The underlying idea behind this week’s mental training is that of emotional intelligence. We want both our players and coaches to be in tune with themselves and one another. It is important that they are able to recognise a variety of their own emotional states as well as to read the emotions of others.

The benefits of such a skill are multiple. First of all, it creates a resonance between players and coaches as they learn to truly understand one another and respond faster to their verbal and non-verbal messages. This may significantly contribute to building relationships between players and coaches.

To learn self-control, players need to develop self-awareness. That is why our psychologists have been helping players to identify various emotional states they experience so that it is easier for them to understand their own behaviour, both on the court and in life in general. Once they are more aware of their own emotions, it will become less of a challenge to read others’ emotions and body language, which is of key importance during matches.

People may forget about our words and actions, but they rarely forget how we made them feel. The feeling is what builds connection. Our team of sports psychologists will try to help our players to open their eyes to their own emotions as well as to develop empathy towards others.