The Sports Psychology Blog

Today's Sports Psychology blog examines one of classic situations in the psychology of sport - the penalty shoot-out.

Football: Penalty Shoot Out Tells

It's the Euro Under 21 semi final and England and Holland can't be seperated after extra time, so we have penalties. After twenty five penalties Holland win. Many professionals claim they can tell who is going to score or miss in a shoot out. It's in their body language. Nerves betrayed, a jerky run up, an unfocused look in the eye. All dead give aways say the experts.

In this shoot out, three of the England players who miss all do the same thing before running up. They all lick their lips. In fact Anton Ferdinand does it three times before his spot kick. He licks his lips three times. So why do they lick their lips and subsequently miss?

Tense players lick their lips not because they are dry, but to try to cool themselves down. Their nerves are working overtime. Their bodies are using extra amounts of fluid to try and dampen down the over active nervous system. The nerves are struggling to handle the sudden influx of impressions. The crowd...the semi final...the importance of the kick...your team-mates...your family...the press...the what if's...all are flooding through the brain. There is too much fluid in the system. They are struggling to handle it.

The Sports Psychology Summary...

The players may have practised penalty kicks, but they haven't practised the mental visualisation techniques critical to handling this new situation. If they had they wouldn't be licking their lips in anxiety. The sports psychology specialist would have already taken them there in their minds. Heard the crowd. Felt the buzz. Walked the long walk. Felt the ball. Picked the spot. Walked back. A rhythmic run up. A clean connection. The ping sound. The ball hitting the back of the net. The net swaying. A cool celebration. All played out in advance. No nerves. Only certainty.