A unique online, virtual reality- based tournament, designed by Mike Conway, who is the emotional agility and mind coach for elite athletes and teams including the Socceroos, has been launched to give coaches across Australia and around the world the chance to prove their mastery of skills required for the mental side of the game.

A cash prize of $5000 and a trophy are up for grabs in the first FCA XV Mind Games Cup, which will kick off next month. Entries are open now for what is the first stage in a radical program of upskilling for thousands of football coaches in Australia.

It’s anticipated that entries for the cup will come from teams of coaches from national teams, A-League, W-League, NPL and grassroots football clubs in addition to academies and school teams.

The FCA XV Mind Games Cup is the first part of a new venture to deliver a suite of online courses to improve coaches’ understanding of the mental side of the game, from emotional agility to resilience and leadership.

The new curriculum is a joint venture between Football Coaches Australia and XVenture, the company founded by Mike Conway, emotional agility and mind coach for the Socceroos, and will go live early next year.

But the FCA XV Mind Games Cup is now officially open for registration. During each round, coaches will lead their team of five – including themselves in XVenture's virtual world. Against the clock and in competition with other teams they will try to complete as many football- themed challenges as possible.

Over two knock-out rounds and a final, a variety of skills will be needed including focus, concentration and leadership; problem-solving and collaboration skills and effective teamwork.
The aim is to align with FCA’s mantra of ‘Community, Connection and Camaraderie’ between all Australian football coaching cohorts.

The focus of XVenture’s work is developing emotional agility, resilience and leadership (EARL) to enable improved personal and professional relationships, individual and team success. The ultimate process involves ‘lifting the ceiling’ on people’s thinking to create Winning Minds.

Click here to enter.

Check out the trailer here: