About Francois Antoine
Overview
Hi, I’m Francois, I’m passionate about helping young footballers conquer their fears about playing the sport they’ve played their whole life, finding joy in their natural talent and being the person I wish I had in my life when I was where they were; wanting to be free from performance anxiety, loss of identity and feeling like I had to prove myself to everyone.
My Background
When I was 16 years old I was signed by Oldham Athletic and moved there from Chester to live until I was 18 years old. At 18 I was released and started playing non-league football. There’s a saying in football that I can relate to, “I’ve had more clubs than Tiger Woods”, I’ve never been able to find consistency in men’s football. When I was 23 I stopped playing the game I’d played my whole life and I thought that was me for good, until midway through the 24/25 season where I found a purpose for the game again and I’m now currently living and playing in Gibraltar. The journey here has had it’s ups and downs but I’ve learnt a lot about myself along the way.
Understanding Myself
My journey to helping other footballers started when I found my own mindset coach. After being released from Oldham Athletic as an 18 year old, I’d suffer with anxiety before games, which led me to start reading mindset and self-help books to try and conquer my self-limiting beliefs. This opened my mind up to knowing that you can change how you feel through the power of your mind.
A couple years later I found someone local on social media through friends, and she used to own what’s called a ‘Harmonic Egg’, which is a geometric chamber that uses the energy of sound and light to promote healing and wellness and I found this helped with clarity of mind and some niggly injuries I had. However I was still curious to find out more about myself and why I’d find myself in these mental ruts, feeling frustrated about where I was in life as a person and not knowing who I was.
The Path To Becoming My Own Coach
I was recommended to contact an alternative therapist and this is where I was introduced to EFT tapping, life changing. Remembering every session I had, I felt so centred, connected in mind, body and soul, and left with a sense of purpose after having digged deeper into myself. It felt like peeling back the layers of an onion, like I was finally getting somewhere and I wanted to help others feel the same way.
During this time of understanding myself, I stopped playing football as I’d lost all hope and passion for the sport I’d played since I was a kid. My practitioner recommended I look into becoming a mindset coach and training as an EFT practitioner with the same person she’d trained with. This is when I found Karl Dawson and trained in EFT & Matrix Reimprinting, because I wanted others to be able to feel the same sense of freedom I felt. It was on this course through Karl that I met my own mindset coach. She, along with the tools I’d learnt, helped me uncover more about myself, what was holding me back and my passion for football again. I was able to enjoy playing football after having stopped for a year, without feeling like I had to prove to everyone how good I was.
My Specialities
I am now certified in EFT and Matrix Reimprinting, utilising skills I’ve learnt along the way such as ‘The Movie Technique’, self acceptance, visualisation and clarity of the mind through understanding limiting beliefs.
I’m passionate about empowering young footballers to unlock their full potential by embracing their strengths, weaknesses, building confidence, consistency and finding that love for the game every time they step on the pitch.
My Passion Is My Purpose
Growing up, I put so much focus on the physical side of the game and didn’t spend enough time on the mental side, which I now realize is just as important, if not more. That’s why I make it a priority to always be there for my clients—whether it’s 1-on-1 or in a team setting.