Mindfulness in Midfield: DBT in Action
By Jesse Chung
With the World Cup coming to our continent, we are reminded of the vast history we will soon carry on. Soccer is often dubbed "The World's Game" because it belongs to everyone. It is the most participatory sport world-wide due to its relatively low-cost equipment and simple rules. Millions of children, and some adults, dream of one day representing their nations at the global quadrennial event.
Tune into any soccer highlight and you'll find most of the action at the ends of the field. Defenders are tested. Goalkeepers are beat. Goals are scored. Attackers become legends in the final thirds of the pitch. Yet, anyone who knows the game will tell you a match is often determined by the middle third, by the players aptly named midfielders. Each team commits at least 3 midfielders to the center of the field, sometimes up to 5 depending on the tactical formation.
According to the National Library of Medicine, "midfielders generally cover the most total distance (of any position), from 11 km to 14 km" per 90 minute game (Rhini, 2024). That's roughly 6.8 to 8.7 miles for us American viewers. The average midfielder is responsible for dictating the tempo of the attack and slowing the opposition's attack. Midfielders are responsible for transitioning their teams from offense to defense and, if successful, to offense again. The exceptional midfielder passes, intercepts, tackles, distributes, shoots, and blocks seamlessly. The average midfielder carries the duty to be in the right place at the right time all the time for 90 minutes.
It's quite a responsibility to be a part of everything and be in the right position at all times; a relatable concept for many suffering from debilitating anxiety, perfectionism, and obsessive-compulsive disorders. How do players bearing such weight and responsibility avoid getting overwhelmed?
In a study of male and female footballers in Switzerland's first league, results showed that "attackers and players playing in more than one playing position had the highest, and midfielders the lowest, average depression score" (Junge A, 2015). Another study found that goal keepers and forwards were more likely to be the focus of public and coach scrutiny due to their general perception that their performances would decisively influence games.
Understanding soccer requires a basic principle that the ball will always be faster than the player. With this acknowledgment comes a logical conclusion for the perceptive midfielder: I am not most effective where the ball is, but where the ball ought to be for my team to control the game. The intelligent midfielder is aware of their abilities and uses uncovered space to their advantage. With this comes a very intentional discipline: to resist chasing the ball. The effective midfielder is forced to be a keen observer. They anticipate where and how the ball will re-enter the center of the field. This oftentimes requires watching their fellow teammates battle and scrap in the final thirds of the field. Midfielders must consider everything in the final thirds of the field as a "happening" they cannot control.
Midfielders practice a core pillar of mindfulness: the practice of observing or watching whatever comes into awareness without holding onto or pursuing whatever happens to enter. Instead of chasing down the ball and the opponent possessing it, the effective midfielder focuses their attention towards placing themselves in the best possible position to receive the ball upon their opponent's inevitable dispossession. Mindfulness can be a wonderful tool to hone one's anticipatory skills in various scenarios. Next time you feel that you cannot control something that is significant to you, try taking the midfielder's stance. Trust the inevitability of change and identify the position of greatest opportunity. Control what is yours to control, and allow the moment to come to you.
References
Junge A, Feddermann-Demont N. Prevalence of depression and anxiety in top-level male and female football players. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine. 2016;2:e000087. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2015-000087
Rhini, M., Hickner, R. C., Naidoo, R., & Sookan, T. (2024). The physical demands of the match according to playing positions in a South African Premier Soccer League team. South African journal of sports medicine, 36(1), v36i1a16752. https://doi.org/10.17159/2078-516X/2024/v36i1a16752
