Summer is rapidly coming to a close. Football season is here. And I had a thought the other day that I can’t believe came to my mind. Here’s what I heard myself say ‘I can’t wait to watch the Philadelphia Eagles and see how their quarterback does’. Gasp! As a lifelong Cowboys fan, what on earth could have happened to make me think such a thing?
I read an article that the Eagles quarterbacks coach is imposing a body language fine on Carson Wentz. Every time he sulks, puts his head down, slouches, rips off his chin strap off after a botched play or throws the ball down after a sack, he gets a fine for bad body language.
Here’s what Eagles quarterback coach John DiFilippo had to say:
“We have body language fines. We call each other out for body language. And those, if they see an infraction on film, they call it out for body language. It’s something that’s talked about, it’s something that’s coached, it’s something that’s brought up all of the time. You are always being watched as the quarterback. We always bring that up and we call each other out for body language.”
The Eagles have figured it out. They know where the body goes, the mind will follow. Keep the body language positive, you’ll keep the mind positive and you’ll go into every new play fresh and ready for success—and you won’t carry any negativity from the previous play forward. That positive energy allows the quarterback—and all the players to lead through adversity.
So what’s some good body language to adopt in tense situations?
Keep your head held high (it’s cliché but true). When you generally look up, you’re accessing a more positive state. Don’t look at the ground.
Don’t cross your arms- You can be sending a message of defensiveness. Get comfortable hanging arms at your side or bringing your hands together in your lap.
Take a deep breath—Before you react to a situation, take a few deep breaths so you can respond by choice. Just a few seconds can make a difference.
So will I watch the Eagles with interest this year? Yes.. I might even cheer for them a little. ( I almost can’t believe I just said that) But it all goes out the window when they’re playing the Cowboys.