Heart of the matter....

So there has been a topic on my mind for some time now. Here in Vancouver, we have had the opportunity to work on the mental side of sport with a few different teachers. All have the same message, but very distinct styles and personal stories. The basic message is to focus on the process and the outcome will take care of itself.

As coaches, it is sometimes really tough to see where players are at in this aspect. You can tell them to come to you for help, but many are afraid to, or even worse, don't know they need it. However, my thoughts have not been on the utilization of positive imagery and the mental aspect, but rather our attempt at trying to quantify it.

I believe that trying to instill great performances using known methods are noble, but they can at times do more harm then good. Many athletes, including myself, who have tried to right their struggles in the mental game know all too well how hard it is to overcome such a hurdle. Imagine telling yourself not to think negatively about a play or a decision, but to focus on the positive. All good in theory, but you end up neglecting your feelings about the event in question and end up creating an even bigger mental hurdle.

I believe sports psychologists should be very careful when introducing new material to athletes. Mental training can be very helpful, but it needs to be practiced like every other skill or trait. I am not disagreeing with mental training at all, but when done halfheartedly, I truly believe it will be detrimental to the athlete.

From personal experience, I think there is something that mental psychologists overlook in their models. The X factor here is the will, determination and heart of an athlete. I will take an inspired athlete over a mentally trained one any day. You could make the argument that they are one in the same, but from my point of view, there is definitely a difference.

For example, when I was a child I was obsessed with college basketball, the NCAA tournament in particular. One year, a team from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles lost their star player, Hank Gathers. He collapsed on the court and died later that night. The team, coached by Paul Westhead, as well as the entire country of basketball fans, were shocked and saddened.

You would think this would devastate a team to lose their star player in such a traumatic way, causing such personal grief and a major emotional distraction for everyone associated with this tragedy. Although, to the country's surprise and my joy as a kid, the Lions played inspired basketball to make it into the country's Elite 8 teams. They upset Michigan and Alabama and were finally stopped by the best team in the country that year, UNLV.

Ever since this run, I have always wondered about the effect of inspiration on sport. The determination as a group to collectively channel this energy was absolutely mind blowing and incredible.

This determination and desire to succeed can also be found in individuals. Of course, not everyone will be in the same situation as LMU, but many athletes have overcome emotional, psychological, and physical hurdles to achieve success. What drives them? What creates champions?

So at this point, you're probably thinking where am I going with this? It's a fair question and here is my answer. As coaches we cannot overlook the determined and driven player when trying to put players on a field or make selections for the team. As a player, we cannot underestimate how this quality will affect our success.

John Wooden would study the background of players as far as what kind of environment they were from. He believed that certain characters shared similar qualities. I believe the same.

To be the best and to achieve success, you have to ignore all the BS and distractions and focus on your goals. It sounds so simple but is it really?

What is your response when the coach says you're not good enough to play goalkeeper? When other teams highly touted coaches call you "weak sauce"? Or when a younger teammate of yours calls you a "has been"?

What is your response when you don't get drafted into the big leagues and have to play for peanuts in front of small crowds? What is your response when you get benched? What is your response when the local media ignore your great plays and point out your mistakes? What is your response when someone tells you that you are too slow, too short, too weak?

As a goalkeeper, what is your response when your rival goalkeeper on your club team scores on you in a big high school game? What is your response when you are told you will never be that good? What is your response when you can't get a scholarship to college? What is your response to a bad goal?

Every one of these situations has happened to me and I'm sure it's happened to a lot of my peers. The goalkeepers who have had great careers in MLS are mostly guys who have gone through these types of challenges. As a goalkeeper, or any player, study the history of guys like Matt Reis, John Busch, Zach Thornton, Kevin Hartman, and Nick Rimando. Success stories can also be seen from players like Preston Burpo, Troy Perkins, Pat Onstad and even my old field playing friend, Jimmy Conrad.

The best example in our league today is the story of Chris Wondolowski. He is a guy who went from a developmental contract to a Designated Player. I've had the opportunity to work with Chris and everyone will tell you that he has the desire and work ethic of a champion.

Yes, your thoughts dictate your self image. But your heart, will, and determination give it substance.

I have been so blessed to see these role models prove skeptics wrong over the years, and mention them so you can learn from them as well. I know we have all been exposed to mental training at some point. However, most champions know that practice cannot be replicated in your mind, you have to get off your rear and put the work in on the field.

May the posts be with you....


Joe

mvlagk@gmail.com

random thoughts....

So it's been a few weeks since i've posted anything. I think during the season its tough to come on and feel like i'm giving valuable insight or anything worthy to write about. There are so many topics and subjects which I think about and inspire me. However, being apart of a team and a league, it is also important for me to keep perspective and not get a head of myself.

Tim Howard recently discovered broken bones in his back and is out for the next two qualifiers. Reading MLS website and other twitter followers, there was a lot of controversy who would take over. I really don't know why. It's almost too obvious and sometimes I wonder if media creates controversy just to rile up their readers. Guzan is clearly the next in line. He plays in the top league in the world.

I was also surprised to see Don Garber give a time line for when he would like to see MLS become one of the world's greats. It's a nice ambition but it's all talk and ten years down the line is so far that when the time comes, what are really the consequences of this statement? (project 2010 anyone?) Don't get caught up into stats the league throws when trying to compare our league to any others. Apples and Oranges.

As a player, I hope the league backs this up with guaranteed salaries for all players after their first year and keep options in line with the rest of the world. Every rookie should get housing paid for as well..... especially in expensive markets like here in Vancouver, San Jose, DC, etc.

On this topic though, I've been watching a lot of MLS games lately and really impressed with the style of play in most instances. We have come so far in such a short time, but like most growth curves, the challenge to get the league to the next level seems bigger than ever. Lackluster ratings, weak markets and minimal interest from the general sports fans are just the start.

There have been so many rants and raves about the commentators, that I won't even bother. I really have no clue how to drive television interest in our game. I know the league takes a lot of pride in employing such great individuals. On the whole however, our league comes across as Vanilla and cliche. The new infusion of personalities in the coaching world needs to be mirrored on the field. There are lots of great guys but how do we make great guys interesting? I wish I had more time to devote to this problem. Can we all agree to just bring Ray Hudson back??

Back to my job, the Whitecaps have started 2-0 and we've only given up a goal. The team looks really good this year and if we can continue to grow and come together, this is going to be a great year for us. It's been refreshing being out on the field again, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. The players feel like my kids and I don't even have any. The happiest times are literally hanging in the locker room and enjoying the camaraderie with the guys. I will miss this more than anything, and it's sad, because I know this.

Every day I walk into the locker room trying to create more memories. It's going by too fast. My old friend Darren Huckerby said that soccer players are like "two ships passing in the night". You see one another then move on in your careers. He was a great guy and a pretty big boat in my life.

I won't bore you by going down memory lane, but I will tell you that I feel personally responsible for our team this year. I love our group, our energy and the mix of youth and veterans. It's fun to watch but just incredible to be a part of. I feel so blessed every day.

This year i'm literally trying to get my bearings for the future. I'm considering going back to school to further my education. It's been so long. Being married now, you have to think about more than yourself. My wife and I miss our family back in the Bay Area, but we are thriving here in Vancouver. It's a really incredible city and in all honesty, it's an extended paid vacation for me. I can't begin to tell you how lucky I feel these days.

Thanks for reading.

& may the posts be with you....


Joe