I made mistakes – don’t make the same ones I did!
Youth soccer/football is all about learning and teaches you hundreds of treasured skills necessary for life on- and off the field.
Making mistakes is a tremendously valuable component of ‘the process’ as a youth soccer player, but what is even more valuable are the learning opportunities that come with them.
My goal here is to share mistakes I made as a youth soccer player and ensure you don’t make the same ones with hopes that you can move forward positively, well-informed and enlightened.
Here are 7 things you can learn that I wish I had done differently as a youth soccer player.
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Worry Less About Others
Often players are overly worried about what others are thinking or saying rather than focusing that attention on themselves.
Teammates, opponents, coaches, parents, fans, and friends; people will always have negative things to say to make up for their own insecurities.
One thing you can do for yourself that will take so much weight off your shoulders is to focus on yourself, your habits, your performances, and your goals.
Playing up an age group? Great, enjoy it; you deserve that opportunity.
Tough game? No problem, that’s football, everyone has tough games and it won’t be your last.
Are teammates talking behind your back? Wicked, this means they’re threatened by you and your skill.
Ultimately, all these other individuals come and go, so forget about what they think.
Always remember you’re in this for yourself.
Habits Over Goals
As youth soccer players, we are heavily invested in our long-term goals and ‘what’s next?’ when it comes to our careers.
A prized habit that can sometimes become overwhelming and threaten to overtake our day-to-day thinking processes.
We’re so overcome by our long-term goals that we forget about the daily habits and steps we need to take to reach those goals.
Ensure as a youth soccer player that you instill positive habits that support these long-term goals because, without daily actionable habits, you won’t get to where you want to go.
Mental Training
Taking the next steps in your development as a youth soccer player comes down to more than your skill on the ball, speed and agility, and scoring or saving goals.
Your mental strength must also grow with you.
Ensure to train your brain as you would train on the ball.
You wouldn’t train on the ball once a month and expect to improve, would you? No, you would train 5-7 times a week at least to expect improvements over the long term.
Take this approach with your mental training and sports psychology; research strategies and resources you can use daily and instill them into your training routine.
Handle Mistakes Positively
As mentioned, mistakes as a youth soccer player are a valuable part of the process.
No one wants to make mistakes, but you’re a human being like the rest of us, meaning you will make them on the soccer field; it’s inevitable.
Look at making mistakes as an opportunity to learn and adapt, and don’t be afraid of making them.
Instead, embrace them as an act of hard work, a learning curve, and use them constructively.
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One Day At A Time
As mentioned previously, youth soccer players can become overtaken by their long-term goals and forget the importance of each day, session, exercise, and rep.
Each day and practice build on top of each other to create your long-term goals into a reality.
Neglecting sessions, intersquads, or matches is a step backwards, so take advantage of every opportunity to perform and compete.
Approach each training session as a youth soccer player as an opportunity to improve, learn, and take a step in the positive direction.
Uplift Instead Of Drain
Players who are constantly negative and feel sorry for themselves are unbelievably draining for those around them and can drag down the intensity and vibe of a session for the players around them.
How do I know this? Because I’ve been both.
I’ve been the drainer and the drainee, and can’t emphasize enough how important it is not to feel sorry for yourself as a youth soccer player during or after a poor training session or game.
Instead, be the player that encourages and supports your teammates, even if you’ve had a negative performance on the day.
It will increase the team’s morale, and you will even start to feel better.
Pressure Less, Enjoy More
Take a moment to recognize why you started playing soccer in the first place.
Typically, we begin playing soccer because it’s fun, whether it’s in our backyard, on the street, or with ‘Timbits’ soccer at the beginning of our soccer journey.
As we grow older, the pressure to improve and take the next step grows in importance, which is part of the game if you want to make it to the elite level.
But still find the time to enjoy life as a youth soccer player.
Enjoy the banter with your teammates, your grandparents watching you play, and everyone else who make it a positive experience.
Have fun playing matches, going to training, and training on your own, and always remember to enjoy having the ball at your feet whenever you have the opportunity.
