How to Play Big During Big Moments
Your mental game for volleyball is especially important when:
- Your team is the underdog – Facing a powerhouse can be daunting. The mystique of a powerhouse can cause some teams to see the game as a loss even before it starts.
- Your team hasn’t defeated a certain team in quite a few years – When a team seemingly has your number, it can cause a team to play tight or try to do too much.
- Your team is young – When your team is young, they often try to impress the coaching staff and often try to play the “perfect match” which heaps the pressure to perform.
- Your team is trying to come back in the middle of a match – Trailing in a match can take a player out of playing in the moment as they begin to calculate the points they need to make a comeback. Some teams fixated on the score become fearful of making mistakes and are slow to react as the opposing team hits the ball over the net.
- Your team is off to a great start – When your team is off to a great start in a season or takes an early lead in a match, some players start to play it safe instead of following the game plan of attacking with an aggressive style of play.
Any of these circumstances can be perceived as big moments and add to the pressure of a competition.
In actuality, are these moments BIG moments or do some players just heighten the importance of the match?
This is where mindset comes into play.
If your mindset is dominated by how big the moment is, you will likely feel an overwhelming sense of pressure.
If your mindset revolves around playing big, or playing your best in the moment, you will be better prepared to play to the level of your capabilities.
The Kansas Jayhawk women’s volleyball team found themselves facing multiple circumstances that would test their mindset.
The Jayhawks were riding a 7-game winning streak into their match against No. 4 Texas, a team they beat only five times in the last 47 meetings.
Kansas got off to the quick start taking the first set of the match in dominating fashion, the first time the Jayhawks won the first set of a match in conference play this season.
Kansas pulled off winning a tough second set 28-26.
Texas fought back and took the third set and was winning by as many as six points in the fourth.
Kansas remained unfazed, stayed focused on the task at hand and completed the upset by winning the fourth set 25-23.
Kansas’ big play mentality helped secure the victory, keeping KU as the only undefeated team in the Big 12.
Kansas senior right-side hitter/setter Gabby Simpson revealed the team’s mindset of just playing in the moment that has helped the team play big consistently.
SIMPSON: “The biggest thing I think has been playing consistent. When things don’t go our way, we have to be able to sit back and be like, ‘It’s okay, this happens, it’s volleyball.'”
Junior outside hitter Jada Burse credits the ability of the young players to step up as a big factor in the team’s success.
BURSE: “We are a young team and been the underdog in the Big 12 so far this year. I think not letting the atmosphere get too big for them was key.”
Don’t allow the moment to get too big by seeing it more than it is… It’s a volleyball game, the same game you have played for years.
If you can keep things in perspective, you can play big no matter the situation.
How to Play Big During Big Moments:
Remember, no matter the circumstances you play in, the court and the game is still the same.
Focus on your strategy for each point instead of the outcome or circumstances of the match.
You can’t control the circumstances, but you can impact the current point!
Help your team get the mental edge for volleyball…
The Mental Edge For Volleyball Players
Do you over think your performance in games? Do you lose confidence easily after a couple of blow plays? Do you become so frustrated with your game that you can’t focus on the next play?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, it’s a good bet that your mental game might prevent you from consistent performance in games…
Coming this Thursday, we have a new audio and workbook program for volleyball players called:
“The Mental Edge For Volleyball: 8 Mental Toughness Strategies For Peak Performance”
“The Mental Edge For Volleyball” program is ideal for any club, academy, college, or professional volleyball players. In addition, volleyball coaches, instructors, and parents would also be wise to teach the strategies we provide in “The Mental Edge For Volleyball” to their players.
- Players: Get the mental edge by learning how to take control of your confidence, mentally prepare for games, and perform with composure under pressure.
- Trainers: Learn how to give your students the mental game advantage.
- Coaches: Boost your team’s confidence using simple, proven mental strategies.
- Parents: Help boost your volleyball player’s confidence. Don’t let their mind hold them back any longer.
“The Mental Edge For Volleyball” audio and Workbook Program Includes:
- A CD including 8 confidence-boosting sessions on audio. Each 25-30 minute session includes one mental training lesson to help you improve confidence, focus, composure, and develop focused routines,
- One “Mental Edge For Volleyball” workbook to guide you through my mental toughness sessions and to overcome mental game roadblocks.
- Eight “Mental Edge For Volleyball” Post-Game Assessments to help assess how you are doing and provide the answers to make any adjustments with your mental game.
- Eight Pregame Audio Programs to help you mentally prepare for competition.
Learn more about The Mental Edge For Volleyball…
Boost Your Self-Confidence And Focus With Expert Mental Game Coaching!
Master mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn can help you overcome your mental game issues with personal coaching.
You can work with Dr. Patrick Cohn himself in Orlando, Florida or via Skype, FaceTime, or telephone. Call us toll free at 888-742-7225 or contact us for more information about the different coaching programs we offer!
What are our mental coaching students saying?
“Thanks again for teaching me how to do mental game coaching with my volleyball team. We are already seeing results for just our FIRST meeting! I really enjoyed out work together in Orlando!”
~Kurt Trout, Iowa Rockets Volleyball Coach
“Great news. In the last three weeks, we captured the following: our league championship; the northern Ontario [N.O.S.S.A.] Championship; the provincial “AA” [O.F.S.A.A.] Championship and finally the Hawaiian Sun & Surf Invitational Championship. Quite a feat! The team is totally elated. I would like to thank you, on their behalf, for the information you supplied on mental preparation. We remained focused and played relaxed! Your insights, which we incorporated into our practices, were part of the reason for our successes.”
~John Jeffries, Wildcat Volleyball
“The Confidence e-book has been wonderful for our 15 teens Junior Olympic Volleyball team. We have participated in three tournaments and won 2! He has the girls playing emotionally and stepping it up during the big games. He has been able to get them to be cocky and believing in themselves. He has (using your advice) approached two of the players and asked them to be inspirational leaders. It is great to see them step up to the challenge.”
~Bill Forgione