SEASON

PLANNING FOR MAY

"Every battle is won before it is fought."

— Sun Tzu, - Art of War

THE MENTAL GAME

PRE-GAME, IN-GAME, POST-GAME

“The power to choose what you think, what you remember, and what you believe about yourself is untouchable.”

— Nick Zinsser, The Confident Mind

PRE-GAME

Visualization & Video

  • Watch previous games where you were at your best

  • Have the video team make a highlight reel with your favorite song

  • Watch video of yourself & players that inspire you in your position

Journaling

  • Write out how you want your Match day minus one, Game Day, and Post- Game to go 

  • Below are some categories to prompt you, but make it yours...

    • Match day minus one – Practice, Tactical Review, Nutrition, Sleep, etc. 

    • Pre-game - Morning routine, Affirmations, Music, etc.

    • Warm-ups – Thoughts, Feelings, Focus, Connection, etc.

    • In-Game - At your best...Technical, Tactical, Physical, Mental, Emotional, Teammates, etc.

    • Post-game – Thoughts, Feelings, Result, etc.

    • Day after Game – Recovery, Tactical Review, Conversations with Coaches & Teammates, etc.

IN-GAME

At Your Best…

  • When you are playing at your absolute best, what do you know about yourself?

  • Write down 3 attributes

  • Examples:

    • A.warenss, B.elong, C.onnect

    • F.ly, U.ncomfortable, N.ext

    • A.lready won, N.ext, D.estined

    • V.ocal, I.mpact, P.osition

    • Back home in Streets, Comes Natural, Takes Risks

  • After you determine your 3…

  • Write them down on a piece of tape that goes around your wrist or on your shoe or somewhere you can see it to use in the game

POST-GAME

Reflection

  • Read your Pre-game Journal & ask these 3 W.I.N. questions...

    • What went Well?

    • What needs to Improve?

    • What do I Need?

Action

  • Pick 1 to 2 Actions for the next game

THE BREATHING GAME

PRE-GAME, IN-GAME, RECOVERY

Why Breathwork?

Your breathing changes your your nervous system, allowing you to shift between:

  • Sympathetic (SNS) – "Fight-or-Flight" → Quick reactions, explosive power, laser focus.

  • Parasympathetic (PNS) – "Rest-and-Recovery" → Relaxation, endurance, composure, & oxygen efficiency.

Mastering when to activate each state will help you stay calm, powerful, and in control before, during and after the game.

PRE-GAME

1. Pre-Warm-Up — Calming the Nervous System (Activate PNS)

  • Anxiety before a game is normal, however, it can increase shallow breathing & tension → leads to wasted energy.

  • Control your breathing to steady your nerves, lower heart rate, improve oxygen delivery, and prime the body for focused energy.

💨 How To Breath: Nose - Slow - Low

  • Nose Breathing: Breathe through your nose only, close your mouth → boosts CO2 and oxygen delivery.

  • Slow Breathing: Soothes your vagus nerve → Calms the body, reduces anxiety.

  • Low Breathing: Breathe into your belly → Maximizes lung capacity.

💨 Breathing Techniques for Rest & Recovery

  • Inhale (4 sec) → Hold (4 sec) → Exhale (6 sec)
    Repeat for 3-5 minutes

  • Inhale (4 sec) → Hold (4 sec) → Exhale (4 sec) → Hold (4 sec)
    Repeat for 3-5 minutes
    ✓ Builds composure under pressure.
    ✓ Used by Navy Seals

2. Warm-Up — Balance Rest & Alertness

Once warm-ups begin, maintain control of your breathing to prepare for high-intensity play without over-activating the SNS too soon.

→ Do this 15-20 minutes before stepping onto the field.

5 Strong Breath Holds (Right Before Kickoff)

  1. Inhale normally

  2. Exhale normally

  3. Hold your breath and walk for 10-15 paces

  4. Rest for 30-60 seconds

  5. Hold your breath and walk for 10-15 paces

  6. Rest for 30-60 seconds

  7. Repeat 5 times

✓ Boosts red blood cell circulation for better oxygen delivery to muscles.
✓ Sharpens focus without increasing anxiety.

IN-GAME

Your breath affects energy efficiency, so knowing when to breathe through the nose or mouth will maximize endurance and power.

Simple rule:
〇 Running? Mouth exhales for power.
〇 Jogging or walking? Nose inhale & exhales for recovery.

Sprinting (Power – Activate SNS)

  • Short, forceful exhales through the mouth while sprinting → maintains power & prevents energy loss.

  • ↑ ↓ Between sprints: Switch back to nose breathing ASAP to recover faster.

Off-the-Ball (Stay Ready – Activate PNS)

  • When not actively sprinting, use nose-only, slow & low breathing to:
    ✓ Keep HR steady & prevent early fatigue.
    ✓ Optimize oxygen efficiency for your next sprint.

Penalty & Free Kicks (Calm the Nerves – Activate PNS)

ⓧ No big mouth breaths! They create tension.
✓ Instead:

  • Inhale through nose (4 sec)

  • Exhale through nose (6-8 sec)

  • Repeat 3-5 times before taking the kick

✓ Steadies your nervous system.
✓ Enhances focus & precision.

RECOVERY

Halftime Reset (Rest & Refocus – Activate PNS)

  • Nose Breathing: Breathe in (4 sec) → Hold (4 sec) → Exhale (6 sec)

✓ Lowers HR & conserves energy for second half.

✓ Mentally resets focus & sharpens reaction time.


Post-Game Recovery

  • Slow Nasal Breathing (10 min post-game) → Activates the vagus nerve, reduces cortisol, speeds recovery.

  • 5 Strong Breath Holds → Re-oxygenates muscles & re-energizes the body.

✓ Faster muscle recovery
✓ Less post-game fatigue
✓ Better sleep & long-term endurance gains