This is probably a silly question to ask a field hockey player who is a striker, but would you like to learn how to score more goals? Well, we’d like to think you would! There are countless aspects of field hockey that our coaches work on with players throughout our Maryland Field Hockey Camps and all others throughout the country each summer, and this is a focal point.
There’s also nothing more frustrating when you and your team are clearly better than an opponent in multiple aspects of a game, but you weren’t able to come away with a victory because you couldn’t get the ball past the opposing goalie. And we all know it’s hard to win games when you don’t score any goals, right? Right!
It’s easy to forget – especially for the beginners in the room – that anyone can score goals in field hockey, not just strikers. Outside of all the technical things that you should be doing to get yourself in the best possible position to score a goal, what else should you be doing from a mental perspective? Here are three things to keep in mind.
Having a Positive Mindset
Henry Ford once said, “If you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” That statement is so true in all aspects of life, and especially when talking about athletics. Even if you’re not the best field hockey player in a particular game, you won’t have success during that contest if you don’t believe you can make an impact.
It’s very rare for someone to score a goal while getting a pass from their teammate and dribbling toward the goal thinking that there’s no chance they’ll be successful. You have to be confident in your ability! And if you don’t score a goal during that opportunity, don’t let that eat away at your mindset. You are what you think about, and if you stay confident, it will continue to be easier to come back and try again.
Avoid Being Perfect
In the day and age where SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays of the day is still a popular segment and the world of social media can make any video go viral if it’s cool enough can get into the head of a player. There’s not an athlete in the world that doesn’t want to look good while they have success in their sport of choice – that’s human nature!
At the end of the day, though, what’s most important is the result. It doesn’t matter how pretty a particular attempt was, if that attempt didn’t lead to an actual goal, it’ll be hard for others to remember how cool or effortless the entire ordeal looked. You won’t always be perfect and not all goals will necessarily make you feel good. Just accept it as part of the game!
Always Be on Your Toes
This idea of anticipation is a common characteristic among athletes. You hear basketball coaches tell their players to not admire their shot in case it goes in, but to follow it and get the rebound in case it doesn’t. The same applies here in field hockey – if you or a teammate takes a shot, don’t just sit back and look at it. Make sure you’re ready for a potential second try by putting yourself in the best possible position on the field.