Archive for the 'Giovani' Category

Mental coaching: Pay attention at this two common errors

Published on April 15, 2025 in Allenatori, Calcio, Corsa, Generale, Giovani, Mental coaching, Olimpiadi, Stress, Tennis and Tiro a volo. 0 Comments Tags: .

In the sport world, many athletes (and not only athletes) fall into two mental traps when it comes to mental training:

1. “Understanding” doesn’t mean “knowing how to do”

Many believe that simply knowing how important the mind is makes them capable of using it.
But understanding that focus is essential doesn’t mean being able to maintain it on the field, especially when it matters most.
Mental skills need to be trained. Just like technique. Just like the body. Just like everything else.

2. “Being able to do it in training” doesn’t mean “being able to do it in competition”

Even those who have learned a mental strategy often assume it will work automatically under pressure.
But competition brings different emotions. Different stress. Higher stakes.
If you haven’t trained that strategy in competition-like situations, it may disappear just when you need it most.

“Being able to perform during competition” does not equal “being able to perform in high-stakes moments”

While many athletes have developed the capacity to focus and regulate their emotions under typical competitive conditions,
only a few are able to consistently apply these skills during the most emotionally intense and pressure-filled moments of performance.

In these critical phases, the emotional load can exceed the athlete’s regulatory threshold, leading to maladaptive responses such as impulsivity, hesitation, or risk-avoidant behavior.
These are moments where cognitive control is challenged, and where the automaticity and robustness of mental skills become decisive.

The ability to maintain mental effectiveness under maximal stress is not a given—it is the result of specific, repeated, and progressive training in pressure scenarios.
It is precisely in these situations that the difference between a good athlete and an elite performer becomes evident.

The truth?

Mental skills are built over time, with consistency, and with structure.
Just like every other part of performance.

Knowing is not enough.
You need to train. You need to integrate. You need to repeat.

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Palla al centro – The new book by Alberto Cei

Published on April 14, 2025 in Allenatori, Calcio, Corsa, Generale, Giovani, Libri, Mental coaching, Olimpiadi, Stress, Tennis and Tiro a volo. 0 Comments

Sorry, this entry is only available in Italiano.

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Characteristics élite athletes

Published on April 12, 2025 in Allenatori, Calcio, Corsa, Generale, Giovani, Mental coaching, Olimpiadi, Stress, Tennis and Tiro a volo. 0 Comments

It’s not easy to understand why international-level athletes sometimes fail to achieve absolute top-level performances. Let’s try to identify the key limitations that might prevent them from doing so:

1. Individual Genetic Limits

Every athlete has a genetic potential that determines characteristics such as:

  • muscle composition (more fast-twitch or slow-twitch fibers),
  • cardiovascular capacity (VO₂ max),
  • response to training,
  • recovery and resistance to injury.

Not everyone, even with maximum training, has the DNA to become a Bolt or a Phelps.

2. Quality of Training

Even at the international level, there are differences in:

  • training methodologies,
  • quality of the coaching staff,
  • facilities (equipment, tracks, gyms),
  • access to performance analysis technologies (GPS, biomechanics, etc.).

A small error in training planning can make the difference between being “excellent” and being “legendary.”

3. Recovery and Injuries

Injuries are one of the main obstacles:

  • chronic or recurring injuries can limit training,
  • even fear of injury can affect performance,
  • recovery isn’t always optimal, especially with a packed competition schedule.

4. Psychological Aspects

Elite mindset is not a given:

  • stress management,
  • resilience,
  • constant motivation,
  • ability to perform at key moments.

The mind can be the difference between a world finalist and an Olympic champion.

5. Career Strategy and Management

Poor tactical and strategic choices (changing coach, federation, etc.) can affect an entire career. Competition schedules and performance peaks must also be planned down to the last detail.

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We don’t know how to teach resiliency at young generation

Published on April 7, 2025 in Allenatori, Calcio, Corsa, Generale, Giovani, Mental coaching, Olimpiadi, Stress, Tennis and Tiro a volo. 0 Comments Tags: .

How is it possible that, despite knowing from research how one becomes

a resilient person, today’s adults still struggle

to teach it to their children and students, both in school and in sports?

Knowing is not the same as knowing how to do

Knowing in theory how to become resilient (e.g., facing difficulties, learning from mistakes, developing a growth mindset…) does not mean knowing how to put it into practice. Resilience is built in everyday life, with consistency and patience. And that is much harder than understanding it from a book.

Adults’ emotional baggage

Many adults never received emotional or resilience education when they were children. If you haven’t made peace with your own vulnerabilities, your own failures, and setbacks, it will be hard to teach a young person that it’s okay to make mistakes and that challenges can be faced.

Performance-driven culture

We live in a society that rewards results, performance, and efficiency. This creates a context where mistakes are seen as weaknesses, not opportunities. Parents, teachers, and coaches risk unintentionally transmitting performance anxiety more than resilience.

