Soccer coaching can be stressful if not more than our ‘day jobs’

Why – because we can sometimes strive for perfectionism in ourselves which sets the same expectation for everyone else – ‘this is what good looks like’ and nothing else will do. Failure or losing a game is not an option….stress, stress, stress!

Living with high levels of stress puts your entire well-being at risk. 

Stress wreaks havoc on your emotional equilibrium, as well as your overall physical and mental health.  This is also not just confined to you as an individual but can also manifest itself in the way you interact with others. It’s very difficult, if not impossible to park the stress to one side without it impacting on the words you say or the actions you perform.

Being an effective coach requires you to be also effective at stress management – this will help you break the hold stress may have on you so you can be happier, healthier and more productive which ultimately has immediate positive benefits for the team you coach.

The ultimate goal is a balanced life, with time for work, relationships, relaxation and competing competitively. This will help you as a coach to hold up under pressure (when that game is not just going to plan) and meet the challenges of making effective decisions on the touchline

My top tips for effective stress management are:-

1. Identify the stresses in your life

It starts first with trying to find the source, then trying to understand if you are in a position to change/control or exert influence which will reduce the stress. Sometimes we have to accept the current position and not try to ‘control everything’ especially when it’s outside our gift to change the outcome.

2. Start a stress journal

This will help to identify the regular stressors in your life. By noting when you feel a trigger of stress, you can start to see patterns, places, people or situations where you feel stress coming on. Record how you feel both physically and emotionally and what action you then took to change the outcome and feeling.

3. Cut out any unhealthy ways of dealing with stress

This could be bingeing on junk food, drinking too much, procrastinating and taking the stress out on other people.

4. Keep active and even try some mindful rhythmic exercises

Focus on breathing, and your movements and notice how the air or sunlight feels on your skin (practice on the touchline!)

Finally, remember that we can never get rid of stress and to function we all need some stress in our lives……just be aware of when this might be tipping towards too much stress.

Martin Roberts is one of the UK’s leading voices on the lived mental health experience.

A teenage survivor of the Hillsborough disaster, Martin shares his vulnerability by speaking openly about that fateful day and how unbeknown to him, it would be the catalyst of what would be another personal fight for survival some 28 years later. He is also the founder of Keep In Mind, an organisation that works with businesses of all sizes to develop and implement their mental health and wellbeing strategies to help them support their staff in the best way possible.

You can find Martin here: https://keepin-mind.co.uk/

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On the Pitch

1. Sight: Find five things around you that you can see. These could be your teammates, the goalposts, the ball, the markings on the field or the spectators. Focus on these things and describe them to yourself in your mind. For example, the colour of your teammate’s shirt, the shape of the ball, etc. This helps to ground you in the present moment.
2. Touch: Find four things you can touch. This might include the grass beneath your feet, the texture of the football, your shirt or even feeling the air against your skin. Pay attention to the details of these sensations. How does the grass feel against your touch? Is the football cold or warm?
3. Hearing: Identify three things you can hear. This could be the sound of the crowd cheering, your coach giving instructions or your teammates communicating with you. Close your eyes for a moment if you need to focus better.
4. Smell: Note two things you can smell. On a football pitch, this could be the scent of the grass, the smell of the sweat on your shirt, or even the aroma of the earth if it’s a rainy day. In the absence of strong smells, you can also think about two of your favourite smells.
5. Taste: Identify one thing you can taste. This might be the residual taste of the sports drink you had or even just the taste of your own mouth. It’s the least used sense, but it’s still important to help you ground yourself.

In Everyday Situations:

1. Sight: Identify five things that you can see around you. It could be a pen, a spot on the ceiling, an interesting pattern on a rug, the colour of your shoes, or a bird outside the window. Pay attention to the details of these objects. What colour are they? What is their texture?
2. Touch: Recognise four things you can touch. Feel the texture of your clothing, the surface of the table you’re sitting at, the smooth screen of your phone or the warmth of a coffee cup. Focus on how these things feel against your skin.
3. Hearing: Listen for three sounds. This could be the sound of typing on a keyboard, a car passing by outside, the ticking of a clock, or the hum of an air conditioner. Really tune into these sounds and let them guide your attention.
4. Smell: Identify two things you can smell. This could be the scent of your coffee, a hand sanitiser, the pages of a book, or flowers outside. If you can’t immediately identify smells around you, think of your favourite smells, and imagine them.
5. Taste: Notice one thing you can taste. It could be the lingering taste of toothpaste or a sip of water, or the taste of gum. If you can’t identify a taste, think of your favourite food and imagine the taste.

This grounding technique can be really helpful in bringing you back to the present and interrupting the spiral of panic. It’s a way to reconnect with the reality around you and remind yourself that you are here and now, not in the scenarios your anxiety is projecting.

While this grounding technique can be an effective way to manage a panic attack, it’s important to note that frequent panic attacks are not a normal part of life and may signal an underlying anxiety disorder. If you find that panic attacks are occurring frequently, are causing you significant distress, or are impacting your quality of life, it is vital to seek professional help.

Remember, asking for help is not a sign of weakness but a step towards taking control of your mental health and wellbeing.

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