Understanding what it takes to become successful with Lee Blenman.

“Don’t miss a chance because you don’t work hard enough”.

This, among many other phrases, symbolizes some of the core values that Lee Blenman carries with himself, and passes along to every player that he coaches. Hard work, accountability, and resilience are some of the values he believes that every soccer player should have not only to become successful within the four lines, but in life.

Lee Blenman started his coaching career at just 18 years old in London, England. His first coaching job was as an assistant coach, working for a brand-new U-10 team. This experience was pivotal, as it gave him a cornerstone revelation that would influence the rest of his life:

“I noticed that I enjoyed coaching more than playing. I think it was just the fact that, when I was playing and did something good, I felt it, if I did something bad, I felt it. But when the team was playing, and they did something good, everybody felt it. It is different, I want everybody to be happy and so that really just changed it for me”.

This pivotal revelation gave birth to Coach Lee. When looking back on his beginnings as a youth soccer player, Lee remembers one of his key struggles, which remains a pervasive issue for youth players today:

“When I got to 16 [years old] I kind of fell out of love with playing the game. I always tell people, I fell out of love with the game, and that was because I wasn’t mentally strong enough to keep going... When you're a young boy, 14, 15, 16 years old, you don't know, you're finding your way. Your mates that aren't playing sports are all doing other things, and you're like “maybe I want to do those things?” To go out, have a good time and earn some money. All of those things that I really wasn't doing because I was so busy doing sports stuff and it wasn't just soccer, I played other sports too.”

Youth athletes struggling with balancing being an athlete and keeping a healthy social life remains a pervasive issue. Having lived through this experience as a youth player gives Coach Lee a true edge, as he is able to connect with and understand his players in a way that shows off on the pitch.

When analyzing the mental aspects that make up a successful soccer player, Coach Lee points out that:

“The best players that I've coached over here have been those boys that have been just so determined. The team I coached before yours, they weren't the best players but what they had was that every one of them was a great athlete and every one of them was so tough. It didn't matter what adversity came their way, they felt like “we got this”. As a result, they were a great team.”

On top of having a determined mindset, coach Lee mentioned other key qualities that can make a player successful:

“I think that, my experiences over here [in the U.S.], my personal experiences as a player, my experiences as a coach, and as I said at the beginning, I think the difference between the good and the great is the kids that have got it here [points to head], can recover and rebound. They will be the ones that will be successful in life, not just in soccer.”

This powerful statement highlights some of the impacts and concerns that he has for the players he coaches, to be successful not only in soccer, but also in life! A coach that sees his players as more than just athletes is able to not only understand them better, but is also able to help prepare them for the many challenges that life may throws at them. Further, life demands that we continue to improve daily and be able to adapt when we transition to new phases. When asked about what component can help athletes transition better to the different phases of sport and life, Lee mentioned the importance of accountability in this process:

“When you're not playing, it's not the coach's fault, it's not your teammate's fault, it's not the trainer's fault, it's not a referee's fault, it's not the school's fault, it's your fault. Do what you need to do to get in the game... be accountable. I think that goes back to the mental aspect, right? Because that's what it's all about. It's about being prepared, going into it, and working it.”

The passion and care that Coach Lee displays when talking about developing his players and their success outside the field is amazing. His 30 years of experience with coaching allowed him to continuously develop his craft and see the various ways in which he can impact his players. When asked about what has helped him become such a successful coach, Lee stated:

“You have to continue to study the game because the game is the same, but things change. Now, I've been in the States since 2003, so I've coached for 17 years in America. I am 10 times the coach now than I was 17 years ago... I do my lesson plans, I keep them, and then I'd go back, I looked at things that I did 15 years ago. I looked at things that I did with your team, and other teams at SGU (South Georgia United), I'm like “okay, that's okay”. But, I'm a much better coach today than I was five years ago than I was 10 years ago, and 15 years ago. I think it's just because I continue to research for myself.”

Such lessons can be taken to every sport and profession. If you want to be successful and continue to grow as athletes and people, continue to educate yourself in whichever area of interest you may have.

Summary

We had the privilege to interview Lee Blenman, a soccer coach with 30 years of experience. His knowledge and views on the game and the mental aspect of it will help all levels of athletes, in all sports, to continue to develop and be better. The main highlights to becoming successful on and off the field are:

· Be determined

· Be accountable

· Be Resilient (bounce back from adversities)

· Work Hard.

Call to Action!

Your turn to take action and show off your hard work! Record a video of you doing your favorite practice drill and share it with me via Instagram (@harbenb). I will repost every video!

Now, hop on this #MentalWave and let’s get it!