Sometimes life causes us to panic before a match. Rushing out of the house to drive to the field is an every weekend thing.
Here are the things that you can’t afford to leave the house without:
- Cleats/Boots
- Shorts
- Uniform
- Warm-up top
- Ball
- Shin pads
- Goalkeeper gloves (for GK)
- At least 3 bottles of water
Staying Hydrated
Proper water intake amounts depend on your body size and weight.
A good rule of thumb is:
½ – 1 fluid oz of water per lbs of body weight
or
40-60 mL per Kg of body weight
Visualize Your Role
Try to imagine and visualize how:
- The ball feels in your feet
- To trap a ball from the air
- To take a good first touch into space
- Pass and shoot
- You are supposed to be positioned in your role
- The space between you and your teammates looks like
And anything you’ve been working on, including any tactical instructions the coach gave you in preparation for the match. If you are a goalkeeper, you should imagine your positioning in the goal, the weight, and texture of the ball in your hand, how it feels to stretch your body to dive and make a great save.