Inconsistent communication

Sometimes the right things are said, but the wrong actions are taken: a parent may say “what matters is taking part,” but then get angry if their child loses a competition. Or a teacher might say “mistakes are part of the learning process” but then harshly penalize errors in assignments. Children learn more from what they see than from what they hear.

Lack of time and listening

Educating for resilience requires listening, patience, and time. In a fast-paced and stressful society, many adults struggle to find the mental and emotional space needed to build a deep educational relationship.

Lack of practical training

Even when the willingness is there, practical training for teaching resilience is often missing: it’s not enough to say “you have to be strong.” Tools, games, conversations, examples, and experiences are needed. Not all educators and coaches have access to these or know how to use them.

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Book review: Palla al centro. La psicologia applicata al calcio

Published on April 5, 2025 in Allenatori, Calcio, Corsa, Generale, Giovani, Libri, Mental coaching, Olimpiadi, Stress, Tennis and Tiro a volo. 0 Comments

My latest book has just been released and it’s dedicated to football. It’s not a sports psychology manual, but rather a story told through four themes: training, champions, coaches, and the number 10 – the magical jersey of football.

It’s a book designed not only for football professionals but for all football enthusiasts, offering insights into why the coach is called “mister” or “manager” and how the myth of the number 10 was born, starting with Pelé. It also presents the psychological profiles of some great coaches to understand how different personalities can still produce top-level professionals. And it explores who the first professional footballers were and those who revolutionized the game – from Cruyff to many other football innovators.

From Maurizio Crosetti’s introduction: “Alberto Cei has been a sports psychologist his whole life – a life certainly well spent. His latest work focuses on football, training, motivation, and concentration. These are sacred words, unfortunately somewhat forgotten today, as the football vocabulary seems increasingly filled with terms like ‘inverted full-backs’, ‘building from the back’, and ‘wing-backs’…

This book, on the other hand, starts from scratch – it’s an ABC of core ideas. Because it’s easy to talk about training: but who trains the trainers? Who teaches the teachers?

Team spirit, the true meaning of being a team, and constant improvement as real objectives: these are the matches that must be won. And you don’t get there by just lining up a series of drills – that’s what machines do, not people. On the surface, Alberto Cei has written an accessible essay on psychology applied to football. In reality, it’s a treatise on education, learning, and the harmonious development of the human being. Motivation and concentration therefore become two of the most important words in this book – and in the life, not just the sporting life, that it portrays.”      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Join ISSP today

Published on April 4, 2025 in Allenatori, Calcio, Corsa, Generale, Giovani, Mental coaching, Olimpiadi, Stress, Tennis and Tiro a volo. 0 Comments Tags: .

Join ISSP Today

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World Autism Awareness Day

Published on April 2, 2025 in Allenatori, Calcio, Corsa, Generale, Giovani, Mental coaching, Olimpiadi, Stress, Tennis and Tiro a volo. 0 Comments Tags: .

Today, April 2nd, is World Autism Awareness Day. On this occasion, I want to recall when we started our soccer program for young people with autism, structured as a real soccer school.

Ten years ago, when we designed a soccer program for young people with intellectual disabilities, particularly autism, we could not have imagined the challenges we would face. We chose soccer for its popularity and accessibility—it can be played anywhere, even with improvised materials.

In the first year, our priority was ensuring the safety of the activity, also at the request of AS Roma, which funded the “Calcio Insieme” project and provided six coaches. We set up a closed and fenced field, removing obstacles. Our initial staff included 11 coaches, 5 sports psychologists, a speech therapist, a doctor, and the founders of ASD Accademia di Calcio Integrato. With 30 young participants aged 6 to 13, each child had almost one dedicated operator.

Today, we support 80 children with a staff of 23. Safety is further ensured by the constant presence of doctors for emergencies and the speech therapist for communication and crisis support.

Safety also means a personalized program tailored to the motor and psychological needs of the children, with targeted interventions for their overall well-being.

Before starting the training sessions, all staff members attended a 32-hour course on autism, intellectual disabilities, training methodologies, therapies, relationships between operators and young people, communication strategies, and crisis management.

This journey has made “Calcio Insieme” an innovative model of sports inclusion, providing children with a safe, stimulating environment suited to their needs.

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How sports could be a model for young

Published on March 31, 2025 in Allenatori, Calcio, Corsa, Generale, Giovani, Mental coaching, Olimpiadi, Stress, Tennis and Tiro a volo. 0 Comments

The growing crisis of the lack of role models for young men has been highlighted in the Netflix series Adolescence, in the UK by the Lost Boys del Centre for Social Justice , and by former England national football team manager Sir Gareth Southgate. He emphasized the importance of resilience and confidence for young people, suggesting that sport can offer an alternative to the negative role models promoted by some influencers. However, for sport to be truly effective in this role, it must innovate and focus on creating a more meaningful experience for all participants.

