In high-performance environments, the partnership between the mental performance coach and the head coach is crucial for building a strong, resilient, and adaptable team. My role extends beyond individual mental skills training—it’s about embedding psychological principles into the team’s culture, daily routines, and game preparation.
Here’s how we integrate mental performance into the team’s environment.
Team Culture: Discovering, Not Defining, Our Values
Rather than imposing predefined values, we discover them through shared experiences and stories. This approach removes limitations on what we can become as a team. During two pre-season training camps, we engage players and staff in:
- Sharing personal stories to build deeper connections.
- Identifying themes that emerge organically from these stories.
- Clarifying behaviors that reflect our values in action.
This process is rooted in social identity theory, which emphasizes the role of group belonging in shaping motivation and performance. The result? A culture built from within, not imposed from above.Subscribe
Week-to-Week Integration: Setting Intentions and Avoiding Complacency
Each week, we revisit a word, value, or story from pre-season, setting an intention for the team. This isn’t just a motivational tool—it’s a strategic framework to help players stay engaged and adaptable.
- We align these weekly themes with challenge and threat appraisal, framing key moments as opportunities to grow rather than dangers to avoid.
- We use challenges to push the team out of their comfort zone—whether that’s through tactical scenarios, game-like training conditions, or leadership discussions.
By keeping these themes at the forefront, we ensure that culture isn’t just something we talk about, it’s something we live every day.
Mental Skills: Structuring the Training Week
Mental skills are not separate from physical and tactical preparation—they are embedded into specific training days to reinforce psychological readiness.
- Matchday -1 (MD-1): Competitive Edge & Emotional Readiness
- Small-sided games (SSGs) with built-in tension to replicate pressure moments.
- Reaction-based drills to stimulate quick decision-making under stress.
- A focus on fun and competition to create the right emotional state before match day.
- Matchday -3 (MD-3): Emotional Control & Game-Specific Scenarios
- More 11v11-focused training, emphasizing tactical execution and mental composure.
- Simulating key game moments, such as the first 15 minutes or the final stretch of a game with one team leading and one chasing.
- Pre-session discussions on behavioral expectations for these moments, so players rehearse their responses mentally before stepping onto the pitch.
This structured approach ensures that mental skills are trained just like physical and tactical skills—deliberately, consistently, and in alignment with match demands.
Bringing These Principles to Our Coach Development Program
We’re running a Coach Development Programme at the Mental Performance Coaching Institute (www.thempci.com) based on these same principles—helping coaches integrate psychological strategies into their team environments. If you’re interested in learning more about:
- Building a strong team culture through shared identity
- Embedding mental skills into weekly training plans
- Applying the challenge & threat framework to avoid complacency
