Performance Habits is a practical mental fitness programme for professional footballers. Built around simple daily actions, it helps players take control of their routines, boost wellbeing, and stay at the top of their game.

Performance Habits Coaches are current or former footballers who have been trained by us to guide players through the programme’s five stages via scheduled telephone or video sessions.

We are currently partnering with several professional clubs to deliver the programme. Hear from our programme lead, Professor Paul Galdas, as he discusses the role of the coach at one of our first partner clubs, Leeds United: https://youtu.be/H-oh9tvpvGg

The programme can be delivered by current or former professional footballers who have completed the Performance Habits Coach Training and have ongoing supervision from members of the Performance Habits Team.

The programme is designed to be delivered by people from a wide range of backgrounds. You do not need to be a mental health practitioner. Performance Habits Coaches need to have experience of being in a professional football academy, have good interpersonal skills, and be warm, open, and caring in their interaction with the player they are working with. This approach must be balanced against the need to maintain professional boundaries. The role of the Coach is to form a supportive, professional relationship with the player they are working with. Performance Habits is not a befriending or mentoring intervention.

Performance Habits Coach training is delivered in online workshops by world-leading experts in men’s health and behavioural activation. Training is currently free and takes place over three days. Following the training, Coaches undertake a bespoke assessment in the form of a role play and are then required to undertake an enhanced DBS check. Once trained, Performance Habits Coaches will be allocated an academy player to support but will not work alone. Support is provided from the Performance Habits Team and there is always a specialist available to consult in the event of any concerns.

Complete and submit the below form or, alternatively, contact the programme leader, Prof. Paul Galdas, at [email protected] to find out about forthcoming training dates.

Signing up to do the training doesn't formally commit you to anything. Training is currently being offered for free and if you decide that this isn't for you at a later date due to any reason, there's no problem.