STAYING STRONG
Reacting to rejection
FOR many young players, youth trials are the final option. A last-ditch, desperate attempt to hold on to a potential career that most of them have been building since their early youth; but, nonetheless, one that appears to be slipping further from their grasp.
The hope that they will be noticed and stand out whilst playing alongside and against others who are often complete strangers can heap a lot of pressure on a young player, and how they deal with this can often determine whether they have the mental strength to show what they can do or not on the day.
Speaking to Business Insider, Michael Calvin (author of “No Hunger in Paradise: The Players. The Journey. The Dream”), said his research shows that less than 0.5% of all boys who enter into academies at the age of nine will be able to make a living from the game.
It is, therefore, understandable why young players can find it so difficult to come to terms with being released from an academy, and the inevitable doubting of their ability and future prospects that go along with this.
Matthew Shaw, a performance psychologist at mental skills training company InnerDrive, describes why rejection at such an age can have such a cataclysmic effect on young players.
“Players often assume that it is the end of their footballing journey,” he said. “To help deal with rejection, we encourage players to learn from negative situations like being released.
“Footballers should start to foster the mindset that they can learn from setbacks and use them as motivation in the future. By doing this, players start to think more positively, thus feel and behave more positively.”
As for specific reactions rejection from an academy can have on youth players, Shaw said this differs from player to player.
“Some feel as though they always need to impress,” he said. “This can foster a fear of failure, whereby the athlete doesn’t push themselves and try their hardest because of the fear of making a mistake.
“Others can burn out as they have more emotional exhaustion. Other players may not have any psychological problems at all.”
However, it is not just up to the young players to deal with any potential psychological issues alone.
Parents of those facing rejection at this stage in their career can also often play a vital role.
“How parents communicate and react after a setback has been found to be a significant predictor of their child’s mind-set,” said Shaw.
“Parents should help them focus on the future and what they can learn from their setback rather than dwelling on it themselves.
“How parents act in this situation is vitally important. There are a number of things parents can do to help support their child. Firstly, develop new goals with their child.
“Certainty is key and having a purpose helps stop negative emotions. There should be congruence in the goals between parents and child.
“Parents should also try to resist giving technical or tactical advice should they go back into the sport. Children want their parents to be involved in a supportive manner.”
An exception to this can be if a player is forced to give up hope of making it out of an academy rather than being rejected outright, through a career-ending injury for example.
Shaw conceded that this is a completely different situation and that many young players who go through this can often struggle to come to terms with the end of any potential career being outside of their control.
“The brain craves certainty and control so this can be difficult,” he said.
“The best way to help footballers who have had decisions about their future made for them is to start to focus on what they can control (i.e., the future) and not the past as this cannot change (i.e., being released.)
“When an athlete is injured, this is again out of their control.
“Other than the above, there are a
few ways to help these athletes.
“Setting short-term goals to provide focus is very important. Injured athletes should also be educated about the treatment of their injury.
“This provides more certainty about their treatment and will reduce stress, frustration and anxiety.”
It’s sometimes easy to forget that there are pressures young players have to deal with on top of their footballing commitments, such as educations and exams.
“For players at elite academies the clubs now often look after their education and help them along the way,” said Shaw.
“From my personal experience, the best way to help an athlete who has a lot of sources of stress is to help them narrow down their focus onto what matters.
“Rather than thinking about the bigger picture (i.e., exam and football), they should strive to think about the process that helps them achieve in these things.
“Often thinking about the bigger picture in this context can be quite daunting, so thinking about little steps can not only make the athlete feel more positive but it also helps them achieve.”
For many players looking to take part in trials however, this is their sole focus leading up to the day and the pressure of knowing that they must perform to their highest standard can easily affect how they play.
The uncertainty of playing in a new environment, often after playing in the same academy setup for many years, can be a daunting prospect for a young player to comprehend.
A focussed mind and obtaining clear objectives can often be the key to thriving in such a pressure-driven scenario.
“The key to performing under pressure is focusing on the right things,” he said.
“For example, in an exit trial and during the build-up to it, players should try and focus on only what they can control. I.e., their own performance. For example, by asking themselves ‘what three things do I need to do well in order to have a great game?’ will help.
“Any other information will not help them in the trial.
“The second way to prepare is to think about a consistent pre-match routine. Often the ground will be unfamiliar, so will the other players and staff.
“By having a consistent routine this creates an element of certainty and control. This leads to better confidence, more emotional control and higher performances on the pitch.”
However, even for those who are fortunate to earn a contract at this age, there are pitfalls.
“There is an element that young players are given too much, too soon,” he said. “However, some deal with this better than others.
“We teach players to focus more on their own learning and personal development rather than their ability or ‘natural talent’.
“Those that focus more on their own learning are often more determined, work harder and are less motivated by what others think than they are themselves.”
However, it is also vital for any young player to grab any opportunity given to them at the highest level, with teams at the top level now preferring to go with age and experience over youth as a general trend.
This has been reflected in the number of young, promising English players opting to play abroad in recent times where they will be more likely to be given that elusive chance to play they so desperately crave.
“The starting age of a Premier League player is rising, meaning that when young players play, they need to take every moment they can,” he added.
“Often younger players play without fear because of their willingness to try and impress.
“As well as this, younger players’ brains are still developing. Therefore, they are still working out what the right and wrong decisions are. This, however, is a necessary process for learning and development.”