Kicker Psychology · KICKERSCAMP: Kicking Skool

Kicker Psychology

Anytime you miss a kick, you'll feel bad. The trick is, "How do you keep your confidence under pressure AFTER you've screwed up?"

I'm going to wave my magic wand and provide the answer for you.... all the steps to REBOUND.

...and here's is...

YOU NEED TO LET IT GO.

Let go of the "miss". No matter how good, bad or indifferent. It's all in your perspective and ALL IN YOUR HEAD.

So how do you do that?

By instantly changing your perspective. You need to build up this "tool", just like you have been building up your kicking leg and technique. Over the course of your kicking career, you have made many kicks and missed a bunch, too. So why do you keep kicking? You must be getting something out of it. If you are, then it's likely that you've gotten pretty good at it. It's gratifying to kick a ball as well and as straight as you can. And then, to do it in a game... is there a better feeling in the world? Like, literally?

Like this video clip, the kicker (and everyone in the stadium) would never have guessed that he'd be given a second chance to make a big kick after missing the first. But that's exactly what happened.

If his perspective after the kick was depression, there's no way he makes the second. In fact, he starts saying a little prayer about "please don't have me kick from there again. I can't make it." And if it's bad enough, he gets to "...and I suck."

Don't go there. If you find yourself moving towards that darkness, try this:

1) You've already recognized that you screwed up. Good.

2) BBB - Breathe, Bounce & Break.

• Take a 3 sec. inhale, hold it for 3 and exhale for 3 seconds.

• Bounce up and down on your toes to loosen up. Shake your arms a bit. Loosen your neck.

• Clap your hands like breaking the huddle and know that you're in a different place now.

3) Change your perspective...

• If you were this kicker in the game, recognize that your coach just put you in to MAKE a 54 yard field goal. He must have confidence in you. He must have expected you to make it. You don't suck. You missed. That's all... like the 500 times you have before.

• Now you're praying, "please, give me a second chance. I've let it go, and I'll do my best."

• Ask yourself, "what if we try this again... like on the next play?" Shoot, you've got to be ready, now there's urgency and there's no time to waste! Maybe you should take some kicks into the net? Or just follow the game super closely on the sidelines. Cheer for your teammates. Don't go and sit down.

4) Lastly, TRICK your brain... by knowing that your brain can't tell the difference between EXCITEMENT and STRESS. Realize, if you get the chance, how exciting this next moment will be. Visualize yourself getting the opportunity and succeeding. How good would that feel? All of the fans that seem so intimidating right now are actually pulling for you (and those that aren't, are actually telling you that they're harrassing you because you are such a threat to their joy).

Bolster your confidence and wish (even if still really don't) for the chance to get back in. It's brand new again.

And know what? If you make it, no one will even care (or likely ) remember your previous miss!

1 comment