076 Mastering the Mental Game of Refereeing

In today's episode we discuss the most demanding job on a football pitch.  No not the role of the goalkeeper, but the referee.  It's a job which rarely get any praise and requires a special type of person.  Someone who is very assertive, especially in those demanding pressurised moments. Someone who can take criticism, and a lot of it. Someone who can handle abuse, and again sadly a lot of it.  

In this episode I chat with a referee and resilience trainer, Nathan Sherratt about his love of the job, how he manages his confidence, the challenges that referees face as we as his work at The Third Team.

Key Learning Points:

• Mental toughness in referring terms is the ability to deal with the challenges are placed upon you.  For instance, when players try to gain an advantage by trying to make you question a decision that you've made.  
• We'd rather take a deep breath and slow a game down, making sure that we come to the right decision than rush things and make the wrong decision.
• As a referee you are always learning, there'll be times when you come into new situations with different teams at different levels.   Managing your and others expectations is important then so that you deliver the best game you possibly can.
• When players manipulate you, you've got to remain objective and consider how you want to control the situation, setting your stall.  Considering your body language, communication and authority.
• Grounding and visualisation techniques can really boost you and make you feel more confident and relaxed before a game.  

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