Interview With Kevin And Deen
So as to show our appreciation towards the sense of freedom bought to us by the gradually lifted restrictions throughout the past few months, in today’s article we will share with you an inspiring interview with football coach Kevin — of J&K Coaching — and team player Deen — both based in Coventry, UK. The purpose of this blog update is to encourage resuming an active and exciting lifestyle, by discovering or rediscovering your favourite physical activities.
We focused on finding our interviewees main motivational factors before the pandemic regarding playing football, and what differences they’ve noticed now, as well as what kept them moving forward during these challenging days.
The first answer was given to us by coach Kevin.
Before lockdown why I worked out is because I wanted to improve my performance in football. So I wanted to try and make myself physically better, which makes my overall performance enhanced. What I‘ve noticed through my research, as well as through my playing experience, is the more fit you are, the better that your techniques are throughout the game. When you get in later on in the game, your technique starts to get a bit sloppy, so it’s important to keep yourself physically fit, so that your muscles are still working the same as from the start, as to in the sixtieth minute of the game and towards the end of the game.
The differences I‘ve noticed in my motivation as a coach, as well as for people during and in the stage of coming out of lockdown, it’s more like a mental health problem. So it’s mainly trying to get people out of the house and trying to get into a routine where they’re physically active throughout the day, even if it’s just a few times a week, just so that they get themselves mentally stable, and keep being there mentally, such as through stress relief.
But the hardest part about the motivation is getting them out and doing it for the first time. As a coach, it’s hardest for me to get people out and get people interested. But when they are here and when they do the sessions, they always return because it’s just a fear of the unknown sometimes. I think it’s important to just try and go out for the first time and try and get active and see how you like it. If you like it then approach it, otherwise change it, as this is what you’re trying to do — you’re trying to find something that is physically motivating for you to do.
Next, Deen, who has been training with coach Kevin weekly, shares his experience.
It was quite a difficult life. I’d started to maintain motivation, but the new season is starting very soon. I mean, I had to look for motivation within myself.
We’ve been in lockdown for a couple of months, it’s not easy mentally for anyone, so I guess playing football is part of mental well-being. It’s motivation for my mental well-being because I’m involved in lots of things right now. I needed the fitness, I needed to take my head off work. So football gives me an ‘avenue’, it gives me a way out for that.
Before the lockdown it was mainly for pleasure actually, because I love playing football, I’ve been playing football since I was a kid. Most of us cannot go professional right now. The only opportunity we have of playing competitive football is a match of football.
Lastly, we have highlighted their main points and listed our conclusions.
- The first step is always the hardest — it all gets progressively, yet rather inconsistently easier from here. It will be a journey with many twists and turns, many ups and downs, so it’s important to acknowledge and try to remind yourself of this as often as you can. Try starting off with something small, so as not to overwhelm yourself with a goal that feels too complicated to achieve. Set clear and easy targets, like spending just 10–20 minutes doing any sort of physical activity — you’ll be surprised how your energy and drive will continue to unfold.
- The activity or activities we choose are strictly personal and subjective. Each person is different, and should feel free to experiment and decided on what they’ll dedicate their time and energy towards, without any constraints or doubts.
- It’s perfectly fine to change your mind and your goals as you go on. You don’t have to stick to something that you can no longer relate to, or something that might even be causing you harm at this point. Change is a natural part of growing, so don’t be afraid to embrace it.
- Football has been associated with mental health and even part of one’s identity. This highlights the impact that sports & physical activity can have within our daily lives, and why it is important to stay committed, even when times are though.
- Last but not least, this interview highlighted that resuming physical activity and regaining motivation is challenging even for professionals, so please do not get discouraged! Try to push away the tendency to compare yourself to others as much and as often as you can. Just follow your own pace, your own journey, and sooner or later, you will notice improvements and be able to enjoy and appreciate the results of your own work and dedication.
