Reprinted with permission from Inside Foos The newsletter of southern California foosball 1991
The Mental Game of Foosball is often the most overlooked aspect of the game.
In some ways it is difficult to talk about since so many people have different attitudes about it. However there are some common threads that run through the "Great" players game that I would like to discuss.
The biggest mistake I see happen all the time, is that when you make a mistake, you can't let it affect your immediate play. For Example, if you try a five man pass and the ball slips away from you, don't lift your head up to the sky and say "Noooooo" cause by the time you look back, the opposing forward has done a quick wall and you lost your opportunity to get back the ball.
Goalies, if you turn the ball over, use that mistake to make your defense of that turn over, even more difficult to score on. Don't let that mistake double, by not being ready for a quick shot from your opponent.
Don't let previous mistakes carry over into your later play. If you just did something stupid, forget about it. Use that anger to focus that much more on execution. The secret to foosball is not a secret. Execution of each pass, each shot, to the best of your ability. This is accomplished through concentration. This is the key.
Another big NO-NO in the game of doubles, is to get down on your partner. Even if he/she does something stupid, yelling at them only makes it worse. If you need to tell your partner something, call a time out and try to talk with him in a positive manner. For Example: Your partner is being drilled with a long pull shot. "Hey partner, he's really smoking his long today huh, do you mind if I make a suggestion? Last time I played this guy all he did was longs, so I switched from racing him to the long, to sitting on the long and racing him to his straight which I don't think he hits as well". This is a constructive message it gives him an agenda, something to try versus, "You stupid idiot, my grandmother could block that shot, get with the program".
Foosball is like any sport, concentrated confidence is what you are looking for. You can be confident, but unless you are concentrating, you will mis-execute somewhere along the line and it only takes one mis-execution to cost you a match. You can also be concentrating without being confident. The problem here is that you might not be hitting the ball as fast or as hard as you would (particularly on the five man passing) if you totally believed in yourself and your ability to catch that really hard lane pass.
A Huge part of being confident, is how much practice have you put into the table. I harp a lot on practice, because the top players in the tournament, time after time are the one's that put the most time into the table.
When I'm playing in the big tournaments, I try to remain calm yet pumped. How can you be calm and pumped at the same time? First of all, when I say pumped, I mean that you are trying 110% on every ball. Play every ball like it is 4 to 4 fifth game cheese ball.
There is a danger in getting too pumped. If you are too jumpy, you will miss some catches and some pick ups that you would normally get. People ask me why do I meditate during time outs, and what am I thinking about? Basically, all I am trying to do, is to clear my mind from any distractions. I take a couple of deep breaths through my nose and out my mouth. This calms me. If my heart is beating fast because it is a close game, I consciously try and slow it down.
(Play your Game Gregg, I'm calm, I am .calm, I am focused). These are the thoughts that I try and think of when I take a time out and sit on the floor to meditate.
In the middle of the game is not the time to be thinking about how your partner is playing, or that he is getting drilled or that you missed that easy pass, or that your opponent cheated and it is really pissing you off. Any distraction away from your focus of executing properly, can cost you big time.
Foosball is a thinking persons game. Winners adapt, they change what their doing if it is not working On offense use all your shots. If someone is blocking your long, chances are good that had you shot a middle or straight, one of them would have gone. Do not get stuck in trying to force your long to go in. Many, many people are long happy. A top forward uses all three holes. Don't get stubborn. If you are getting blocked, ask your partner if they see something you don't. Don't be afraid to listen.
Goalies if you are getting drilled, change your defense. Even if a different defense is something you are not comfortable with, if your getting drilled anyway it is worth a try. Don't get stubborn just because something worked in the past.
Play each person individually and adapt to what they are doing. Try to out think your opponent. The bait take away defense is a lot like a chess game. Try and make your opponent do what you want him to, not vice a verce. Think about what is happening and adapt accordingly.
Work out with your partner, on how and when you want their advice. I myself don't like my goalie to tell me under his breath that the dink is open. Wait until a time out or between games.
Always be positive with your partners. You win as a team and you lose as a team. I hate to hear a foosball player saying that it was their partners fault. Even if it was their fault, you are a team and any negatives into that equation can only hurt your performance.
In a tournament, if you can find out who you are playing next, it is a good idea to go watch them play. You will learn what that persons best shot or pass is and can be ready for it in advance, instead of going up cold against someone that you've never seen and
sudden it is two game to nothing before you realize that this person can go dead man, and that he likes to go wall pass more than the lane. By then it might be to late to adapt.
Always warm up before each match. Make sure you go into the match ready to play. This is particularly important on Sunday morning. For Example, at the World Championships last year, I had to play Mark Rudnicki for third place in the winners bracket in Open Singles. The match was called at 11:00 AM. I was at the table at 10:00 AM warming up.
Mark showed up at 11:00 not having even touched a table yet, in fact I'm not even sure if he had taken a shower yet or not.
Mark has one of the greatest pull shots on the face of the planet, yet because he wasn't warmed up properly, he mis-executed at least five important passes and three or four shots. I beat him three straight not because I am that much better than him, but because I was ready to play my best game and he was not. That match was worth over$1,000.
Another facet to Championship Foosball is to get enough-sleep, and don't party until after the tournament is over. If you are a male fooser, I strongly recommend not having sex the morning of a tournament. You might laugh at this but believe me from personal experience, you are not as effective on the foosball table after having sex. The night before is okay, because your body has a chance to recover.
Remember, winners take advantage of every tool at their disposal. They adapt in the face of adversity, they never, never, never give up. I would like to recommend a book to all of you about the mental game. It is called "The Inner Game of Tennis", and even though tennis is not foosball, the mental aspects that Dr. Timothy Galaway discusses, are totally applicable. I hope this discussion helps, remember there is no substitute for practice, practice, and more practice. Till next time.
The Jeepster
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