Ever since I was a teenager, I’ve admired Brazilian football. I had a personal coach who taught me of the Brazilian way – the ball mastery, tremendous football fitness, winning mentality and most of all – the heart ‘coracao’ . It totally changed my game and opened my football world beyond its little Australian bubble.
I was also lucky enough to spend three months in Brazil, experiencing life as a Brazilian footballer. I played for the famous Santos club of the great Pele. I wish I could say I lived a life of glamour, but the real pearls I carry with me to this day are more from what I learned of how hard life was. Despite this, their passion, focus and drive for football was almost intimidating for a privileged, naive young Aussie woman who was used to the very comfortable and, should I say, spoilt Australian culture.
There was no beautifully mown training surface, no hundred dollar balls, no latest style Nike boots, just football. Playing on a paddock or stadium; living in a hotel or shanty; driving a BMW or hitchhiking to training; wearing boots or playing barefoot; using a football or a grapefruit; the differences and excuses weren’t given a thought as the game of football took over and with it the sense that, “You bring what you got and I bring what I got. You bring your life and I’ll bring mine. Let’s play.”
I’ve been trying to educate my IFS boys on the importance of the growth mindset. This includes embracing challenges, making the most of what you have to work with, not whinging or complaining or making excuses. This is the Brazilian way. “Yeahhh Brazilian!” I call out on the pitch, as the boys receive a flat size 3 ball and don’t skip a beat to their training session. It’s a big change from when we first started and if a pass went astray the next thing you would hear – “Oh, the ball’s flat”.
At IFS we are striving for the best. We are waiting on our new shipment of balls, we are constantly improving the facilities and surfaces and the nets on the new portable goals are awesome. But it’s been an important lesson to implement the growth mindset and the Brazilian way. As we get close to the World Cup in Brazil, I hope we get to see beyond the stadiums, and look for the Brazilian way of life, for there lies their secret to dominating the world game – their coracao.
Brilliant blog Joey, love it