Soccer Lessons From The 3 Musketeers

Nintendo DS released a clever marketing slogan,

“Their brains don’t have to be on holidays”.

Promises such as help your kids shake away the holiday blues and get their thinking caps on are great emotional trigger points don’t you think? Messages like these give kids great leverage when begging for a console and prey on your love to provide just that.

More copywriting and persuasion from Nintendo,

“It’s the ideal way to get kids back into the swing of problem solving, by stimulating their minds with fun learning tools that don’t feel like homework.

Clever don’t you think?

I know what you’re thinking, not another post about the dangers of computer games and the opportunity cost involved with this past time.

No, not this time.

Instead, a lecture I was given while sitting in between a 3 year old and 5 year old.

Mario Brothers has a great Message.

The character Mario sets off to rescue the Princess who has been kidnapped by the dragon.

Great story line don’t you think? A 5 year old has a goal in sight. The purpose of this game is to recue the Princess. Although most kids will not recognise this, they are setting goals.

As they move through the stages, Mario can only move forward and can never go back. Once again another great parallel if you think about it. Forget about what’s happened in the past and keep moving forward. Keep moving forward towards your goal to save the Princess. You can’t change the past and most players today, live in regret and ponder on past mistakes or bad decisions.

But not in Mario Land.

As Mario progresses into the stages more opportunities arise and the character no matter what he misses, keeps moving forward. No matter what the set backs, Mario keeps pushing forward as the reluctant hero.

That alone is a great message for any young kid playing soccer. No matter the adversity or problem, keep moving forward towards the Princess which could represent anything from a professional contract, senior team debut or just a starting position in the first eleven.

The Power is in the Mushroom.

Mario begins his journey as a little man with a big dream. As he progresses through the stages he encounters mushrooms. Once Mario catches a mushroom he becomes big in stature and the growth gives him a second chance if the evil dudes get him.

The mushroom here represents training. Training allows players to develop their skills, fitness and mental awareness. With steady improvement comes confidence and stature just like an injection of power from the mushroom.

The locations of the mushrooms come at various places and stages and require you to earn them, just like the habit of training.

The mushroom is also a great analogy to confidence and self esteem.

Just like in soccer, when you encounter the bad or evil dudes, being confident allows you to continue on your journey towards the Princess. If you’re Mario is small in stature the little set back or problem could derail your whole mission.

Invincibility is like a Shining Star.

During some stages a star magically appears and gives you invincibility. The star gives you super strength and the baddies (not sure if that’s a word) cannot harm you or knock you off the screen.

Can anyone guess what this star represents?

Could it be good form? Could it be that purple patch you have during the season where everything you touch turns to gold? Could it be that hot streak that every player secretly longs for?

But be careful as Isaac Newton discovered, for every reaction there is an opposite and equal reaction. The invincibility is only temporarily and Mario’s powers return back to normal after a short period of time.

Invincibility or good form is always short lived. The purple patch usually has a tendency to desert you just before one of the biggest games of the year so be careful. Don’t become arrogant or cocky during good form or invincibility because the magic of the star is short lived.

Reciprocity and the Rebounding Shells.

Have you heard of the Karma Police?

The power of reciprocity or the biblical saying,

“Do unto others as you would have them do onto you.” Have you ever burnt your bridges?

Although competition brings out the competitive beast in everyone, Mario brothers have a subtle way of dealing with this. Throughout the game, Mario is faced with opposition and little shell dudes that will try and stop him at all costs. Mario can immobilise these guys by jumping on their back. You have 2 options after this, you can leave them on their back or you can kick them away causing further damage to the surroundings.

But be warned!

The Karma Police, Reciprocity agents and Sir Newton watch with interest because what you send out could come back and bite you. Just like those ricocheting turtle shells in the game, the way you treat people, players, coaches and even your opposition will take a life form of their own once you’ve double crossed them.

Once you defeat your opponent or problem, be prepared to deal with it on its return. Be responsible and aware of your behaviour even in competition and never burn your bridges.

