The Female Soccer Player
Soccer Unleashed- Mar 31
- 5 min read
Updated: May 7
Field Presence, Combat Dropout and Mindset Secrets Revealed
The interest in soccer has been male dominated for a long time, but it’s slowly becoming a level playing field. Popularity of women’s soccer continues to grow in numbers, in the media, in donations (Michele Kang’s historic donation leading the way) and the development of new products built solely for the female soccer player.
By focusing on opportunities for female athletes and understanding how to support them, parents can significantly influence their daughters' future as a leader and the future of the game. As a soccer mom of a female athlete, I am excited about the evolving world of women's soccer. Let's dig into the female soccer players journey.
Build a Field Presence Tailored to the Modern Female Game
When a female player has a “presence” on the field the effectiveness of the team changes. While talent, specifically ball control, is important here, having a presence goes beyond talent.
Having a presence includes the ability to lead the tempo of the game. Knowing when to turn on the intensity, and when to slow the pace to allow the team to regain composure and control over the game.
In addition to tempo, creating space with movement on and off the ball puts your female athlete in an impactful position to provide defensive support to their teammates as well as strategic offensive opportunities. When done on a consistent basis, players grow to rely on your daughter and look to them to be a leader in their space.
HOW TO TIP: Focus on close ball control under pressure and quick transitions from defensive play to offensive attacks. Mastering the first touch so the player can control the tempo of the game and take directional touches rather than “stopping” the ball [and the game]. Practicing receiving the ball while scanning the field to build spatial awareness of open passing lanes to exploit defensive weaknesses. To support the development of these skills, encourage your female soccer players to watch professional soccer games, specificaly the players in their position.
Related Resource: Youth Soccer Development: Essential Skills for Player By Age
Support: socHERmom, IDA Sports, Girls Soccer Network.
The Perfectly Imperfect Female Soccer Player Mindset
Raise your hand if you like making mistakes. Yep, I don’t like making mistakes either, and neither do our daughters. It’s important for them to understand that there is no way to stop making mistakes, but there is a way to leverage those mistakes. Teaching females view their mistakes as fuel for their development - which challenges the narrative that females must be perfect - will have a big impact on their mindset, development, and their game.
HOW TO TIP: After a game, let them talk. They know if they played well or not, and what mistakes were made. When they do talk, listen, and don’t tell them what to do. Instead you can say something like, “Sounds like you are unhappy with [insert what they said], what can you learn from that [play]?” Let them speak freely, and point out that what they learned from that mistake is invaluable. It may be something they need to work on, or simply be aware of to do differently next time. It’s important to note that if they aren’t making mistakes, they are most likely not pushing themselves hard enough. Mistakes fuel development, and overcoming and adjusting play based on those mistakes builds a strong “it’s okay to make mistakes” mindset in female athletes that challenges their perfectionist mindset.
Quick Mindset Building Tasks Your Female Soccer Player Can Do
Visualize themselves leading on the field, making impactful plays, and achieving success.
Modifying “I can’t” self-talk to, “I can’t do it yet,” changes limiting thoughts into opportunities.
Transform self image by encouraging them to appreciate their bodies for what they can do, not how they look. Encourage health and well-being over appearance.
Encourage them to refocus and re-engage in the game quickly after a mistake occurs. Revisit it later to learn.
Related Resource: Growing Pains to Growing Gains: Empowering Your Female
Maintain Their Love of the Game to Avoid Dropout
Many studies, including one by Women’s Sports Foundation, have shown that by age 14, the drop out rate for female athletes is double that of male athletes. Double!
There are many cited factors that can lead to a female athlete dropping out, some believe it’s a combination of factors including burn out, lack of role models, social pressures, lack of access to opportunities, negative coaching experiences, and more.
Ways to Reduce Dropout
Prioritize Fun and Passion: Remind them that soccer is a game. Encourage them to find joy in learning and friendships, not just the outcomes.
Have Balance: Help them maintain a healthy balance between soccer and other activities. Be sure to include non-soccer activities, down time, social events, vacations, and/or school clubs.
Let them Decide: Allowing them to have a say in their extra training and what they focus on gives them ownership of the process.
Celebrate Their Progress: Focus and acknowledge their effort, improvement, and growth, regardless of wins or losses. When they head the ball for the first time after practicing it, tell them how proud you are, celebrate the small wins on the field.
Watch Closely: Recognize the any sign of burnout and adjust. Signs include overall fatigue, loss of interest in training, and irritability. If so, take a break, encourage downtime, and skip a training or two. We personally make our daughter take off at least two weeks in the winter and summer, in addition to at least one day off a week.
Listen: If they express their feelings about the amount of training, or feel like they are missing out on other actitivies. listen, without judgment and address their concerns.
Embracing Imperfection: As we focused on earlier, female soccer players may feel pressure to be "perfect" which can lead to burnout, or create a hesitation to take risks or make mistakes.
The Female Soccer Player: The Conclusion
We've all witnessed the unique challenges female athletes face, but we also see the incredible power they possess. Let's help our daughters foster their skills, cultivate a resilient mindset, and focus on their overall well-being so they are empowered to become leaders, role models, and agents of change.
Remind them that they're part of a movement that's redefining the game. They're paving the way for a future where female soccer players shine brighter than ever.
We’re soccer moms (and former coaches) on a mission to ignite the passion and performance of every youth soccer player. Our listing of soccer opportunities empowers parents to unlock their athlete's potential by providing open access to top-notch training programs, camps, small-sided games, pick-up games, futsal, and other critical opportunities. By opening doors to these resources, we help players emerge from the shadows, uncover hidden talents, transform benchwarmers into team leaders, and offer players, clubs, and organizations the opportunity to connect. Regardless of their current level, driven players now have the chance to excel on the field, creating a future where every soccer dream can become a reality.
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