The 11th weekend of MLS games is about to begin this afternoon. I figured this would be a good time to analyze a bit of our season so far and give you a peek into the psychology of Chris Rolfe.

We're 9 games deep with an overall record of 6-2-1. That record represents the best start to an MLS season that I've been involved with. We are excited about our record on the road, 4-0-1, but a little confused about our home record, which sits at 2-2-0. So as a player, I give some thought to what could be different about my own mentality and approach to the game when we are at home. I've played in the first and fourth home games, with a resulting record of 1-1. The first game was a 4-0 win against New England with the help of a red card in the 7th minute to Larentowicz. How did I prepare for that game? Was I happy with my performance? Did I get enough sleep? How was my diet? Could I have been distracted by factors not directly associated with the game? What about the factors directly related to the game? Was it an emotional game?

So I think back to April 3rd and the week leading up to the game. First, was I happy with my performance? All in all, I felt that I did what I was supposed to. Of course, I could have been better at certain moments, but for this example there's no need to get specific. My legs felt good and I remember moving pretty well. Next, I look at the days leading up to the game. I don't specifically remember anything about training, which means it was probably demanding, but not enough to make me feel uncomfortable. We played 5 days before on turf in Utah, which can necessitate longer recovery time. I received a massage post-game and had a good meal with the team that should have enhanced my body's recovery. I slept well that week and ate routinely. Were there factors that would have distracted me? I had rented out my room during the pre-season months, so I was able to move back into my living space that week. The game was on a Thursday, so I didn't have the possible distractions associated with a weekend game. The game was to be broadcast nationally on ESPN2. That can actually help me focus earlier than usual for a game, because of text messages, phone calls and emails that tend to come when friends and family plan to watch a game on tv. On the other end, that can also be a distraction depending on how I perceive the attention I'm receiving. Along with that, the excitement was high in order to show our fans just how good we were. I was disappointed in how we played in our season opener in Utah, so that added to my insistence on proving ourselves at home. Thinking about all that I've written above, it seemed like I was happy with my performance, and all the factors leading into the game were more beneficial than harmful.


Now I fast forward to my next home game (the team's 4th) on Saturday, May 17th. This game was played against Houston and it resulted in a 2-1 loss. So i go over the same questions for this game as I did for the last. Did I feel that I played well? Well, for this game I was in a different role - a more defensive role played alongside Logan Pause in front of our backline. I wasn't as comfortable in that position as I was playing a more attacking role in our last home game. In the end, I felt as if I wasn't involved in the attacking side of things as much as I should've been. My legs didn't feel as good as usual which hampered me at times from joining the attack. My defense was sporadic. Overall, I think I could've been better. We were coming off of a seven day break where we played DC on the road. I got a very good meal after that game and also got a massage post-game. So that shouldn't have been a concern. However, training that week does stick out in my mind. On Tuesday that week, we did some lifting that stressed the legs and then trained afterwards. The team has done that on occasion this year, but this was my first go at it. I don't lift my legs much during the season, and a long lifting session could bother me for a few days at least. This could be a possible culprit for my legs not feeling great. My sleep was constant with a nap once or twice in the afternoons. My diet was the same as usual. My parents were in town that weekend and were in attendance at the game. However, they did not deter me from my regular activities leading up to the game. My phone was on silent and my windows were closed, so no weekend distractions occurred while I was sleeping. So I didn't feel all that great about my performance that night, and there were potential distractions and activities that could have played a role in that.

The differences from the two weeks included, guests, training styles, length between games, a few emotions due to the home opener and national tv, and the day of the game. A lot of that is uncontrollable by me. The way I see it, I can merely attempt to adjust to those factors. That's where, as a professional athlete, I can continue to "improve" or give myself a better chance to succeed.

Our game tonight against DC United is on Fox Soccer Channel. It's been 13 days since our last game and training has been quite different than usual. This is where compartmentalization comes into play. I set aside the factors that we've just gone over, and nothing else matters. Only positive thoughts are in my mind from this point on as I prepare for tonight - there will be no thoughts about anything other than my role, our objectives, my preparation and our opponent.

I hope this insight about my thoughts, which probably seem a bit crazy, help you understand a bit more about what goes into thriving to be the best I can be.

I also wanted to congratulate Brandon Prideaux and his wife on the birth of their first child - a baby boy.

To check out a little preview to our game tonight, check out this link and go to "DC United preview" at the top of the page.