- The Bottom Line -

As an athlete, few positions or sports are as mentally and physically challenging as that of a goalkeeper. While every athlete certainly faces mental setbacks and pressure, goalkeepers fall into a unique position – that of isolation and a philosophy that differs greatly from the other ten players on the pitch. Every decision, every reaction and every mistake is scrutinized and magnified, leaving difficult mental roadblocks for goalkeepers to overcome. This pressure ultimately affects not only the outcome of games but takes a toll on mental health. However, pressure doesn't need to be negative and using it to improve your mental health can be the next step towards improving your game.

Recognizing Mental Health Struggles as an Athlete

Early mental health issues are often harder to identify, but the stigma around athletes and theassumption that they are always performing at one-hundred percent mentally often leads athletes to not seek help. In fact, a recent 2019 study found that over 34% of elite athletes are struggling with mental health. This number is reported to be even higher in that of student athletes as a whole and possibly even higher in key positions such as goalkeepers. While recognizing and coming forward about mental struggles is not always easy, releasing the weight of your mind can allow for fearlessness in between the posts. Many common mental health signs in athletes include:

  • Depression
  • Eating Disorders
  • Sleep issues
  • Anxiety
  • Substance Addiction

How Does This Relate To Goalkeeping?

While it has been previously stated that mental health may affect goalkeepers differently and more harshly than other athletes, it is important to understand not only the consequences, but the ability to push your game to the next level by freeing yourself from these struggles. As the prominence of mental health talks continue to grow, it's time we shine a light on goalkeepers and how mental health uniquely affects them. Highlighting how to diminish the negative effects on mental health can be one of the single greatest psychological tools in your arsenal when it comes to trusting yourself in big moments. This begs the question of how we maintain a positive mental state when things get hard. The reality is that there is no one way to be mentally perfect, but using positive strategies can propel you towards psychological success.

Visualization

Using visualization can be a great tool to help alleviate anxiety and prepare yourself for the game. Try to imagine yourself in game scenarios from a first person POV and focus on areas where you feel like you have less confidence whether that be cross collection, 1v1 saves, or distribution. Visualization doesn't have to take long and in just 15 minutes you can visualize a wide variety of scenarios. Research shows that by using imagery and visualization, the same brain pathways that are active when you are physically performing a rep are also active when visualizing. This means that through vivid imagery we can essentially get reps and build confidence without even being on the field.

Meditation

Similar to visualization, meditation can be incredibly effective for goalkeepers in dealing with anxiety and calming the mind. Studies show that meditation in athletes can be more influential if that athlete is involved in a much more stressful position, in which goalkeeping would fall into. Meditation mastery can be hard but research shows that after a few weeks of meditating, performance can skyrocket. Meditation methods can vary, but try to practice breathing exercises to ground yourself while clearing your mind. Studies also show that breathing exercises in stressful moments can be very effective in calming your nerves and refocusing your mind. This directly applies to high stress situations you may see in your games where you need a mental edge to maintain your clean sheet.

Create A Balanced Schedule

I have witnessed first hand how the grind of school, life, and soccer can be challenging for even the most level-headed individuals. A well balanced schedule is the secret ingredient to staying stress free and ensuring you have the opportunity to fall back on a routine even when the most unpredictable event takes place. The first most important part of your schedule should be your sleep and nutrition. Ensuring your brain is functioning at full power and your body is rejuvenated makes everything on the field that much easier. This way, if we do have a bad game or below average practice, we can bounce back into our routine and refocus on what's in front of us. A balanced routine also means that when things get difficult or nerves take over, you can rely on the training and preparation you have spent so long building.

Be Open To Critisicm AndTake Time To Reflect

As goalkeepers we are constantly bombarded with information after matches and practices by our coaches and teammates. Learning how to filter this information, and choosing what is right advice to focus on is very important. Every goalkeeper has a different coaching style that works best for them, but learning to take advice with an open mindset is one of the biggest areas of growth for many goalkeepers. It is essential that you take advice from a perspective of growth and try to evaluate areas where you can implement this advice into your game. While it is never easy to take criticism, taking this criticism and turning it into goal-oriented actions can cause tremendous growth and show coaches you are willing to grow as a player. Taking advantage of mistakes as learning moments and studying film from moments you recognize there is room for improvement gives you the ability to focus on specific areas in your training and be mentally prepared for when these moments come before you in the future.

How Has Focusing On My Mental Health Helped Me

As a younger goalkeeper just starting high school and club soccer, I was thrown into a world of uncertainty, trying to figure out how to improve my game and focus on the positives while everything seemed to be going wrong, losing confidence and questioning every decision I made in games and at training. I was a perfectionist, focusing on even the smallest details and constantly being dissatisfied with my performances.

While this always pushed me to improve, as I began to grow as a player and a person, I realized the importance of having a strong set of mental skills to fall back on; even after the hardest games. My mental health soon began to improve as I focused on all the things I could control and managed my negative thoughts better. My biggest mental growth came as I pursued a higher level of competition and went all in on college recruiting.

How Has Focusing On My Mental Health Helped Me

Escaping my comfort zone and playing for a team three and a half hours away was a huge step in my career but came with its own set of obstacles. Having up to seven hours of driving a day just to train came with its own unique set of challenges, but my mental health began to deteriorate. Those long drives home after training, where I questioned every detail, made it increasingly hard to focus on the positives and I knew that to avoid burnout I would have to focus even harder on my mental health. I was lucky to have a group of coaches and mentors that trusted me and I began to see immense growth both mentally and on the field.

For me, visualization, goal setting, and a consistent schedule were the main things that I felt helped me improve my mental struggles. Focusing on the things I could control and working on areas I knew needed improvement in my game, gave me the confidence to grow as a player. Eventually I began to see growth, and by the time I knew it I was committing to a Division II NCAA team, ready for the next steps in my career. While never easy, overcoming mental struggles has been essential for me in my career and part of the reason I have been inspired to open up about this difficult subject so that other goalkeepers can prosper and catapult themselves into new levels with the confidence they need to keep the ball out of the net.

- Conclusion - The Mind Behind The Gloves

Being a goalkeeper is more than just shot stopping, and game management; it is a cycle of growth and failure that defines every moment on the pitch. However, goalkeepers are still human and still have their own silent battles off the field that quietly deteriorate their confidence. As the conversation around mental health in sports continues to evolve, it is imperative we acknowledge the unique challenges that fall on goalkeepers. By shifting the focus to improving mental health in goalkeepers we can ensure that these athletes are not just physically prepared, but mentally resilient as well.

Mental strength doesn't come from never feeling fear or doubt. It's about accepting struggle and having the tools to manage it effectively – ensuring we keep moving. If you're a goalkeeper or athlete struggling with your mental health, you're not alone, and help is available. Speak up. Reach out. And remember, it's okay to not be okay.