How Support Systems Can Lead to Your Success

As an athlete, sometimes you may feel alone and isolated. Although it can be difficult and lonely at times, it’s essential to recognize that your journey is filled with people who want to aid your success in soccer.

Every day you are surrounded by groups of people who shape you into the athlete that you are. These individuals are your coaches, teammates, family, or friends. Through these support systems, an athlete can rise to become the player they aspire to be by increasing happiness and decreasing anxiety. 

3 Crucial Support System to Your Success in Soccer

Validation

Reassurance and approval can significantly impact how you view yourself and your effort. It is comforting to see your hard work appreciated and admired. When this goes recognized, it can encourage you to continue training and putting in the hard work. 

Support from family and friends can also help with adversity you face during the season. Emotional support can lessen the weight of your struggles, whether that is a bad game, an injury, tiredness, etc. 

For example, you might want to shut out the world and lock yourself in your room after a tough loss, but it is actually more beneficial to talk to someone. They can console you and make you feel cared for and heard. Going through your problems alone only makes you more susceptible to feeling secluded. 

Guidance 

Along with validation and emotional support, the people around you can also provide advice. They are able to give another perspective on your game and life.

Additionally, a player is their own worst critic. Therefore, every mistake is highlighted and noticed by yourself, leading to unhealthy perfectionism.

When an outsider evaluates your performance, it can give you insight into how others view your game. This will help to keep your morals and motivation high.   

Maybe you were stressing over the fact that you got caught offside two times, but they were paying more attention to the great passes and runs you were making throughout the entire game. Unfortunately, we often downsize the good and emphasize the bad; this can go unnoticed when you don’t get another perspective. 

Praise 

In the end, everyone aspires to celebrate our successes and be acknowledged for the blood, sweat, and tears we put into the game. Successes are best shared with others. A robust support system makes victories even more worth it! 

Team-oriented support and ovation are amazing. My favorite memories were bus rides after a tough victory when my teammates and I were screaming songs at the top of our lungs. We were enjoying every minute of it, and we felt invincible together. Camaraderie helps enhance the experience and keeps the athlete focused on team and self-improvement. 

Although team praise is very much appreciated, it also speaks more volume when direct and personal. There is more meaning behind someone giving their kudos to your work. Both styles combined can genuinely impact your success in soccer and life. 

Overall, seeking support from your peers can be scary, but it is a crucial step in growing as a player. Emotional support can help you at your most vulnerable times and ease your stresses. It can even minimize the impact of mental health risks.

In addition, enhancing your connectedness can ultimately create meaningful relationships and experiences in sports and life. Validation, advice, and ovation are just a few of the many ways support can change your game. 

Featured image via Adobe Stock Images

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