handle these ups and downs and rather than focusing on the negative occurrences they look at the aspects they can control.

3.)   Consistency:   During a soccer season, maintaining consistency tends to be the most difficult part of developing soccer mental toughness.  Often teams and players take games or practices off making it difficult to maintain a certain level of play (making coaches extremely frustrated).  Remembering why you play soccer (internal motivation) may help develop this component.   

Within the above three categories, mental skills can be developed to help increase soccer mental toughness.  Confidence, managing behaviors (especially when a referee makes a bad call J), focus/concentration, motivation, positive self-talk, letting go of mistakes, etc. are all skills that can be taught to a player/team.  If you or your team would like more information on how to specifically develop your soccer mental toughness please feel free to contact Dr. Tiffany Jones.