How You Train Is How You Play

Every player wants to perform when the game comes around. You want to be confident on the ball, play quickly, compete for every ball, communicate with your teammates, and stay locked in for the entire game.

But here's a question we want you to ask yourself: Are you practicing those things during the week? We see players who can completely flip a switch when game day arrives. Suddenly they're competing harder, running faster, communicating more, and playing with an intensity that wasn't there at training. They care about the game, so naturally, their level rises. But training isn't something you have to get through so you can make it to the game. Training is where you build the player who eventually shows up in the game. If you want certain qualities to become part of your game, you need to practice them throughout the week.

Stop Going Through the Motions

There's a difference between attending every training session and actually getting everything you can out of those sessions.

You can complete every drill your coach gives you, play in every small-sided game, and technically be at every practice without being completely locked in. Maybe you're moving at 75% speed. You're quiet. You aren't competing as hard as you would on Saturday. You lose focus between reps. You do what is required, but you're mostly going through the motions. Then game day arrives and you expect yourself to suddenly play faster, communicate constantly, compete for everything, and be completely focused.

Where did you practice that version of yourself? If you want to play at full speed in games, practice at full speed. If you want to be a player who communicates, communicate throughout training. If you want to be competitive, compete when the score doesn't matter. The habits you repeat during the week are the habits you're going to have available to you when the game does matter.

Confidence Is Built at Training

Players often think about confidence as something they need to find before a game. They want to walk onto the field Saturday feeling confident. But confidence is built throughout the week. Every time you successfully try something you've been working on, you're giving yourself evidence that you can do it. Every time you demand the ball, take a player on, play under pressure, or attempt the pass you've been hesitant to make, you're getting another rep that you can lean on when the game comes.

That's also why playing it safe at training can hold you back. If you're afraid to lose the ball or make a mistake Monday through Friday, it's difficult to expect yourself to suddenly become fearless on Saturday. Practice being the confident player you want to become. That doesn't mean everything you try is going to work. Actually, we hope some of it doesn't.

Training Is Where You Should Make Mistakes

We encourage our players to make mistakes at training.

That might sound strange, but training should be the place where you're willing to push yourself outside of what's comfortable. If you're trying to improve your weak foot, you're probably going to misplace some passes. If you're learning to play faster, you're going to make some poor decisions. If you're becoming more confident in 1v1 situations, you're going to lose the ball sometimes. Good. You need those reps.

If you only do what you already know you can execute perfectly, you're not giving yourself many opportunities to expand your game. Training gives you an environment to try things, fail, adjust, and try again. Eventually, something that initially felt uncomfortable starts becoming part of your game. Don't judge every training session by how few mistakes you made. Sometimes the better question is: Did I challenge myself enough to improve today?

Give Yourself a Focus Before Training

One of the easiest ways to become more intentional at training is to stop simply showing up.

Before you step onto the field, decide what you want to focus on that day. It doesn't need to be complicated. Maybe you're going to communicate constantly. Maybe you're going to play at full speed through every exercise. Maybe you're going to use your weak foot whenever the opportunity is there. Maybe you're going to demand the ball more. Maybe your goal is to immediately reset after every mistake instead of letting frustration affect your next play.

Pick something and commit to it. Now your training session has an individual purpose beyond completing whatever your team is doing that day. You can leave the field and actually reflect: Did I follow through with what I said I was going to focus on? Where did I do it well? Where can I be better tomorrow? When you approach training this way consistently, you're no longer just accumulating hours on the field. You're using those hours to intentionally build your game.

Don't Save Your Best Version for Game Day

Games are important. They're why we train. But the amount of time you spend training throughout your soccer career will far outweigh the amount of time you spend competing in games.

That time matters. Training is where you get to build confidence. It's where you develop your habits. It's where you learn to play faster, communicate, compete, take risks, respond to mistakes, and stay focused. It's where you get to make mistakes without the same consequences and come back the next day to try again.

So don't treat practice like something you have to get through before the weekend. Training is just as important, if not more important, than the game. Treat it that way. The next time you step onto the field for practice, think about the player you want to be when game day arrives. Then start practicing like that player.

Want to Become More Intentional With Your Development?

Inside Gabarra Elite Development, we help players make sure their development doesn't stop at team training. Through personalized training plans, weekly mentorship, mindset work, and consistent accountability, we help players identify what they need to improve and become more intentional about the work they're doing throughout the week.

If you're serious about playing college soccer and want a plan and mentors helping you consistently work toward the player you want to become, apply to work with us inside Gabarra Elite Development.