Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Youth Academy is still adhering to lockdown restrictions and activities are yet to return to some kind of normality, which means that the players must train at home. We spoke to the department’s mental coach, Merav Levy, who gave us a few tips how to maintain a good outlook and a good state of mind ahead of the much-hoped-for return to a state of normality.
“It’s important to manage our energy levels and our mood, to stay positive and stay connected to ourselves in actions, enthusiasm and daring, to confront what is in front of us and be prepared to be flexible.
“Uncertainty during the current time, and the thought that matters are not necessarily
under our control is a regular situation for footballers so it’s important to develop mental toughness to be able to get over this uncertain period. Mental strength is a set of tools that allow players to utilise their skills at the best of their abilities despite the challenges. It’s what is required for matches and it is particularly useful during the current coronavirus period.
“The ability to identify opportunities to develop when we understand that these are uncertain times is how we can develop players’ mental strength so that they can make the most of the restricting conditions.
“One example was shown by a Spanish athlete, who covered a distance of 61km in his four-metre-long living room by running for 10 hours. Anything is possible with imagination, thought, determination, positive energy and a will to work.
“Mental strength is not acquired at home in front of a computer, it can only be achieved outdoors, on the pitch in training with a specific target in mind. Those abilities need to be honed constantly and cannot be allowed to lapse so we need to be ready for the future now and that means players must be ready to return to action after having had the best preparation possible. We cannot wait for the current situation to pass in order to advance our skills.
“Players must maximise their ability to control a situation. We don’t know when things
will return to normal but we do know that in the meantime we can create a new regimen and a new plan that will include all the important aspects for a player to develop. Only when a player feels in control and has confidence, can he be proactive and become effective. This crisis will pass, but our mental strength and our attitude must remain in focus and this is a good time to develop new tools, skills and habits.
“Each player has been asked to write down daily targets and create a routine for regular work, shed negative thoughts and concentrate on training targets to help them improve in all aspects.
“They must train to the best of their abilities to get the feeling that they have worked effectively and have succeeded in fulfilling their set tasks.
“A successful session will give players a feeling of optimism and success that the crisis will pass and that they have been able to maintain their best level of physical and mental fitness.”
