Is Volleyball 90% Mental?

How to be Mentally Tough

What is the difference-maker in volleyball? How can you turn losses into wins?

How can you stay mentally tough after a hard loss?

What can help a team bounce back or overcome tough circumstances?

What can be the difference-maker that turns around a season?

Many volleyball players would point to hard work. Nobody can deny the value of hard work. Outworking your opponents, pushing your teammates and out-hustling the opposing team in matches are definitely requirements for success. Without hard work, your team will always under-achieve.

While hard work is a tremendous contributor to success, other factors can take your team a farther and it also requires work. That factor is your mental game.

Working on being mentally stronger, building confidence, improving focus, staying composed under pressure, managing emotions, re-focusing after a mistake, pushing onward when you are tired, having the right mentality to finish out matches or mount a comeback when trailing.

These are the factors that bring your game up a notch or two.

Again, hard work is necessary, but the development of mental skills helps you work, not only harder, but also smarter.

Without strong mental skills, you may see a bit of improvement but getting to the next level requires sound mental skills.

Mental skills are the one thing the women’s volleyball team at the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse is relying on to have greater success during the 2019 season. Last season, Wisconsin had a 16-13 record. This season, the team has relied on mental skills to be the difference-maker.

Senior Abbey Fox talked about Wisconsin’s commitment to mental training this season.

FOX: “We work a lot on our mind training or the mental aspect of the game as well, so I think that’s going to make a big difference coming into the season. We didn’t focus on that as much last season.”

Wisconsin sophomore Emma Lawrence echoed Fox’s sentiments and commented on why mental skills are tremendously important.

LAWRENCE: “I think all around in society and sport that psychology is becoming such a bigger part and 90 percent of the game is mental which is crazy to think about, so I feel like making ourselves stronger in that way is only going to make us better.”

Lawrence is 100% correct that the mental game plays a huge role in athletic success.

In fact, now more than ever, professional players, Olympic athletes, national-level athletes, collegiate athletes and youth athletes are looking for ways to get the edge on their opponents by developing mental skills.

Mental toughness skills make the difference in your success as athletes.

Improve Mental Skills

Don’t buy into the misconception that mental training is only for problem athletes or slumping athletes. It’s also about helping athletes say on top of their game.

Improving your mental skills also means:

-Performing more consistently.

-Coping with setbacks and challenges.

-Recovering from injury.

-Developing teamwork and positive communication.

-Keeping your team in the winner’s circle.

-Improving practice efficiency.

None of these areas are about slumps or challenges, but rather about improving your game.


The Mental Edge For Volleyball Players

Volleyball Mental Edge

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…


Download Our Free Volleyball Mental Preparation Report!

Volleyball-Mental-Game-Report

Discover the mental game secrets to performing serve receive well for volleyball players.

Download our free sports psychology for volleyball report:

Mental Preparation Secrets For Serve Receive: What Every Player And Coach Needs to Know

You’ll discover:

  • How to use your mind as an asset instead of a hindrance during serve receive.
  • A critical mental error that can undermine your on-court performance!
  • How to mentally prepare to perform well during serve receive.
  • How to focus your mind and trust your skills using an pre-serve routine.

Please enter your first name, primary email, and role in volleyball below to instantly receive your FREE mental game report:


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?

“My boys succeeded ! We beat a team that no one could beat during the year, that was coached by a former Professional player , that had sons of former Professional players in the team and as a result of believing in themselves, they won.”*
~Tony Acosta, Coach

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