Coaches must evolve from being mere technical experts to true youth educators, capable of supporting young people in their personal growth. Initiatives such as Greenhouse Sports e il True Athlete Project  demonstrate that a more empathetic and mindful approach can transform lives, creating environments where young people feel valued and motivated. This change requires targeted training and greater collaboration between sports institutions and communities.

Sport must go beyond the concept of success being solely linked to victories and medals, placing well-being and human development at the center. A coordinated effort is needed to map existing opportunities and ensure that no young person is excluded from physical activity. A collective and strategic vision is essential to bridge existing gaps and make sport a lasting driver of social change.

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Football: A grow opportunity for you with autism

Published on March 31, 2025 in Allenatori, Calcio, Corsa, Giovani, Libri, Mental coaching, Olimpiadi, Stress, Tennis and Tiro a volo. 0 Comments Tags: .

For a long time, it was believed that team sports were not suitable for young people with autism due to motor difficulties, low body awareness, hypersensitivity to stimuli, and challenges in team dynamics. However, recent experiences show the opposite: with the right approach, soccer can become an important opportunity for growth and well-being.

Unlike school or therapeutic activities, which are often structured and predictable, soccer takes place in a dynamic outdoor environment with ever-changing stimuli. Facing movement, interaction with teammates, and unexpected situations can initially be challenging, but with the support of coaches and psychologists, these young athletes learn to better manage their emotions and develop motor and social skills.

Child neuropsychiatrist Roberto Rossi highlights how, thanks to sports, many young people have made remarkable progress not only physically but also in communication and social relationships. Soccer provides them with a space for fun and fulfillment, fostering positive integration with peers and improving their quality of life.

Based on these principles, the Integrated Soccer Academy has been active for the past ten years, developing an innovative soccer teaching system for young people with autism. This approach is now documented in the book Autism and Soccer, edited by Alberto Cei and Daniela Sepio, with contributions from coaches, psychologists, speech therapists, and medical professionals.

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Vivicittà, the race that has crossed borders since 1984.

Published on March 31, 2025 in Allenatori, Calcio, Corsa, Generale, Giovani, Mental coaching, Olimpiadi, Stress, Tennis and Tiro a volo. 0 Comments Tags: .

Less than a week remains until the start of Vivicittà 2025. This event, first launched in 1984, will bring runners of all ages to the streets of numerous Italian cities in the name of peace, environmental protection, rights, and Europe. The event is set for Sunday, April 6, at 9:30 AM, when the race will simultaneously begin in all participating locations.

Vivicittà is a race that breaks down barriers, just like the roads that connect places and people. It is an experience of discovery and encounter, symbolized by Piazza Transalpina in Gorizia, which links Italy and Slovenia, representing the end of all borders. This year, the event will also take place in several other countries: some races will be held in France and Bosnia, while the non-competitive version will even reach Japan, with events in Osaka and Yokohama.

Another distinctive aspect of Vivicittà is the connection between the inside and the outside, between the center and the outskirts. For this reason, the event will also take place within twenty penitentiary institutions, transforming these spaces into places of participation and inclusion. With the slogan “Open Doors,” Vivicittà promotes sports activities in prisons throughout the year, thanks to the commitment of Uisp territorial committees, which collaborate with prison administrations to organize disciplines such as volleyball, soccer, gymnastics, and dance.

This race is also a symbol of cultural integration because sports belong to everyone and are for everyone. There are no distinctions between professional athletes and enthusiasts—anyone can be a protagonist, regardless of age or ability. There are no exclusions, nor foreigners, because Vivicittà celebrates equality in sports. Thanks to a route compensation system, all participants are included in the rankings, reinforcing the idea of a competition that unites rather than divides. From large urban centers like Turin and Palermo to small villages full of history and charm, Vivicittà is a journey through landscapes and cultures.

Every participant can choose how to experience the event: there is a competitive 10 km race for the more trained runners, but also 3-4 km recreational walks for families and schools, bringing life to squares and parks with the colors of peace, represented by the multicolored official T-shirt. Last year, thousands chose the non-competitive version: 6,000 in Reggio Emilia, 5,000 in Bra, 1,600 in La Spezia, just to name a few.

Taking part in Vivicittà also means caring for the environment. In many cities, including Bari, Cagliari, Palermo, and Turin, awareness initiatives are planned for waste separation and proper plastic disposal, in collaboration with Uisp and Corepla, the National Consortium for the Recycling of Plastic Packaging.

“Vivicittà is like a relay race, a baton passed from hand to hand, reaching different cities and realities,” said Tiziano Pesce, Uisp national president. “It is a symbol of peace, inclusion, and environmental sustainability. This is the value of sports that we want to promote, together with the 40,000 participants expected this year. Once again, Vivicittà will connect historic centers and penitentiaries, disadvantaged neighborhoods and urban parks, demonstrating that sports can truly create connections and break down barriers.”

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