The X Factor

Dear Parents, if your player has a dream of playing at a "high level," you can help them most by fostering these mental qualities in your children and reinforcing them every day. The greatest gift parents can give their children in sports is the gift of a growth mentality.  ​

Lesson #1: Be Coachable

First and foremost, teach your child to be coachable and to communicate. Being coachable means that your child has respect for his or her coach and listens to what is being taught. Being coachable means that your child trusts the process, listens to what he or she is told and try to execute it without an opinion. It's not a technical skill or an inherent ability. It is a mental attitude. It is defined by your ability to be coached. As amazing as your coach may be, their efforts are meaningless without another crucial part of this success equation: your own coach-ability. Even with the best coaches at your disposal, it is your coach-ability in conjunction with great training that will ultimately determine your development. 

Lesson #2: Be comfortable with being uncomfortable

Teach your child to reach out of his or her comfort zone by trying harder than they have ever tried or having difficult conversations with their coach. Players should be the ones to have conversations with their coaches about playing time or skill progression. When an elite soccer player reaches higher levels, coaches expect players to try their best and will not (nor should they) have a conversation with parents about playing time. Your children need preparation and practice in how to push it to their limit and advocate for themselves in their professional careers. 

Lesson #3: Be an excellent teammate and leader

Teach your child the characteristics of how to be an excellent teammate and leader. These go hand in hand since it is a team game. Teach your child SELFLESSNESS by emphasizing good body language if a teammate makes a mistake or if your coach ask you to run or if you are sitting the bench during a championship game. Teach your child ACCOUNTABILITY by not placing blame toward others, to ask questions and respect the team. You know, there is no “I” in team, teach them that.

Lesson #4: Be mentally tough

Teach your children mental toughness and resilience. One day in their lives they may not start, or maybe they don’t even play at all. Elite athletes survive disappointments because they are mentally prepared for whatever happens to them. They have dealt with adversity, disappointment, and failure and learned how to grow from those experiences. One day you could be playing every minute and an injury sets you back. You have to be mentally tough to come back stronger.

Lesson #5: Postive Attitude

Last but not least, remind your children they can achieve anything IF they put in the work CONSISTENTLY! When the going gets tough, the tough keep going.

Football provides the opportunity as a parent and coach to teach children life lessons via sports, trust the process and the results will come. But it all starts from their home environment.