Resilience & Confidence
Resilience and confidence are two powerful qualities that go hand in hand. On our platform, we want to explore how they can shape our children’s journey in youth football and, let’s face it, in life.
Resilience is like our secret superpower. An inner strength that allows us to bounce back from setbacks and face challenges head-on. And you know what? Our confidence grows effortlessly when we realise our innate capacity to get up and try again. To learn from our mistakes.
As humans, we’re incredibly resilient and resourceful. As parents, we’ve faced tough times before and found a way to overcome them. Kenny Brown, West Ham’s Academy Manager, summed this up well in this clip when we spoke to him on our Behind the Boots podcast.
But hey, let’s be real; there are moments when we feel overwhelmed and wonder how on earth we’ll handle what’s in front of us. That’s okay. It happens to all of us.
In the world of youth football, resilience is crucial. Our young players will face obstacles, losses, and moments of self-doubt. But it’s through these challenges that they can develop their resilience muscles. They learn to dust themselves off when they fall and stand tall again. When they face tough opponents, they learn to dig deep and find their inner strength.
And that’s where confidence comes into play. As our children build resilience, they start to believe in their abilities. They become more confident in their skills, decision-making, and overall performance on the pitch. They understand that setbacks don’t define them but rather provide valuable lessons and opportunities for growth.
As parents, we play a crucial role in nurturing resilience and confidence in our children. We can encourage them to embrace challenges, support them through tough times and remind them of their past successes. We can teach them that failure is not a dead end but a stepping stone toward improvement.
Carlan Edgar, an experienced coach in many elite football academies, has seen many young aspiring footballers being released from clubs. He believes that setbacks can really be positive, and, if channelled in the right way, can often lead to success in life.
In youth football, there will be moments of triumph and moments that test their resolve. But our young players CAN navigate the ups and downs of the game with grace and determination.
We can empower our young athletes to develop a resilient mindset and a strong sense of confidence in all areas of life, not just in football.
To do this, we can speak to their resilience, creativity, and intelligence—”Hey, you’ve got this,” “I know you are going to work this out.” Having someone who believes in our ability to overcome things is so helpful.
We don’t need to jump in and fix things for our children; rather, we should allow them the space and time to hear their own wisdom and find solutions. We can notice when they do this. Remember, it’s through experiencing resilience that confidence flourishes, and our children can unlock their full potential.
In our Behind the Boots Podcast, we loved interviewing Joanne Stanway, Lioness Georgia Stanway’s amazing mum, who was really conscious of nurturing and building confidence.
So, as Joanne did, let’s cheer them on, celebrate their resilience, and watch as their confidence soars on and off the football field. The journey may have its ups and downs, but by understanding their own resilience and inner strength, our children can be confident that they can conquer anything that comes their way.
Are you ready for more conversation on this topic, or attend a live Q&A to ask your questions directly to the experts? Then join us in the community membership for more exciting and insightful connections.
