It's All About Preparation

I lot of people have asked me how did I prepare for games? How do you get a better edge? Warm ups, mental concentration, anything special?
I think a lot of it comes with the player's personality. I have seen a lot of things work well for different people. When I played competitively, I used to like to set my gear and uniform in a chair in my room the night before the game. This served me as reminder and helped me to know all was in place for "tomorrow's game".


As preparation for game, I like to eat a nice fueling meal about 3 hours before the game. The contents really depend on game time but usually consist in of mostly complex carbohydrates (whole pasta, rice or bread work well for me) with a bit of protein (cheese for example), accompanied by a juice and a fruit. This way I know I'll be fueled but not full. As a supplement I like a complex B and C because I feel these give me more energy at game time. I am no Doctor or Nutritionist (so consult them first) and these are based on personal trial and error.

I have been using Vitamin C and Complex B for years and know many players who do the same. A few years back I got an e-mail from a former team mate telling me about 5 hour energy (which is B complex in liquid form) joking that we knew it all along.

About an hour and a half before the game I like to do a very light weight workout. Nothing for the legs! I usually do some push-ups, pull-ups, curls, sit-ups or plank followed by a very light stretching. This is meant to warm you up and get you ready for battle.

While driving to the field I play my favorite soccer tunes. This is a spot where every player has to pick their own tunes that help them get more focused on the game.

I like to arrive at the field at least 30 minutes before the game (if possible) and warm up by shooting, trapping and dribbling imaginary defenders. Some players like complete isolation and silence before the game. I like to interact little bit but respect the players who don't.

These are the things that really worked for me as a player. What you can do is try some of these and see what works for you. Keep a journal or mental notes and try repeating the things that made you successful and adjust the ones that don't.