New year’s resolutions: How to set goals for girls in sport

Where do you want to be this time next year? As footballers the focus tends to be on scoring goals, with less attention given to actually setting goals. By getting into the habit of setting sports goals at the beginning of the year, you’ll begin to notice improvements on the pitch in no time!  

Our team here at Girls Super League want to kick start your new year in the best possible way, so we’ve come up with 5 ideas for goals that you can work on to help you become the best footballer you can be!  

1. Learn to do kick-ups or more than you can now 

Kick-ups, also known as keep-ups or juggling, are a great skill to develop ball control, coordination and balance, which are all extremely beneficial on the pitch. This skill may seem daunting and frustrating when you first start out, but once you understand the motion and technique, the repetitive movements will become second nature! To learn the correct technique, you can check out this tutorial on our Tik Tok account.  

If you can already do kick-ups then why not set a goal to do more! After all, the more you can do, the more your ball control, coordination and balance will improve! Kick-ups are also a great foundation for learning other more advanced tricks such as rainbows or around the worlds.  

2. Commit to showing up at every training session

Having a positive attitude and mentality can have a huge impact on your performance. Showing up to training with an openness to learn is sure to help you improve your game. Matches are also a great way to practice what you’ve learned in a real situation, so this goal would be great if you want to be prepared for any situation you might face on the pitch! 

Football and other sports can be an excellent tool for clearing your head and getting away from any distractions you might be experiencing in other areas of your life. By attending all your training sessions you’ll have time set aside during your week to have fun and relieve stress by getting your body moving!  

3. Attend at least 5 WSL games in 2023 

Here at Girls Super League, we love the saying, ‘if you can see it, you can be it,’ and going to watch the top tier of women’s football in England is the perfect way to do just that. Setting a goal to attend Women’s Super League games is not only a great way to make new friends and find a community of people who are passionate about the sport, but it can also be an excellent learning opportunity! 

Seeing women play professionally is excellent motivation and inspiration for young players. You can learn a lot from watching elite players, including how to improve your position off the ball and approach the game with good sportsmanship, which brings us to our next goal!  

4. Focus on sportsmanship in everything you do 

Sportsmanship is about treating everyone in sport with respect, from your teammates and coaches to the referees and your opposition. By approaching everyone with kindness and positivity, you’ll make football more enjoyable for yourself and others.  

You can practice good sportsmanship by encouraging your teammates, shaking hands after a game, playing fairly by the rules and respecting the referee. You might even find that putting effort into good sportsmanship leads to new friendships or more minutes on the pitch.  

5. Try playing outside of your usual position 

It might seem like strikers are the ones in the spotlight, but every player on the team is equally important. Goalkeepers and defenders often take on leadership roles, they organise and direct players to help the team play their best. Midfielders are often the most technically skilled players, who excel at setting up goals and dropping back to defend.  

Most professional players have tried more than one position, so why not push yourself outside of your comfort zone and try something new! This experience will allow you to see the game from a different perspective, learn new skills, and become a more well-rounded player.

Creating a plan to achieve your goals

Setting goals is one thing, but following through on them is the real challenge. To help you succeed, we’ve got some tips for setting SMART goals. SMART goals are... 

Specific: Think about the details of your goal. What do you want to accomplish? Who is involved? Where will you work on it? Which resources or limits are involved?) 

Measurable: Make sure you can track your progress. Numbers can help with this – How many? How often? How will you know when the goal is achieved? 

Achievable: Your goal should be realistic. Think about where you are now, and what you could accomplish with a clear plan. 

Relevant: Keep in mind the bigger picture. What are your dreams or ambitions? How will this specific goal help you get to that point? Is it the right time to focus on this goal? 

Timely: A well-defined timeline is important. When will you complete your goal, and how will you break it down along the way? Where will you be in one month, six months, or even a year from now? 

This can be quite a daunting process if you’ve never set goals for sports before, so let's talk through one example goal: learning to do kick-ups.  

Specific: Do 40 kick-ups in a row. Practice kick-ups for at least 10 minutes every weekday when I come home from school, in my garden using my football. 

Measurable: I will practice kick-ups for 10 minutes every weekday, so that I can do 40 kick-ups in a row by the end of the year. 

Achievable: I already have the technique to complete 10 kick-ups, so adding on to this over the course of a year with regular practice is achievable.  

Relevant: My dream is to move up from the B team to the A team. This goal will help improve my ball control, which will lead to more confidence and better performances on the pitch. 

Timely: I want to do 40 kick-ups in a row by the end of the year. I can do 10 kick-ups in a row now, so I will aim to do 20 kick-ups in a row by the end of April (4 months from now), 30 in a row by the end of August (8 months from now), and 40 in a row by December.  

We hope these ideas have inspired you to set your own goals and make the most of the new year. If you stay consistent and track your progress it will be amazing to look back at the end of the year and see how far you’ve come!

So, what are your goals and resolutions for the new year? Let us know, and we’ll be right behind you, cheering you on!