In part 1, I have mentioned different ways that a goalkeeper may use to distract his opponent. Now, let’s have a look at the opposite side - the shooter.
The long walk from the centre-circle to the penalty area is mentioned by many as the most lengthy and lonely journey. This is when pressure will kick in and all of a sudden the target looks so small and the goalkeeper starts to look like a giant. Your palms start to sweat, your boots feel like they are made of lead and you begin to question yourself. Should I put it right or left? Or perhaps straight down the middle? Yet the referee's whistle has already blown - there is no turning back now.
At this stage, the shooter’s mind goes through different emotions. When they second-think about the spot they will kick, it is when the problems come in. David Beckham, famous of captain of England team with both successful and missed penalty shots shared: “you have a spot in mind where you're gonna hit the ball and where you think you're gonna score and you do it, and you don't change your mind. Once you've got that in your head, then you're confident.”
So how to best cope with penalty shootout? At this knockout stage, all coaches are fully aware about the possibility of penalty so practicing penalty shooting is expected. In some teams, each player has a chance to shoot about 10 shots before switch players. This way of practicing is saving time yet defeat the purpose of replicate the pressure of the match situation. They can retake the shot and hardly be responsible if they don’t shoot right the first time.
What I would suggest is each player practice with only 1 shot at a time and they have to literally walk from the center circle to the penalty spot. With the assistance of a sport psychologist and teammates, the shooter should be asked to visualize the real game situation in which each shot matters. Although it is very difficult to replicate the feeling when you've got thousands of fans in the stadium and on TV hoping for a good score, regular practice of visualization can bring out the closest possible emotions to players.
The last part I would like to mention is some simple tricks that have been used extensively by shooters. Among the most popular is the ball-kissing action. To some, this can be considered a ritual thing, others take the opportunity to kiss the ball then spend a long time to put the ball in the spot. Some prefer to step on the spot to pretend to press down the soil. This kind of action prolongs the waiting time for the goal keeper, so it is harder for them to keep their utmost concentration. Finally, it is important for shooters not to be affected by the previous player’s score or miss. At World Cup level, the pressure is enormous and a missed shot by teammates can negatively affects the next shooter. By being aware of this, the next shooter should decide for themselves if watching their teammates perform is best for their shot. With some help from a sport psychology consultant, they can learn to move their attention away from bad result if needed.
All in all, the penalty shootout is part of the anxiety and excitement for both players and fans. By training and preparing in advance, shooters and goal keepers will have a better chance of success.
If you would like to have some advice regarding mental training for penalty kick from sport psychology consultant, you can contact me at sportpsychologyconsultants@gmail.com
