Chapter Overview:

0:00 Intro
0:45 Tristan’s Global Soccer Journey
1:24 Career Progression & Sacrifices
2:29 Overcoming Injuries
3:18 Gaining Mental Strength at LPS
4:16 Full Range of Motion Training
5:16 Rejection & Resilience
6:02 Premier League Dreams
6:41 Meaning of DOMINATE for Tristan

Soccer Goalkeeper Strength Training Journey with Tristan Mitchell

My name is Tristan Mitchell. I’m a 23-year-old goalkeeper from Pickering, Ontario. I played professionally in Spain in the fourth tier at Velez CF. I got into soccer through a friend at school who needed a goalkeeper for their rep team. I’d never played before, but I fell in love with it immediately.

I left the country for the first time at 14 for a training camp in Cuba. That prepared me for what was to come. Right after, at 15, I joined a men’s team called Phoenix All Stars Football Academy. It’s run by Craig Butler, the father of Leon Bailey, who plays for Aston Villa in the Premier League.

After that, I went to England at 16 and signed my first contract with Leyton Orient. I played there for a year and a bit. At 17, I was in Malta playing for St. Andrews FC. When I was 18, I returned to England for a trialing academy where we played against professional clubs. That same year, I trained with Watford but had visa issues, so nothing came through.

At 20, I signed my first professional contract with Corvo de Piedad in the Portuguese second division. At 21, I moved to Spain to play in the fifth division before being found by Velez CF. I went on a trial and signed shortly after.

Leaving home so young meant sacrificing time with family and friends. I did online school, so I didn’t have the typical high school experience, but I don’t feel like I missed much. I was focused on my craft and getting the job done.

Before coming here, I’d get injured at least once or twice a season. Always minor, nagging things. For example, at my last team, I had a small oblique tear. The year before, it was a hand injury. After my last club, I had pain in both knees due to chondrosis.

Coming here, you learn details about the body that no one usually teaches. Especially at the smaller European clubs I played for, coaches aren’t up-to-date on what you need to stay healthy.

I’ve known Clance my whole life and have seen what he’s done for other athletes. I was dealing with knee problems and other small injuries, so it felt like the right time to come here. His focus is on getting all the small parts of the body working together, preventing those little pains.

My first day in the gym was a little intimidating. Seeing people throwing weights around, so much stronger than me… but I used that as motivation, to strive for more. Watching people lift heavy weights just made me look at myself and want to go harder.

The biggest differences between where I trained before and LPS are the mental resilience I’ve built and, of course, the physical strength. I haven’t progressed as much at other places, but here I track my progress through the app and see the improvements every week.

Since coming here, the biggest change has been my squat. The first week, I was only squatting the bar due to knee pain. Now, I’m increasing the weight every week, pain-free. I just kept going up and up consistently.

Before here, I wasn’t training in full range of motion, which I think is why I got all those injuries. Here, everything is full range of motion. People don’t understand… this is what conditions your joints, tendons, and muscles to handle the demands of the game. If you don’t train in full range, you’re conditioning yourself for injury because your body isn’t prepared for those unexpected game movements.

I feel like one of the hardest things to overcome as a young athlete is rejection from teams and coaches. But sports are based on opinions. As long as you believe in yourself, your training, and know you’re working hard, you’re on the right track. I’ve dealt with rejection from the start, so I built this mental barrier… I’m going to outwork everyone.

My dream has always been to play in the Premier League. The first goalkeeper I ever watched was Edwin van der Sar, who played for Manchester United. Since then, I’ve wanted to play in that league at the highest level. I never wanted to be second best. My goal is just to be better than myself yesterday, to keep improving mentally and physically.

For me, ‘dominate’ means dominating your position, taking that starting spot and not letting anyone outwork you. It’s also about dominating the opposition in individual battles and just trying to be the best on the pitch.

The culture in this gym definitely builds mental toughness. Athletes are on each other, not just the coaches. Everyone pushes each other. If someone sees you slacking, they’ll call you out – especially the coaches. They’re always on you, wanting you to be your best, work your hardest, and put everything you have out there.

My advice to my younger self and other young athletes: take care of your body, put in as much work as you can every day, whether that’s physical, mental, or just learning from someone you look up to.

Watch more of our success stories here.

About the Author: Clance Laylor

Master Strength Coach at LPS Athletic – The Pro Maker™. Strength Coach, Educator, International Speaker, and Author of the #1 International Best-Selling book DOMINATE: They Can't Ignore You. Master Strength Coach Clance Laylor has emerged as one of the most respected names in professional strength and performance training for athletes. With over 30 years of experience, he has created success for hundreds of Olympians, Competitive & Professional Athletes (in NHL, MLB, NBA, CFL, NFL & MLS), Executives, and Strength Coaches alike. As a former athlete in his younger days, Laylor was struck with a career ending injury which he propelled him through a journey of scientific discovery to help athletes get strong, fast, explosive, agile, mobile, all while preventing injuries.

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