Hiring a mental skills trainer can greatly benefit a child’s success in esports by teaching them important skills such as stress management, goal setting, and focus. In traditional sports it has become accepted that mental toughness is just as important as physical skills. This is especially important in gaming. Working with a mental skills trainer can give a child the psychological skills necessary to allow them to perform their best under pressure, handle adversity, and succeed in life – even beyond gaming.
One of the key benefits that an esports performance coach or mental skills trainer can provide is helping a child develop a growth mindset. This leads to more persistent increases in motivation, self-esteem, and overall well-being. Furthermore, a mental skills trainer can also help the child develop a better understanding of themselves, which can lead to better self-awareness and self-regulation, ultimately leading to better performance.
Read on for more in-depth reasons why it pays to utilize a mental skills trainer for your aspiring gamer child.
Improved Focus
Hiring an esports performance coach can teach a child how to focus on the task at hand and block out distractions. It’s hard enough for many kids to concentrate for long periods of time playing games at home. Having the mental fortitude to maintain the concentration necessary for peak performance while at a loud, busy, high-stakes tournament is a whole other monster to deal with.
A mental skills trainer can help a child get better at staying on task and avoid getting distracted by irrelevant information. They can teach techniques such as meditation, mindfulness, and visualization to help the child maintain focus and concentration throughout a game.
Additionally, the coach can help the child identify and eliminate distractions that may be affecting their concentration, such as notifications on their phone or background noise in their environment. With improved focus and concentration, they will be able to make better decisions, react more quickly to in-game events, and perform better overall.
Better Decision-Making
An esports performance coach can help a child learn how to make quick and effective decisions in high-pressure situations. This basically builds on the skill of improved focus. Even if fully focused, a gamer needs to often make decisions quickly while under pressure. For example, deciding whether to attack or defend or which strategy to use. The mental skills trainer can teach the child how to analyze the situation, consider their options, and make a decision – all within a split second.
The coach may also teach the child techniques for managing stress and anxiety. This can help them make better decisions in high-pressure situations. From there, the young gamer can start to look back and evaluate the outcome of their decisions. They can reflect on the quality of their decision-making during high and low stress. Ultimately, they will be able to learn from their mistakes and make better decisions in the future.
With improved decision-making, the child will be able to react more quickly to in-game events and make more effective decisions, which can give them a competitive advantage.
Increased Resilience
An esports performance coach can teach a child how to bounce back from defeat and maintain a positive attitude in the face of adversity. Defeat is an inevitable part of competitive gaming. It can be hard for anyone to handle, but especially for a child when they lose a game. An esports coach can teach them how to reframe their thoughts about defeat and adopt a growth mindset. This can include learning to focus on what they can learn from the experience and what they can do differently next time, rather than dwelling on the outcome.
The performance coach may also teach the child techniques for managing emotions. One example is disappointment or frustration, which can help them maintain a positive attitude even in the face of defeat. Additionally, the coach can help the child to develop a sense of perspective and understand that failure is a natural part of the learning process and that it can ultimately lead to success.
With increased resilience, the child will be able to handle defeat more effectively, maintain a positive attitude and bounce back more quickly. This can help them to achieve their goals.
Better Communication Skills
An esports performance coach can teach a child how to communicate effectively with teammates and opponents, which is essential for success in team-based games. Effective communication is crucial in competitive gaming, as it allows players to coordinate strategies, share information, and make split-second decisions. The coach can teach the child how to use in-game chat, voice chat, and other communication tools effectively.
Additionally, the coach can teach the child how to communicate clearly and effectively, including nonverbal communication and active listening. The coach may also help the child develop the ability to work together with a team. They can also show them how to handle conflicts and disagreements in a productive way. With better communication skills, the child will be able to work more effectively with their teammates, coordinate strategies, and make better decisions, which can give them a competitive advantage.
Improved Strategic Thinking
An esports performance coach can teach a child how to think critically and strategically, which is essential for success in games that require players to outsmart their opponents. Strategic thinking is crucial in competitive gaming. This is because it allows players to analyze the game situation, predict their opponent’s moves, and plan their own moves accordingly. The coach can teach the child how to evaluate different strategies, make predictions, and adapt to changing circumstances. The coach may also help the child to develop their ability to think critically and creatively, which can help them to come up with new and innovative strategies.
Additionally, the coach can help the child to understand the importance of long-term planning, and how to balance short-term gains with long-term goals. With improved strategic thinking, the child will be able to outsmart their opponents, make better decisions, and perform better overall.
Increased Self-Awareness
An esports performance coach with a qualified mental skills certification can help a child become more aware of their own thoughts and emotions, which can be beneficial for managing stress and anxiety. Self-awareness is an important skill for competitive gaming, as it allows players to understand their own emotional state and how it may be affecting their performance. The coach can teach the child how to recognize their own thoughts and emotions, and how to manage them effectively.
