Mind-bend it like Beckham: Hypnotherapist introduces mantra-chanting to help footie kids win promotion
Under-13s football team use to the power of positive thinking to go on winning streak
Secret mind-bending sessions – including chanting mantras in the dressing room before games – have helped AFC Tickton Under-13s to gain promotion.
Hypnotherapist Sheila Granger used the power of positive thinking so the lads had the belief to beat teams they’d always lost to.
The boys were sceptical at first but soon came round when they went on an unexpected winning streak. Striker Jack Sharp, 13, said: “After Sheila talked to us I felt much more confident on the pitch. And I scored more goals than I normally would.”
Sheila’s free “mind management” sessions included the lads chanting phrases such as “I can be the best tackler” and “We can score the best goals”. She said: “I also got the boys to sit in a circle and stare at a football in the middle.
Mantra United: Kids improved almost immediately after the sessions started
Hull News & Pictures
“I told them to close their eyes and visualise playing their best as well as how they wanted the match to go. They almost go into a trance. The idea is to focus their attention and get rid of any distractions.
“I told the team to delete any thoughts of negatives in the past – such as bad tackles from previous games. If you keep focusing on the negatives it can be a distraction.”
Team manager Richard Towse, 44, said the lads improved almost immediately after the sessions started in December.
He added: “We owe Sheila a massive thank you for all the work she’s done with the boys. She really has made a difference.
“I could see a difference even after the first two sessions – not in their skill level but in the way they grew mentally.
“The way Sheila worked with the boys also got them working together as a team.”
The side from Beverley in East Yorks will play next season in the area’s top league.
And they think Sheila, 45, also from the town, deserves a promotion too. Defender Sam Towse, 12, said: “Her techniques could improve England’s chances at the Euros.”