Team Alberta soccer team is reaching new heights, conquering their fears and working as a team!
At their past Team Alberta soccer training camp, coach, Conrad Clement wanted to push the team, test their limits and show team work is how they’ll achieve their goals at the 2018 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games.
On May 26, Team Alberta’s 15 soccer players and coaches dedicated a day to mental training and then taking on courses of Snow Valley’s Aerial Park in Edmonton.
The morning started with mental training with Alberta Sport Development Centre’s facilitator, Mick Lizmore getting the team moving and breaking the ice with exercises to control energy levels, activities on demonstrating mental toughness, and discussing seeing weaknesses as "works in progress".
“Become comfortable with being uncomfortable!”
After gaining new skills to help prepare them to compete on a national stage, the team applied their new tools on mental toughness and facing challenges on the ropes courses of the aerial park, a perfect analogy of every day challenges Special Olympics athletes face each day. With each level increasing in difficultly as you progress through the course, the team relied on the strength, encouragement and positivity of the group. Players more comfortable navigating the course mentored their teammates and even led the way when an obstacle looked too tough to conquer.
“The whole idea was to give them the opportunity to push themselves. Also, I’m not a big fan of I can’t. I’d rather hear, I’d give it a try. And it’s all about supporting each team member,” said soccer head coach, Conrad Clement.
Check out some highlights on Team Alberta's soccer team training and camp.
With dedicated coaches and a team committed to practicing three times a week and individual additional fitness training, we’re sure you’ll see big things from Team Alberta’s soccer team. They’ll be facing their fears and are ready to hone in their skills to perform their best. Cheer this amazing team on!
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