Goalkeeping Tips, Tidbits and Random Thoughts

An athlete talking to themsleves during competition is hardly a new phenomenon.... The talk does not have to be vocal. By merely thinking you are talking to yourself and sending a message.
-- Tony DiCicco, Goalkeeper Soccer Training Manual

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Pushing yourself

Last week I got a chance to hear Christie Rampone, the captain for the USA women's national team, speak at a tournament. One question she was asked was how hard it was to make it to the highest level of the sport.

Part of her answer was unexpected, but perhaps not surprising. Rampone tore her ACL in 2001 playing in the WUSA. She said one thing that really made her realize how hard she could push herself was doing the rehabilitation to come back from the injury.

Unexpected, because you don't expect someone to say an injury made them better. But not surprising, because if you've ever had to do it, you know that rehabbing a bad injury is far harder than anything you've ever done on the field.

I think the reason rehab really makes you push yourself is because you know where you have to get back to. You know the standard, and don't—can't— stop until you get there. If you are just training, you don't always have a good idea of how high you can go. And many set that invisible bar too low. If you get hurt, the bar is all too visible.

Are you really pushing yourself to be as good as you can, as a coach or as a player?

Labels: Psychology

Posted on Thursday, February 19, 2009 | Permalink