“Can I speak my mind honestly? I was very worried at first. Before that, I was more used to hiding my feelings.” This is what Do-hyun Kim, the goalkeeper of Gyeongju Hansuwon in the WK League, said not long ago.
In the cold winter of November 2021, I first met Kim. He came over and started talking to me when he was packing up his stuff after a special lecture on psychological education. “I want to get some mental counseling from Dr. How can I get it?” It was a weak voice, but I could see the earnestness in his eyes. “He mustered up the courage to change himself,” said Kim. He only played one game in the WK League in the 2021 season. He was put in a difficult situation, with frequent injuries often leaving him out of the game.
The first consultation with Kim was conducted non-face-to-face (video), not face-to-face. At the time, the team’s winter training was underway in Jeju Island, so it was difficult to meet in person. Before proceeding with the consultation, a consent form was written and the consultation was conducted. I worried a lot while preparing for his first consultation, not face-to-face. Contrary to expectations, thanks to Kim expressing his story honestly and concretely, he was able to conduct consultations effectively. Above all, through the first consultation, I was able to confirm Kim’s extraordinary will. This made me want to help Kim even more.안전놀이터
In the first consultation, the main problem Kim complained about was that he did not have high confidence and trust in himself. It was confirmed that he had low self-esteem as he did not play much. He designed the Psychological Skills Training (PST) session after checking the psychological factors that need to be supplemented using the Sports Performance Strategy (TOPS), Performance Profile (IZOF), and self-management questionnaire. The goal of psychological support was to give Kim great courage. To achieve the goal, I poured a lot of affection.
After the first consultation with Kim, we quickly adjusted our schedule. It was to conduct non-face-to-face psychological skills training. Mental toughness, image utilization, routines, etc., were taught to understand and utilize the currently necessary psychological skills strategies one by one. In addition, when the mind and thoughts were shaken due to various situations, he kept the center so that it would not be shaken and delivered the wisest solution. Looking back, the reason I was able to effectively apply psychological skills training to Kim was because he trusted and believed in me. No matter how good psychological skills training is provided to athletes, it will never be accepted without trust and trust.
By mid-February 2022, an interesting thing happened. I was in charge of psychological support for the Gyeongju Hansuwon women’s soccer team, to which Kim belonged. And the main goalkeeper of Gyeongju Hansuwon will be transferred abroad. Supporting the team Kim is a member of, I was able to pour a little more affection into it. However, Kim was under great pressure due to the transfer of the main goalkeeper. During the consultation, Kim often said, “Doctor, can I do well?” Every time that happened, I scolded him, saying, “Do you think it will not work without trying?” In addition, he read consolingly, “It is impossible to control starting a game and showing good performance, so let’s raise the level of preparation by mobilizing all possible methods now.”
On April 2, 2022, in the first round of the WK League, Hwacheon KSPO, Kim played as a starter. I also watched the game with bated breath from the stands. His tension was so high that his hands sweated. Kim played the game boldly and courageously for 90 minutes. In particular, it was impressive to see him fight against the tremendous pressure and fear without avoiding it. The strength to endure has become stronger than before. After the first round of the WK League ended, more wired counseling was conducted than non-face-to-face or face-to-face counseling. He mainly proceeded before and after the WK league game, provided a mental plan considering the opponent team or team situation before the game, and a mental review after the game. The reason why I conducted more wired counseling was that the team was conducting team training and it was a process of mastering the psychological skill strategies I had learned.
After participating in the opening game of the WK League, Kim gains confidence that he can do it. While effectively using his learned psychotechnical strategies, his heart and mind became more solid. Unfortunately for him, shortly after, he encounters another problem. When Kim did not perform at the level he expected in the WK League, he suffered psychologically. For example, when he conceded a goal due to his mistake or failed to block a shot he had to block, he cried a lot. More importantly, it took me a lot of time to get my emotions back together and recover. Kim was slow to recover his emotions.
Championships are the most memorable. Player Kim will play as a starter in Incheon Hyundai Steel’s match at the championship. Unfortunately, he did not perform well. The team will suffer a come-from-behind defeat. The next day, I had a personal consultation with Kim. His eyes were swollen and he wept again as he talked to himself. If it had been as it was, he would have guided him to find compensation for the match and quickly recover his emotions through the attribution of under-process. However, I used a slightly different method.
I did not try to restore Kim’s feelings and acknowledged him as he was. For example, I listened to his story as much as possible, sympathized with him, and respected his current emotional state. He also shifted his counseling environment from indoors to outdoors. He silently comforted him as he walked along the promenade near the lodging. In other words, after providing a solution for emotional recovery, he trusted and waited until the emotion recovered. When I emptied my mind instead of being impatient, Kim’s emotional recovery speed increased. What I learned during this period is that it is better counseling to trust and wait for the client to change his or her own mind than to try to change the client’s mind.
The opportunity for fortune-telling came sooner than expected. In the semi-finals of the championship, in the Hwacheon KSPO game, Kim is substituted at the end of the second half. It was a substitution in preparation for a penalty shoot-out. While watching the game from the stands, I couldn’t help but raise my head at his tension. Kim proudly blocked the opposing team’s kicks and led the team to the final. In the long-awaited final, he participated as a starter and neutralized Incheon Hyundai Steel’s attack, winning the championship and winning the GK award. The experience of the championships further upgraded Kim’s body and mind, which continued to the WK League.
Looking at Kim’s mental growth, you realize the saying that people depend on how they make up their minds. Although I introduced various psychological technology strategies and provided solutions, I think Kim was able to grow rapidly because of his extraordinary will. Of course, I am still growing in the WK League and I make many mistakes. However, the important thing is that it does not collapse easily and exhibits rapid recovery elasticity even when faced with large and small difficulties. I think this is Kim’s most powerful weapon.