When you step on the field to play, do you clearly know your objective? I don’t mean to win. Of course you want to win, but how do you get there? Play your role as part of the team, know your objective in the present moment. Without clarity on what you are supposed to do, you may have many different ideas in your head, resulting in hesitation. The means less aggressive play and more nerves.
Have a plan of action for every position you are likely to play in upcoming games. Where should you be on the field, what happens when get the ball – are you looking to shoot, dribble, pass to a certain teammate, etc. By having a specific plan in your head when you step on the field, you won’t have to think as much to achieve what you want. Less thinking = a clearer mind.
So how do you put this into action? First write down your plan for each of your positions and review it. Then come up with cue words to remind you of the plan in games. For example, if you are a midfielder whose main role is to set up scoring opportunities, your cue word can be “through”, as in I’m getting this ball through the defense. This should remind you of your strategy – making good through passes, dribbling through the defense, or whatever your unique role may be. This strategy will help you by using the left side of your brain. If you can get both sides of the brain involved, your ability to focus and play with a clear mind will increase even more.
Get the right side of your brain involved using images and music. Find a song and/or image that you can use to get you in “in the zone” or in “a flow state”, where you can freely execute your role without much thinking. A good image for a goalie would be a brick wall. Figure out one that works best for you personally. Pair your image or song with an “anchor”, to remind you of it in games, before games and at practice. An anchor is a physical gesture you will use to remind you without much thinking involved. In this case, you could punch your p open palm, as in the ball hitting a brick wall.
Develop these mental skills to play more clearly and reduce nervousness!