Guest post by Martin Roberts
Grassroots football coaching can be stressful if not more than our ‘day jobs’
Why – because we can sometimes strive for perfectionism in ourselves which sets the same expectation for everyone else – ‘this is what good looks like’ and nothing else will do. Failure or losing a game is not an option….stress, stress, stress!
Living with high levels of stress puts your entire well-being at risk.
Stress wreaks havoc on your emotional equilibrium, as well as your overall physical and mental health. This is also not just confined to you as an individual but can also manifest itself in the way you interact with others. It’s very difficult, if not impossible to park the stress to one side without it impacting on the words you say or the actions you perform.
Being an effective coach requires you to be also effective at stress management – this will help you break the hold stress may have on you so you can be happier, healthier and more productive which ultimately has immediate positive benefits for the team you coach.
The ultimate goal is a balanced life, with time for work, relationships, relaxation and competing competitively. This will help you as a coach to hold up under pressure (when that game is not just going to plan) and meet the challenges of making effective decisions on the touchline
My top tips for effective stress management are:-
1. Identify the stresses in your life
It starts first with trying to find the source, then trying to understand if you are in a position to change/control or exert influence which will reduce the stress. Sometimes we have to accept the current position and not try to ‘control everything’ especially when it’s outside our gift to change the outcome.
2. Start a stress journal
This will help to identify the regular stressors in your life. By noting when you feel a trigger of stress, you can start to see patterns, places, people or situations where you feel stress coming on. Record how you feel both physically and emotionally and what action you then took to change the outcome and feeling.
3. Cut out any unhealthy ways of dealing with stress
This could be bingeing on junk food, drinking too much, procrastinating and taking the stress out on other people.
4. Keep active and even try some mindful rhythmic exercises
Focus on breathing, and your movements and notice how the air or sunlight feels on your skin (practice on the touchline!)
Finally, remember that we can never get rid of stress and to function we all need some stress in our lives……just be aware of when this might be tipping towards too much stress.
Martin Roberts is one of the UK’s leading voices on the lived mental health experience.
A teenage survivor of the Hillsborough disaster, Martin shares his vulnerability by speaking openly about that fateful day and how unbeknown to him, it would be the catalyst of what would be another personal fight for survival some 28 years later. He is also the founder of Keep In Mind, an organisation that works with businesses of all sizes to develop and implement their mental health and wellbeing strategies to help them support their staff in the best way possible.
You can find Martin here: https://keepin-mind.co.uk/
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The resources and support provided in The Vault are designed to promote mental wellbeing and provide general guidance on mental health related to grassroots football.
However, the content is not intended to serve as specific mental health advice or replace consultation with a trained professional. If you or someone you know requires personalised mental health support, we strongly encourage you to consult with a licensed mental health professional and/or seek appropriate services in your area.