The coach may also teach the child techniques for managing stress and anxiety, such as breathing exercises, visualization, and mindfulness. Additionally, the coach can help the child to develop the ability to reflect on their own performance and identify areas for improvement. With increased self-awareness, the child will be better able to manage their emotions, stay focused, and perform better under pressure.
Improved Teamwork
An esports performance coach can teach a child how to work well with others, which is essential for success in team-based games. Teamwork is crucial in competitive gaming. This is because it allows players to coordinate strategies, share information, and make split-second decisions. The coach can teach the child how to communicate effectively with teammates, share information, and trust in their teammates.
The coach may also help the child to develop their ability to collaborate and compromise with teammates, which can help them to achieve common goals. Additionally, the coach can teach the child how to handle conflicts and disagreements in a productive way. They can also teach them how to give and receive feedback effectively.
With improved teamwork, the child will be able to work more effectively with their teammates, coordinate strategies, and make better decisions, which can give them a competitive advantage.
Better Time Management
An esports performance coach can teach a child how to balance gaming with other responsibilities, such as schoolwork and other extracurricular activities. Time management is an important skill for competitive gaming, as it allows the child to balance their passion for gaming with other important responsibilities.
This is not only healthy for life outside of gaming but also ensures that the young gamer is able to focus completely on playing when appropriate. Homework, chores at home, and other obligations can compete for attention in anyone, especially kids. A mental skills trainer can help compile obligations and then map out a plan to tackle them timely.
As hinted on above, the coach can teach the child techniques for staying focused and productive when they’re working on other tasks. The mental skills trainer can help the child to prioritize their activities and make sure they are dedicating enough time to the most important tasks. With better time management, the child will be able to balance their gaming with other responsibilities and perform better in all areas of their life.
Increased Mental Toughness
An esports performance coach can teach a child how to handle pressure and maintain composure in high-stress situations. Mental toughness is an important skill for competitive gaming It allows players to perform at their best under pressure. There are many gamers who have natural skills that allow them to rise above many other competitors. Even more people have the dedication to continue to improve. But what separates the elite from the great is the ability to perform well consistently under pressure.
The coach can teach the child techniques for managing stress and anxiety, such as deep breathing, visualization, and mindfulness. Deep breathing can help a child gamer calm their nerves and control their body and performance. Visualization can build on breathing by helping them paint interactive environments in their head and then translate them to success. They can imagine things like performing a difficult technique, coming out on top of difficult situations and standing on the winner’s podium.
It all comes down to how to stay focused and composed in high-stress situations. This is especially important during a tournament or a crucial match. The coach may also help the child to develop a sense of perspective and understand that failure is a natural part of the learning process and that it can ultimately lead to success.
With increased mental toughness, the child will be able to handle pressure and perform better in high-stress situations. Overall it will give them a competitive advantage.
Better Overall Physical and Mental Health
An esports performance coach can teach a child how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. This will help them play better in games and improve their overall physical and mental well-being. Competitive gaming can be demanding on the body and mind, and it’s important for players to take care of themselves to perform at their best. Children are resilient, but even they can get burnt out on what was once a fun video game and lose interest without the proper guidance.
The coach can teach the child how to maintain a healthy diet, get enough sleep, and exercise regularly to improve their physical health. Many kids don’t see the long-term benefits of a proper diet, especially when it comes to sugar and eating vegetables. Too much sugar will make a child’s energy levels crash, and with it, their performance. At the same time, their worst enemy, vegetables, can help improve their mental sharpness and give them nutrients to improve their learning capabilities.
From there, the trainer can teach the child how to maintain good mental health. For example, by managing stress and anxiety, and by developing a positive attitude. The coach may also teach the child how to maintain a healthy posture while playing video games to prevent physical injuries. With better overall physical and mental health, the child will be able to perform better in games and have a healthier lifestyle.
The Bottom Line on How an Esports Performance Coach Can Help Your Child Succeed
Working with an esports performance coach who is also a mental skills trainer can provide a child with many benefits. These include improved focus and concentration, better decision-making, and increased resilience. A mental skills trainer helps to block out the noise and focus only on what is necessary for performance. This clearer state of mind leads to better decision-making to make clutch moves in matches. At the same time, a mental skills trainer helps to increase resilience and bounce back when things don’t go the child’s way.
Other benefits include better communication skills, improved strategic thinking, increased self-awareness, and improved teamwork. Being able to communicate with those around them helps the child with teamwork and collaboration skills. Being cognizant of those around them also helps them be more cognizant of themselves, leading to better strategic thinking that benefits their play.
A mental skills trainer’s reach extends beyond gaming as well. Better time management increased mental toughness, and better overall physical and mental health help the child be aware of and communicate their needs, be sensitive to the needs of others, and do better in school and at home. It’s important to note that while the coach is a great resource to help the child, the ultimate responsibility lies on the child to put the knowledge into practice and make the most of the experience.
So what are you waiting for? Get yourself a mental skills trainer for your esports child!