Vlastuin is similar to a number of our players, but I think they can all tighten it up this year.
I wouldn't know if they neglected their mindfulness training last year, probably not. But either way, they did have unexpected losses that suddenly ushered in a new kind of mental pressure for the boys to figure out. Quite of few of them were less mentally resilient under the new type of pressure, so he wasn't the only one.
Looking forward, it's no longer a sudden, new kind of pressure. Those frustration-induced free kicks are much more preventable this year, as they should all be talking together about how they feel about wins and losses and get back to those roots that detach outcomes from performance. Last year provided them all with an invaluable learning experience in an area that they've led the competition in previously. Therefore, regulating that frustration is now a matter of being willing to make the effort via mindfulness training. Any player who regularly gives away silly free kicks next year due to frustration should be viewed more harshly than last year, as it may be a sign of the player not putting in enough mindfulness work, which should be viewed as equally disappointing as neglecting physical training.
We saw that mental resilience drop off in mid-2020 due to the lockdown pressures as well, but they adapted by the finals and the problem went away. Always have to keep adapting, learning, paying attention, reflecting, etc to stay sharp - and that's what I'm hoping and expecting to see this season.
