Question of the Week: How Do You Get Better at Decision-Making In-Game?

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Question of the week: How Do You Get Better at Decision-Making In-Game?

Making smart decisions while on the soccer ⚽field is critical to a successful game. You can be a highly technical player, but it will not help you on the field if you do not know how to use it.

A soccer player makes continuous decisions while on the field. You have to decide when and how to play the ball, where to make your runs, whom to pass it to, if you should attack or defend, and more!😰

Having superb decision-making skills is as important as muscle strength 💪and footwork 🦶skills.

This week, Blayze coach Zoe Morse will take you through steps on how to improve your in-game performance. It may be easier than you think!

Use Game Film📽
Film is a great tool to improve your decision-making. Most coaches and clubs use game film to break down why a play did not work, analyze how the team worked together, and identify any errors that need improvement. Studies indicate that when a player is shown a video of a game error, it helps that player catch on faster and is less likely to repeat the error in future games.

Focus on Your Decisions🧠
After your games, focus on the decisions you made while playing. Visualize yourself making a decision that you think would have been better in that situation. For example, maybe you decided to take the ball up the left side of the field, but you lost the ball to a defender 10 yards up. What might have been a better option? Did you look up to see what players you could pass to or an opportunity to switch the field?

Watch High-Level Games👀
Watching college and professional games is also a great tool! Pick a player that plays your position and watch everything that they do. Studies show that you can improve your motor skill by watching others play. If you watch how the professionals move the ball and their decisions on the field, you can train your brain to do as they do and improve your decision-making ability.

Practice Realistic Situations⚽⚽
When in team training, practice realistic situations in a similar context. Play at game speed and practice being decisive. Make your decisions quickly and ask for feedback from your coach. Determine if you need to make adjustments to the decisions you made. Repeat each practice so your decision-making skills become quicker and sharper.

Do you have a question that you want answered? Reply to this email with your question and you might see it answered in our next newsletter!