Education and Training - Further information
Please note that all the information that you are reading is just that; information. Sporting Chance has no opinion or judgement of those who use alcohol, drugs or gamble. We are not ‘anti’ alcohol, drugs or gambling, but have experience of their negative effects, specifically in the lives and careers of footballers. Our aim is to educate on how alcohol, other drugs and gambling effect the brain, behaviour, body and performance. We will explore lifestyle choices and risks facing a young professional footballer. We hope that you can then make more informed choices in relation to yourselves, career and the use of these substances.
Lifestyle:
We don’t believe that we have the right to tell anyone how to live. We do have experience though of supporting football players who aim to develop a positive work-life balance in view of performing better. There are always consequences to our actions but these are often highlighted in the footballer.
All people experience greater levels of stress during key life events. Moving home, births, deaths, illness, marriage and divorce are all examples of this. From a purely football perspective; being released from a club, getting injured, dropped and experiencing negative press coverage are other examples of times when stress levels increase. As footballers and people in the ‘public-eye’ you are more vulnerable to attack. Entrapment through drinks being spiked, bribes being offered, drunken photos and pregnancies are incidents which our clients have experienced.
We have seen that during these times players often experience difficult or negative emotions which they can’t deal with. Reaching for the comfort of a drink, drug or gamble is a common reflex. If this is your pattern we hope that you are now more aware of the effect of doing these activities on your brain, behaviour and body and the possible risks of prolonged use. We do not see these activities as long-term answers to these natural difficulties that people face and promote other ways of dealing with lifestyle issues. Seeking support, counselling and guidance is not, in our view a weakness. The relief of being honest and benefits of sharing problems is often great for a player who has bottled up the feelings for a long time or who has felt like he was unable to do so. We invite anyone to examine their lives and those areas which they are struggling, but to do so with support.
Below are recommended guidelines from NVQ for you to follow and understand:
- Plan your leisure time so that it does not conflict with your work commitments.
- Make sure that you have enough rest and relaxation to perform at your best.
- Choose leisure pursuits that provide a positive counterbalance to your work and that help you develop personally.
- Identify the positive and negative influences of other people in your life and the effect they can have on your progress in the sport.
- Avoid negative activities that are likely to undermine your performance or public image.
- Seek the help and support of others with the relevant skills and knowledge when you have difficulty in avoiding negative activities.
Please answer the questions below to develop your learning:
- Why is it important for athletes to make good use of their leisure time?
- What types of leisure activities can help you develop your performance and standing in your sport?
- What types of leisure activities will NOT help you develop your performance and standing in your sport?
- What kind of activity will promote personal development?
- Who can help you make good use of your leisure time and help you to avoid negative activities?
As individuals you have a choice over what substances you put in your body. We now hope that you have an increased knowledge as to the consequences and ramifications that use on the brain, behaviour, body, performance and lifestyle.