Mental Mistake Can Cost Three Points...
Well I'm not sure that this will help anyone in the present day, because I think it needs to happen to you before you realize how to correct it. But I will share my blunder from this past weekend at my game, and how it cost us the win, or even a draw and resulted in a loss.
For starters I play in what I like to call a "Semi-Professional" League here in the US. We do not get paid to play, but we do have sponsors and have the ability to play in the Larmar Hunt US Open Cup (Which the MLS and its lower divisions play in). It is a fun time and the competition is fairly high, it's perfect for someone with a family that still thinks they can compete on a high level but do not have the time to focus on the professional ranks. The games are held every Sunday, and this past game the weather was picture perfect. Great day to be outside and enjoy life, football and the presence of your teammates.
At the beginning of the game I noticed that I felt a little "off", not sure why but I have been playing long enough to know that something was not right. I go through my warm up like normal, but did not cover crosses to gauge my depth perception. More on that later. After the coin toss and the shaking of hands, I noticed that I still did not feel "right". Pushing on we started the match.
As we have done in every game thus far this season, we scored first. Nothing like having a lead to take the pressures off of you back in the net. But within the next 40 minutes the game was tied and we went into the half 1-1. Not too bad, and I was starting to feel normal again. The rush of the game took over any mental issues I might have had, and instincts came to support me. Before the start of the second half I took a few moments to myself, sat in the goal with my head down talking to myself. Must have looked crazy, but I had done this before and regained a sense of what was going on inside of my brain and told myself to "just trust what you have trained for".
When the whistle blew to start the second half, I was all over the 18 yard box. I was back in my game. Nothing would be getting by me...except a beautiful far post upper corner strike from the top of the 18. Beautifully hit, nothing I could do. So I chalked that one up to a great shot that even Peter Cech would not have gotten to, so we move on. Well as luck would have it, a bad pass back to the keeper on their team that was mishandled resulted in another goal for my squad. So there we sit, 2-2 with just under 10 minutes to go.
Now usually I am at my best toward the end of the game. I had already saved 3 point blank shots, as well as some well placed free kicks that I had to get. But this just was not my day. A cross from the left side came in. It started at the 6 yard box, then curved back toward the net. I came out to meet it at its highest point, standard goalkeeping, but mistimed my jump and the ball sailed over my head. Nothing to worry about really because there was no one tailing the cross, however I misjudged where I was in the box and ball curled into the side netting on the far side. I was crushed. Not because it was the game winner, no, but because I have always relied heavily on my angles and reflexes. So to get beat on a routine cross that should have been caught by me just broke me inside.
That was a career goal for him, and I seriously doubt he will ever make that shot again. But for me it will always live in my memory as a routine save that cost me a win and my team 3 points. What do you do after something like that happens? You must have a short memory. Reflect, Retain, Correct and Move On. Reflect on what happend. Retain what you SHOULD have done. Correct it in training. Move On to the next match. Never let a mental mistake ruin your season, so for me I am now focused on training and my next match on Sunday. Believe me when I say I will be on my game come Sunday.
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Brad Barnett
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