Working with players and teams
The workshop focuses on the social relationships among players to promote positive norms for their mental well-being and to enhance cohesion and collective expression.
The sense of security and belonging within the group has a direct impact on the performance of the players and teams.
Competitiveness, the need to stand out, and coping with frustration—all of these manifest in youth and adolescent sports teams, creating a complex and challenging social dynamic that can negatively affect the mental well-being of some players in the group and even lead to their withdrawal from professional sports.
The Matzmihim Academy offers a unique workshop that aims to enhancing the social cohesion of the group and enhancing players’ sense of belonging and security, for the benefit of improving the performance of each individual player and the entire team as a whole.
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Reducing genuine competitiveness and aggressive behaviors
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Promoting positive leadership
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Creating a safe space for experimentation and mistakes
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Increasing cooperation and mutual support
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Addressing issues of racism and stereotypes within the team
The duration of the workshop lasts for 3 sessions of 3 hours each.
The workshop is conducted with the participation of the team coach and includes individual coaching sessions with the coach.
Training for sports team coaches
The desire to stand out, to be exceptional. the drive for triumph, and the need to cope with setbacks and difficulties all contribute to a complex and challenging dynamic within professional sports teams, both among players and between players and their coach.
Sometimes, without even realizing it, a coach may reinforce negative and even aggressive norms, nurture star players despite unsportsmanlike behavior, overlook declines and laugh at others’ expense, or display impatience toward mistakes and failed attempts.
In "Matzmichim" training, team coaches acquire simple and effective tools that enable them to create a positive sports experience that not only impacts the team’s achievements but also shapes the social values, self-image, and overall perception of sport for every athlete.
Reducing Racism in Teams and Among Fans
Racism has no place in sports—neither in the stands, nor on the field, nor within the team.
In recent years, we have witnessed a troubling rise in expression of racism in sports arenas, in chants from the stands, and in hateful comments and posts on social media.
Racism not only harms the athletes themselves, but it also undermines the social fabric of Israeli society and contradicts the core values of sports: equality, fairness, and team unity. Within the teams themselves, players from diverse backgrounds, languages, and cultures come together, and prejudice and racism can lead to tension, exclusion, damage to team cohesion, and even lead to violence.
The Matzmichim Academy collaborates with the Ministry of Justice’s unit for combating racism and offers workshops for professional teams, national squads, and fan groups, in partnership with clubs and public institutions.
Social cohesion in sports teams
High social cohesion is one of the primary factors for the success of professional sports teams.
The social cohesion among players directly impacts the individual well-being of both youth and adult players, as well as reducing turnover rates and enhancing both individual and collective expressions within professional sports teams. The “Uplifters Sports” project focuses on fostering a positive team climate and providing practical tools for both players and coaches, transforming the team into an environment that ensures each player feels valued, supported by teammates, and offered a safe space for experimentation and personal growth. The project positions sports as a powerful platform for advancing social goals, such as gender security, combating racism, and upholding sporting values, through direct engagement with players and fan clubs.
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