Repetition is the Key to Success.

Every stage in Mario Brothers can be defeated with a little practice. Once you learn the patterns and the sequence of the stage, even a 5 year old child can defeat the fire breathing dragon that all of Mario Land fear.

What I find amusing and cute is a 5 year old blaming me every time his Mario would die. Apparently I disrupted his concentration (giggle). The lesson here is pretty obvious, concentrate and practice, practice and if I wasn’t clear enough, practice.

The path less travelled.

The path less travelled, two roads diverging, going against the grain are all good advice. After all, has there ever been a successful mob.

Mario at times is confronted with 2 paths during a stage. One of the paths is always easy while the other path offers great resistance.

Which one would you choose?

But before you answer consider this. The difficult path is extremely rewarding with lots of gold coins on offer. What a great lesson don’t you think? The player has a choice to conform and become like the others, or has the choice to take on the status quo and benefit from his courage with financial rewards. Great lesson here, the path less travelled is the most rewarding.

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

At the start of each level Mario is presented with a map. You can travel along the map in a conservative manner picking up mushrooms and flowers as you go, or you can hurry through Warp Zones and get to the final levels in a hurry.

But what happens when you hurry through the easy levels?

You miss out on the gradual escalation of challenge and you don’t get an opportunity to develop your skills through experience. This lesson is similar to the Greek myth of Milo who was the strongest man in the world.

Gradual improvements through training, practice and experience will inevitably guarantee you a date with the Princess. Remember, soccer is not about the destination it’s the journey.

Slow and steady will always win the race.

9 Lives, Cats Eyes.

(Not sure how the Back in Black lyrics of ACDC fit in, but it sounds good.)

“Practice makes perfect.”

“You must fail before you can succeed.”

Once again, Mario brothers have this covered. The game starts of with 3 lives, which gives you a chance to learn from your mistakes. Unlike the soccer community and the status quo, you can’t expect to get a different result if you keep doing things the same way.

Although life doesn’t offer us extra lives, it does offer us lessons and an opportunity to gain experience and to learn from our mistakes. If you’re not closing in on the princess, change your training and try something different.

When Opportunity Knocks.

Mario throughout the stages is showered with various opportunities. However, if you do not react accordingly and deliberately these opportunities will go begging. Multi-coin boxes, mushrooms, magic flowers, invincible stars and extra lives are all rewards for certain actions.

During your soccer career you will be confronted with similar opportunities at various stages. Make sure you react accordingly and maximize the opportunity presented in front of you. Chinese wisdom states,

“The teacher will appear when the student is ready.”

Make sure to take advantage of any chance meetings you have with important coaches or managers along your soccer journey. Most opportunities don’t knock twice, be prepared.

Reaching for the Stars only to slide down a Flag Pole.

Mario has finally battled his way through the level and has survived. He now confronts the last hurdle, which is a gigantic flagpole. The higher you jump, the higher the reward.

Can anyone see the relevance?

How many times have you worked hard to accomplish something only to stumble at the final hurdle?

When presented with the final hurdle, take a deep breath and be proud of your achievement but still reach for the stars. Never hesitate at the finish line and always maintain your intensity.

How does this relate to soccer?

How many games are lost in the 90th minute?

Enough said!

Also remember this, just because a certain team is interested in you doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to sign for them. Always sign the contract before you announce your new team to the world.

Wisdom and Insight from a 3-year-old boy.

While watching all this unfold on the Nintendo DS, occasionally I was pulled by the T-shirt by a 3 year old who tried to explain the story of Shrek.

Shrek through the eyes of a 3 year old,

“Princess sad and lonely.”

“Big green monster going to save the princess.”

“Donkey friend funny.”

“Big dragon scary.”

“Looooook, green monsters happy and love each other.”

Both Mario Brothers and Shrek have a great message for young kids. But in a nutshell it’s,

Set goals, take action, begin the journey, enjoy the journey and live happily ever after.

“May the winds of destiny blow you to the stars.”