A&H

Clearing your mind for the game.

Chris Smith

Chris Smith

Member
What do you all do prior to a fixture?

For example, what I do is I listen to a bit of classical music to clear my mind for the game while I am driving, yes call me sad but this includes the uefa champions league theme tune. It actually helps me focus for the game ahead, I officiate in army games and some of them can be tough so it helps me. A bit sad I know and I am ready for the abuse lol.

So what do you do to help clear your mind and focus on the game.

I am generally interested and I am guessing others are too.
 
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I've become obsessed with making sure I'm there with time to spare now. This is down to a horror incident where I was late for a Supply League game.

Now I need to get there to settle my nerves about that. This makes me get my head straight for the game.
 
Chris Smith said:
What do you all do prior to a fixture?

For example, what I do is I listen to a bit of classical music to clear my mind for the game while I am driving, yes call me sad but this includes the uefa champions league theme tune. It actually helps me focus for the game ahead, I officiate in army games and some of them can be tough so it helps me. A bit sad I know and I am ready for the abuse lol.

So what do you do to help clear your mind and focus on the game.

I am generally interested and I am guessing others are too.
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I don't do anything too unusual before I arrive.

Arrive a minimum 1 hour before kick off, look at the pitch, changed into warm up gear, good warm up/stretches/proper check of nets/goals/corner flags etc. Back in, get ready for game then ALWAYS make sure I have 5mins quiet time, eyes closed and head back to mentally prepare.

Think about what I know about the teams, history, fixtures, own past experience, my own performance mapping, how I want the game to go etc.

Works for me.
 
I normally go for a 5km run two days before. I don't like to do it 24 hours before, as I believe I can't run as much the following day. It might be just my old age. The night before the game I would try and get a good nights sleep. No music, no football just shower and bed.. LOL
 
I like most tend to get to the venue an hour before kick off. I walk the pitch and go through possible scenarios in my head before I start my warm-up. I then chat to a few players from both teams about how their season is going. They tend to offer a lot of useful info about incidents they have had which gives an insight into their expectations.
 
My routine... Night before I will sort out all my kit. I'll iron what I need to, connect my flags and write the team details on my cards and notepad.

The next morning, my Mrs would wake me up at 6am :mad: as shes getting ready for work. There's no hope of me going to sleep so I open my iPad, check a few forums, quickly raid someone on clash of clans and say goodbye to the Sleep Disturber as she walks down the stairs.
I'll lie back and close my eyes, and on that exact moment I hear "Da, da, da daaaaaaaaa" from a rather happy little 14 month old girl. I'll get up, change her (usually wet) nappy and get her washed and dressed.
I'll then spend the next few hours acting like a kid myself, cleaning soiled nappys and generally trying to stop the mass destruction of the little one, either that or clearing up!

At 12pm, the Mrs leaves work and I can then think about getting to the game. I make sure I arrive one hour prior to kick off.
I'll meet the teams, have a laugh with my mates if they're playing then I'll get changed into a warm up kit. I'll pull a ball out from my boot and run around the outside of the field, completing my pitch inspection in the process. I then go back, get changed and get the show on the road :)
 
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I don't "clear" my mind before a match. Rather try and focus it. :)

I'll do a bit of homework/research on both teams the night before (results, recent history, yellows, reds etc.)

Everything else just kicks in on the day when I arrive to be honest. The smell of the grass/mud, the sound of the ball being thumped around whilst they/you warm up. For one reason or another, by the time I blow that whistle to call the teams in for the handshake (which I do religiously every match) my mind is on nothing but the next 90 minutes. :)
 
Just leave enough time to get there, even if it means arriving early is my golden rule.

Anyone who lives in the London area will know estimating travel time to an evening game isn't easy!

When I'm in a three I'm invariably the 1st one there!
 
Kes said:
I don't "clear" my mind before a match. Rather try and focus it. :)

I'll do a bit of homework/research on both teams the night before (results, recent history, yellows, reds etc.)

Everything else just kicks in on the day when I arrive to be honest. The smell of the grass/mud, the sound of the ball being thumped around whilst they/you warm up. For one reason or another, by the time I blow that whistle to call the teams in for the handshake (which I do religiously every match) my mind is on nothing but the next 90 minutes. :)
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I agree @Kes I sometimes feel a bit nervous before a game but I have always told myself that nerves are good. But when I do blow the whistle to call the teams in all nerves are gone and I am the calmest person on the pitch, no matter the match importance I just feel calm and ready.
 
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DB said:
My routine... Night before I will sort out all my kit. I'll iron what I need to, connect my flags and write the team details on my cards and notepad.

The next morning, my Mrs would wake me up at 6am :mad: as shes getting ready for work. There's no hope of me going to sleep so I open my iPad, check a few forums, quickly raid someone on clash of clans and say goodbye to the Sleep Disturber as she walks down the stairs.
I'll lie back and close my eyes, and on that exact moment I hear "Da, da, da daaaaaaaaa" from a rather happy little 14 month old girl. I'll get up, change her (usually wet) nappy and get her washed and dressed.
I'll then spend the next few hours acting like a kid myself, cleaning soiled nappys and generally trying to stop the mass destruction of the little one, either that or clearing up!

At 12pm, the Mrs leaves work and I can then think about getting to the game. I make sure I arrive one hour prior to kick off.
I'll meet the teams, have a laugh with my mates if they're playing then I'll get changed into a warm up kit. I'll pull a ball out from my boot and run around the outside of the field, completing my pitch inspection in the process. I then go back, get changed and get the show on the road :)
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Your missus takes 6 hours to prepare for work? Blimey!

As for what I do to prepare, it's largely the same though I don't have a little one at home:

Night before I get my kit ready, make sure I have everything I need.
Morning of, I wake up, have a tea and some breakfast. Usually watch news and read the paper and get invariably angry about the state of the world we live in.
I'll have a look at the forum and read a few things. Usually will watch some highlights of sports from the preceding week.
About 2 hours before the match, I turn everything off except some lyric-free music and think about my last matches and how I can improve.
Hour and a half before the match, I leave and I turn up at the pitch 60-45 minutes before the match commences, meet my team and get ready to go.
 
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