Hi Saints

I am Mr Mystery, your local super hero and all round incredible blog writing top banana.

Over the coming months and years you will get to know me, and hopefully listen to my words of wisdom. Think of me as your favourite uncle who will give you pearls of football knowledge to enable you to be the player you always aspired to be. I love to look at what can make our sport better, and hopefully I can cause you to think differently about your approach to the game and how you prepare and play each week. So with that in mind, on to week one of the Mr Mystery approach to football.

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Rookies

Everyone is and has been a rookie in football at some stage in their career, but how did you cope with it? What did you do to get a starting spot on a team?

Be the player! Ask any player on a squad who has experience if they can spot every rookie there, and they will normally get it 100% correct. Why? Well rookies tend to be a little more sheepish, less confident in their stance, and don’t look the part. Part of playing football is about believing in your own ability to be the man! If you don’t think you can be the star player on a team then why should anyone on the squad think it. Perception is a large part. Look at the top stars in the NFL and there is not one that does not believe he is the man. Now of course they can back it up with athleticism but their attitude is also there.

They wear the cool clothes, they walk the walk, which gives off that persona that they are the best at what they do. Adopt this same attitude in your game. Look at the best players on your team and then look at their confidence in knowing they can deliver the goods. Look at how they dress, look at how they act, look at how they inspire. Just because you are new does not mean that people can’t learn from you and be inspired by your abilities. Look at it this way, you’re a rookie, your first catch in a game as a Wide Receiver and you take it 90 yards for a touchdown. How do you feel now and how does everyone in the team now look at you? Be the player!

Now while you are walking the walk and strutting around like a cockerel can you play? It amazes me how many people think they can turn up and stick some pads on and think they can be Jerry Rice. What training do you do? How hard have you worked to be the best athlete you can be? Just turning up to training on a Sunday will only ever make you average. If you are happy to be that player, then you will only ever be a back up, that is the reality. Look at the best players on your team and there is a common theme that they have all been to a gym regularly and look like athletes. This is a brutal sport with tough physical demands on every player, and without being in the right shape you will get injured or again be mediocre. My words are honest and to the point, but if you want to be a player and be the best then nothing comes easily in sport or in life. If you are not prepared to go that little bit extra in getting faster, stronger, more agile then this is not the sport for you.

Food for thought, and I will continue this in the next post from your local hero,
MR MYSTERY