The mental side of the World Cup

Dr. Andrew Jacobs has been a sport psychologist for 25 years and has worked with all levels of competitive athletes from youth sports to the professional and Olympic level. We talked to him recently about the role of sports psychology, the mental challenges an athlete participating in World Cup 2006 might face, and what things athletes of any skill level can do mentally to improve their performance.

Can you tell us a little about what exactly sports psychology is?

There are three different types of sports psychology: Research, teaching, and a clinical component. What sports psychologists do is work with an athlete to understand their behavior and to study their performance.

How does sports psychology affect the outcome of a game?

When teams match up the one that is mentally stronger is the one who more than likely will do better. You must be ready to deal with adversity. If you've got a mental game plan then when you fall behind you don't freak out.

Quite frankly one of the biggest issues is not dealing with success but in dealing with adversity and failure. We don't teach people how to lose but what to do when they lose and how to handle it.

Do you ever encounter any obstacles in trying to implement sports psychology techniques to athletes?

All the time. I graduated from the first sports psychology training program in the country in 1981. Over the years I've encountered people who don't believe in sports psychology--people who aren't open-minded. They think if you have to talk about stuff than it's a sign of weakness. But most people will tell you training mentally helps.

Are some sports more receptive to the benefits of sports psychology than others?

I think over the years individual sports have been more receptive to the concept of sports psychology than team sports. Golf, of all the sports, is the one that has used it the most.

Team sports have been a little more reluctant. Sometimes the head coach wants to be in charge of every aspect of his/her team. But things are changing. Even over the last five years I've noticed a huge difference.

How does soccer fit into the sports psychology continuum?

I used be with the Kansas City Comets of the MISL (Major Indoor Soccer League) and the really key thing with those guys was teamwork. I would work individually with the players and talk a lot about team building and supporting each other. What if somebody makes a bad play? What if somebody gets a red card? How do you stay together and not blow up at each other?

In soccer there's not much down time. You really have to be on your toes, because if you lose your focus then suddenly you're giving up goals. Communication is essential. Everyone needs to understand their roles and fit with each other.

Looking at the World Cup specifically--what kinds of mental challenges will the US National Team face being on the road in Germany?

One of the big things I work with athletes on is how you get yourself mentally prepared. Mental preparation involves not just focusing right before the game but also how you prepare the week before.

Talking about the World Cup team specifically one of the challenges they will face is being able to acclimate themselves. You've got to know how to deal with things like changes in time, schedule, and culture.

When I was with the cycling team in Italy I remember the guys were freaking out about things like drinking warm soda. (They don't put ice in their soda in Europe.) You've got to be able to deal with being away from friends and family and not letting cultural changes affect you.

What specific suggestions would you give the US Soccer team to prepare for the World Cup?

I think these guys already do mental visualization--but I would recommend in addition for the USA Soccer team to have a plan to deal with adversity. I would encourage talking and discussing the 'what ifs' amongst the team. What if a key player gets hurt? What if we let the crowd bother us?

That's where a focus on team and confidence is most important. Oftentimes the role of the coach and the assistant coach is not so much one of strategy but of helping the players to become a team and be supportive of each other. That's what's going to make the difference during the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

How can any athlete improve their mental attitude?

When I work with athletes I'm most interested in what they are thinking, what they are feeling, and how they react emotionally. Don't just tell me what happened--tell me what you tell yourself about what just happened. It's important not to focus on the score--but focus on your execution.

I have a client who is a swimmer. And while she was very talented she always seemed to freeze up during the larger meets. I asked her what things she was thinking about right before the meet and we realized that she was worrying about letting other people down. By simply switching her thought patterns before a meet we were able to help her achieve much more athletic success.

Do the same sports psychology principles apply to both the professional and the amateur ranks?

In the pros all these guys are physically talented. Oftentimes it's the mental aspect that can separate them apart. If you listen to anybody who makes it big time, if you listen to their quotes, it's all about 'we stuck together we were able to support each other.' The teams that succeed stick together. The teams that don't...don't.

At the youth sport level really until you're 12 or 13 it should be more about learning and having fun. It's more about the experience of sports. You learn a lot at a younger age. The lessons you learn on the field can translate to every area of your life.

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For 15 years Dr. Jacobs has hosted a sport psychology radio show and every month presents a tele-seminar on youth sports to assist parents, coaches and athletes to reach their potential. Find out more about the teleseminars at www.winnersunlimited.com.

Comments

[Laura]

I think this is a very good site to show people that its not all about physical things, but mental as well. I am in high school and doing a project on world cup soccer preperation. this site helped me a lot thanks.