Women's Football Hub

Intuition – What Every Player and Coach Needs to Know with Melissa Dhillon

Edited by Dr Ian Cookson Women’s Football Hub

What if we told you that your best footballing moments don’t come from overthinking — but from letting go?

In our latest episode of the Women’s Football Hub Podcast, Dr Ian Cookson speaks to Melissa Dhillon — a sport and exercise scientist with a background in psychology and elite performance — about a powerful and under-discussed tool in the women’s game: intuition.

💭 What is intuition in sport?

Forget the clichés about “gut feelings.” Intuition in football is grounded in neuroscience. Melissa explains it as:

“The brain’s ability to rapidly process patterns based on experience — your stored knowledge in action.”

When a player steps up for a free kick and scores without hesitation, that’s intuition. When she second-guesses herself and overthinks? She’s shifted from the trusting mindset into the training mindset — and performance can suffer.

🔄 Training mindset vs. trusting mindset

Melissa introduces a powerful concept for coaches and players:

  • Training mindset: Learning, evaluating, improving
  • Trusting mindset: Letting go, flowing, relying on experience

Both are essential, but many athletes struggle to switch off the training mode when they step into competitive environments. That’s where performance blocks begin.

🧠 The science of “the zone”

You’ve probably heard athletes say they were “in the zone” or experiencing flow. Melissa defines this as:

“A mental state where time slows down, focus heightens, and decisions are made without conscious thought.”

Getting there isn’t luck — it’s trainable. By incorporating implicit learning (unpredictable scenarios, problem-solving drills) into regular training, athletes begin to trust their instincts. Over time, they become better decision-makers — on and off the pitch.

⚽ Football, female psychology & safe spaces

Drawing on her work at Birmingham Women’s and Girls FC, Melissa explains how creating safe, open environments is key — especially for young players. Women are often more receptive to emotional support, but only when it feels safe to open up.

Her most powerful insight? Confidence grows not just from praise, but from connection:

“It was one conversation. She came to me, we reframed her mindset — and the next day she was different. She made the first team.”

This story is a reminder that support staff — psychologists, coaches, physios — are most effective when trust has already been built. And for that, we need to go beyond football.

🧒 What about children and young players?

Melissa issues a warning: children are naturally intuitive. But too often, adults interfere with over-coaching, limiting autonomy and disrupting instinctive play.

“Children are already in the zone — we just interrupt it.”

By allowing space for exploration, reflection, and personal ownership, we help them develop confidence and intuition that lasts into adulthood.

🧩 Can intuition clash with tactics?

Yes — and this is where good coaching comes in. Intuition isn’t about chaos. It needs to sit within a framework of clear tactical understanding. Melissa argues for a balance:

  • Let players feel free to express themselves and make decisions
  • But anchor that freedom within tactical clarity

After all, elite athletes like Usain Bolt or Johnny Wilkinson were known for both instinct and discipline.

🔑 Final Takeaway

Melissa’s message is clear:
We need to train the trusting mindset — not just technical skills. Whether you’re a player, coach or parent, here’s your challenge:

Start including intuition in your training plans. Give players a singular focus. Create space for flow. Train freedom — not just control.

🔗 Find Melissa Online

🎧 Listen to the full episode now:

Intuition with Melissa Dhillon

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