– What a Player Sees Shapes Who They Become

One of the first questions I ask a player is:
“When you look in the mirror after a match, what do you see?”
The answer is often: “What I did wrong.”
Young athletes are incredibly hard on themselves. And while that’s understandable—it can also be harmful.
 

Many young footballers build their identity around mistakes. Every missed chance, every bad pass feels like proof they’re “not good enough.”
But what if the mirror didn’t reflect judgment—but insight?
 

At Gobler, coaching is all about awareness. Not: “What did you do wrong?” but:
“What did you see? What did you feel? What can you learn from it?”
I teach players to look at themselves without judgment, with curiosity.

Take Daniel (12), a talented midfielder who cried after every match.
“I always mess it up,” he said. In our sessions, we used video footage of his games—but with the sound turned off. His task was to describe only what he saw, not what he thought.
Suddenly, he said: “Actually, I positioned myself pretty well there.”
That was the breakthrough.
 

The mirror became his friend—not his critic.

This is educational, but also transformational. Players learn to see themselves differently. And that shifts their posture, their play, and their self-image. Because those who learn to view themselves with realism and kindness become stronger, calmer, and better.
 

📩 Do you know a young player who only sees their mistakes?
At Gobler, we teach players to reflect with strength and rediscover themselves. Visit www.gobler.nl and experience the difference coaching can make.