With the Fifa Women's World Cup in 71 days, Banyana Banyana's preparations are in the final phase. To ensure the team is mentally prepared, coach Desiree Ellis has roped in sports psychologist Dr Koketjo Tsebe to cater for the team's mental needs.
Big tournaments often come with a lot of pressure and too many times we have seen SA national teams choke on the big stage and Banyana will be no different as they carry a burden of expectations in Australia and New Zealand.
They are going to their second World Cup as African champions and their unofficial mandate set to them by their association is to make it to the knockout stages as it will help boost the bid to host the 2027 World Cup.
Tsebe has elaborated on her role as part of Ellis's backroom staff.
"My role in the team is to assist coach Desiree to achieve her goal, to focus on mental health aspects to meet the needs of the team mentally. Tapping into aspects like team cohesion and catering to specific individual needs. The team is made up of individuals, they also have their own goals that they want to achieve," Tsebe said.
Tsebe said her programme will aim to equip the players with mental strength and confidence to elevate their performance as a unit.
“We tap into different psychological variables that are important and I think one of the most key aspects is mental toughness, the ability for them to keep going regardless of how difficult it is.
"We have to rope in the aspect of confidence. It’s normal to feel anxious ahead of a global competition but how do you regulate, how do you manage that and how do you mindful despite difficulties or while doing very well, to assist to maintain individual or team peak performance," Tsebe told the Sowetan.
The Banyana mental coach will also help the players to be prepared for disappointments, the earliest setback many will deal with is not making the squad.
"At some point, there’s going to be a cut, which is a hard reality, but I believe that the group task that we do also assist one to manage defeat, which is an important life skill. You’re going to experience defeat at some point, how do you move past that," she said.
Tsebe explains her role with Banyana ahead of World Cup
Renowned psychologist will assist players to deal with self-esteem
Image: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix
With the Fifa Women's World Cup in 71 days, Banyana Banyana's preparations are in the final phase. To ensure the team is mentally prepared, coach Desiree Ellis has roped in sports psychologist Dr Koketjo Tsebe to cater for the team's mental needs.
Big tournaments often come with a lot of pressure and too many times we have seen SA national teams choke on the big stage and Banyana will be no different as they carry a burden of expectations in Australia and New Zealand.
They are going to their second World Cup as African champions and their unofficial mandate set to them by their association is to make it to the knockout stages as it will help boost the bid to host the 2027 World Cup.
Tsebe has elaborated on her role as part of Ellis's backroom staff.
"My role in the team is to assist coach Desiree to achieve her goal, to focus on mental health aspects to meet the needs of the team mentally. Tapping into aspects like team cohesion and catering to specific individual needs. The team is made up of individuals, they also have their own goals that they want to achieve," Tsebe said.
Tsebe said her programme will aim to equip the players with mental strength and confidence to elevate their performance as a unit.
“We tap into different psychological variables that are important and I think one of the most key aspects is mental toughness, the ability for them to keep going regardless of how difficult it is.
"We have to rope in the aspect of confidence. It’s normal to feel anxious ahead of a global competition but how do you regulate, how do you manage that and how do you mindful despite difficulties or while doing very well, to assist to maintain individual or team peak performance," Tsebe told the Sowetan.
The Banyana mental coach will also help the players to be prepared for disappointments, the earliest setback many will deal with is not making the squad.
"At some point, there’s going to be a cut, which is a hard reality, but I believe that the group task that we do also assist one to manage defeat, which is an important life skill. You’re going to experience defeat at some point, how do you move past that," she said.
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