Psychologist Christopher Shen: Tips to bolster and improve your mental health

The current COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected the mental health of the soccer community. Players, coaches, decision-makers, administrators, and supporters have all been impacted by the coronavirus, which can cause anxiety, distress, fatigue, a diminished ability to perform, and burnout. Scientific research has revealed several evidence-based techniques which can help Soccerscene readers bolster our mental health, during this challenging time.

Here are some tips for readers to help improve and master our mental health:

1.Savouring

Please identify ways to create savouring experiences, thoughts, and emotions. Savouring refers to strategies we can use to create, maintain, and share positive experiences.

Tips:

  • Please use mannerisms and gestures, such as smiling, and greeting each other.
  • Please celebrate and acknowledge positive events and moments with others.
  • Please write and read affirmations, and positive words and quotes.
  • Please create and listen to playlists of music and sounds which are uplifting and inspiring.
  • Each night with a beloved person, please identify three positive events that transpired during the day, as well as the causes of these events.

 

2.Gratitude

Please adopt a positive attitude of gratitude and appreciation towards yourself and others.

When we are grateful and express gratitude to others, we create positive thoughts, feelings, and emotions, and decrease negativity. A helpful practice is to show gratitude towards our family members, teammates, coaches, staff, and loved ones. When we show gratitude and compassion towards ourselves, we can often withstand challenges and frustrations.

Tips:

  • Please write a positive message to someone important in your life, expressing gratitude. Send this message, or deliver this message directly to the important person.
  • Please identify a regret in your life. Please write a reassuring message to yourself, expressing compassion and understanding towards yourself about this regret.
  • Please identify an opportunity to offer kindness and assistance to someone in need. What can you do to help someone else – especially during this Covid-19 pandemic?

 

3.Mindfulness

Mindfulness refers to a psychological state in which individuals experience an awareness of objects in their immediate environment, as well as their current thoughts and feelings.

Individuals who demonstrate mindfulness direct their attention to their present surroundings and their psychological state, but engage in experiential rather than analytical processing. That is, mindfulness refers to sustained or frequent awareness and attention to current and ongoing experiences. People who practice mindfulness develop greater self-esteem, concentration, emotional intelligence, and resilience.

Tips:

  • Every hour or so, please sit quietly for a few minutes with your eyes closed and focus your attention on your breath.
  • Then, direct your attention towards your surroundings – What you hear, what you smell, what you can taste, and how your body feels.
  • Then focus on your emotions, and thoughts.
  • Mindfulness practice can be used by Soccerscene readers in your pre-game preparations to develop focus, reduce anxiety, and build resilience.

Christopher Shen is a Psychologist, based in Melbourne, Australia. He can be contacted at: www.christophershen.com.au

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New initiatives advancing girls’ and women’s football participation

A Government program designed to increase female participation in sports will provide almost 50 clubs and organisations with support to upgrade and develop sporting facilities, programs and equipment.

Around $5.4 million has been allocated for the 2024-25 round of The Power of Her – Infrastructure and Participation Program (IPP), which aims to create more inclusive spaces for girls and women in sports.

The funded projects include things like unisex clubrooms, better lighting and playing surfaces, new uniforms and equipment, and opportunities for professional development.

The South Australian Government led by Peter Malinauskas launched the program to build on the success of the Matildas and the legacy of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

To support the growth of girls’ and women’s football, 14 football clubs will receive nearly $2.4 million in funding this round.

Other sports also benefit from the program, such as basketball, cricket, hockey, netball, gymnastics, and Australian Rules Football, providing more chances for girls and women to get involved and succeed in their chosen sports.

For example, Norwood Basketball Club is receiving $14,600 to launch their ‘Rising Flames’ program, helping girls progress to elite senior levels and develop local talent.

Other projects funded through the program include:

  • Metro United Women’s Football Club, Pooraka: $25,000 for new uniforms.
  • Booleroo Centre Tennis Club: $80,000 to resurface three tennis courts, replace fencing, and build a new equipment shed for their drought-affected club.
  • Cove Netball Hub: $392,700 to build four new netball courts in Hallett Cove.
  • Elizabeth Grove Soccer Club: $750,000 (through the council) for a new clubroom, synthetic soccer pitch, and multi-purpose oval at Munno Para Regional Sportsground, Davoren Park.

So far, over $7.6 million has been distributed through the IPP, with the second year providing more than twice the amount of support compared to the first round.

Nearly half of the infrastructure project recipients this round – including Jervois Bluds Netball Club and Murraylands Gymnastics Academy – are located in regional and greater metropolitan areas, showing the broad impact on communities across South Australia.

The State Government has committed $18 million to the IPP over three years, with $10 million specifically set aside for football.

This effort is part of a wider push to eliminate barriers to female participation, including support for clubs with period products and menstrual health training.

South Australian Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing Emily MLC Bourke highlighted the importance of supporting women in sport at a grassroots level.

“Our Government recognises the importance of supporting grassroots sports to ensure girls and women have opportunities to thrive in whichever sport they pursue,” she said in a press release.

“Having the right facilities, programs and equipment in place gives girls and women the space and confidence they need to get involved and stay active with their local club.

“As The Power of Her investment continues to grow, it’s inspiring to see clubs and organisations finding new and creative ways to grow female participation and facilitate high performance pathways in their communities.”

For more information, you can find the full list of 2024-2025 IPP grants here.

Midea enters multi-year agreement with AFC

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has embraced Midea in a new global partnership which will see the Chinese white goods company support the AFC’s club competitions.

Through the deal, Midea will enter into a multi-year agreement and become a “Global Supporter” of the AFC Champions League Elite™ for the remainder of the current 2024/25 season until the 2028/29 season, and the AFC Champions League Two™ and AFC Women’s Champions League™ across the 2025/26 to 2028/29 period.

In entering the partnership, Midea will hold exclusive rights to advertise its products across all AFC club competitions, giving Midea prime access to billions of consumers across Asia.

AFC General Secretary, Datuk Seri Windsor John explained how the addition of Midea into the AFC family was emblematic of the AFC’s immense growth.

“The inaugural season of the AFC’s transformative new era of club competitions have proved to be an undoubted success, and they are set to grow even further in the coming years,” he said via press release.
“We are delighted to welcome Midea as a Global Supporter onboard this exciting journey, which further underlines the global appeal of the AFC’s world-class club competitions, and are excited to work closely with them to create more unforgettable moments for our passionate Asian football fanbase.”
President of Midea International Business, Lewis Fu expressed the company’s excitement for the partnership.
“Midea is excited to partner with the AFC as a Global Supporter of the AFC Champions League Elite™, AFC Champions League Two™ and AFC Women’s Champions League™,” he said in a press release.
“These AFC club competitions offer Midea an unique opportunity to reach a large global audience while also speaking directly to fans and consumers locally all across Asia and the Middle East.”
“At Midea, we are strong believers that the AFC club competitions are among the fastest-growing events in the sporting world and we cannot wait to start working together with AFC to create unforgettable moments for football fans and home appliance consumers alike for the next four years.”
Together, Midea and the AFC will continue to expand their reach across the Asian continent.

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