Interview with:Thomas Longshaw [itommey]
SPORTS
 | What is your sport, and what level of commitment do you have to it? Football is my sport, and I have a high level of commitment to football and would give more. |
| How did you get started? Who introduced you to the sport? I started watching football when I was young and could understand what the game was about. I also started playing football and joined my first team at the age of 14, a late start to becoming an amateur footballer. 4 years later I still carry on playing football, getting myself into a local academy club. I guess my whole family got me into football as they are all football maniac. |
| Who was the sports idol that impressed you the most as a child? And who impresses you now? Steven Gerrard was by far my favorite player and still is. Not only because as he is Liverpool's hero, he's a brilliant motivator and can change the teams performance by the way he plays and his knowledge during the game is just outstanding. Now like today, I love watching the best play football e.g David Silva for Manchester City, Lionel Messi for FC Barcelona, Wayne Rooney for Manchester United and of course the mighty Steven Gerrard for Liverpool. I can give you all the players I love watching but it would be a long list. These players inspire me to play more football than usual. |
| Do you have a coach/trainer who guides and helps you? What is your relationship with that person like? I play for two teams in the week. The Sunday league team West Bridgford Falcons, and West Bridgford Colts Academy. When I train for my Sunday league side, We don't have a coach as they all left last season and the season before. When I first joined, we had a great coach called Ash. Week in week out he would teach us new tactics, team movements and positioning. Also coaching individuals. He was great. But two seasons in from when I joined, he left the team to teach in London. The team since then fell apart and started to loose games badly. Then the season after, our manager then left, So we only have one adult that is the manager, but doesn't really act as a coach.
In the Academy it's serious. I've only played for the team three times as there are a lot of players in the squad, and also for competition. So for me this is a challenge I'd like to take ahead. I can then say I have succeeded. The coach/manager is great for teaching us how to be a team and how to pass like a team. If your not doing your job right as a layer, he will give you a good telling off and could drop you from the squad. So that's why you will need to keep fit. |
| Who have been your best teammates? Why? My best teammates were the people that I bonded quite well with and played well with in games and in training. Also catching a bit of banter is important as it helps me and my teammates relationships grow stronger and play better together. |
| How does your emotional state effect your physical performance? When my temper rises in game situations, my physical side increases towards the opposition to try win the ball and create chances for my team and win the game. But when I am upset or something is on my mind for the whole game, it can distract me and decrease in my concentration, also making more mistakes on the ball. |
| How has your sport helped your personal growth? I can say it has. In my ability to move quicker ad run faster, yes. |
| Which gives more satisfaction: to surpass a rival, or to surpass yourself? Both I guess. To become better than myself is a huge achievement, To perform better than my rival is also a huge achievement. But to choose one that would give me satisfaction, it would be to surpass myself. |
| What methodology do you use to improve your technique? A special technology? My methodology to improve my technique would be just to keep practicing. I can't see technology to improve on my technique. But then again I have not tried it before so it could be a new experience to me. |
| There are some who are addicted to the endorphins produced by exercise. Is that a problem? Not really a problem. Infact it can be a positive. As more endorphin's are produced, it will keep you fit and will lead you into a healthy lifestyle. |
| What other sports or competitions do you follow closely? What magazines or websites do you use to keep up to date? I do watch Formula 1 when I can as I am addicted to cars. But Tennis, Golf I useually check now and then. Sky Sports is the ultimate website I like to check what's happening in every sports. |
| How do you control negative thoughts after a mistake, such as hitting a ball into your own team's goal or getting off to a bad start? You can't change the past. Once it has happened, it's happened. The only thing I do is to move on from the mistakes and try to keep focused. Even hitting the ball into my own net, I'd just move on and get on with the game and try redeem myself once I have the chance. Getting off to a bad start, again I would try to improve throughout the game. |
| How do you feel the public influences your performance? Depends how I perform really. I mean form is temporary. So I can't always perform at the top level. Not saying that I wouldn't try. But if I did put on a good performance, it could boost my confidence. And if I performed badly, my confidence could decrease but also make me angry and wanting to perform better next game. |
| Is it a good thing to have a certain amount of rivalry among members of a team? Not at all. Not only would there be arguments and fights, it could make the team fall apart. |
| Is it necessary for someone to be the head of a team so that it can reach its full potential? Absolutely. To get the best out of the team and for one player to be one step a head would be a big bonus for the team and the performance. |
| Have you have suffered any serious injuries? How is morale maintained during recovery? Maybe a knock or a swallon foot once every season but not any serious injuries like a broken bones. Just to relax and not to do any physical activities until the recovery is complete. |
| Is sport a social sublimation of war? Not defined as war but a battle between teams and supporters. But things can get a little more serious like it has done in the past. |
| Should technology be used to replace referees in sports events? No. This reason because technology is more likely to make an error. Which that referee's are professionally trained to know the rules and regulations of the game. |
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Thomas Longshaw
Nottingham
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