Using Positive Energy to Stay Motivated in Practices
As a volleyball player, especially if you’re a young player, you go to practice and rely a lot on a coach to bring good vibes, positive energy, and to work with you on your game.
That’s how it is in a perfect world… Though, no one lives in a perfect world…
As an athlete, sometimes you have to look to yourself for the good vibes, positive energy, and skill work during practice. This can be frustrating of course, because as humans we feed off one another.
However, you strengthen your game when you commit to bringing your own atmosphere.
You may have a coach who’s negative or who works with certain positions on their skills more than other positions.
As a player, you might wonder how to get through a practice with these challenges. Instead of seeing them as something bad, take advantage of this opportunity.
For example, if you’re a DS and your coach works a lot with hitting, plan to do ball control work on the side or step in and work on your defense while the hitters swing.
Or if your coach gives off negative energy, use this time to challenge your ability to persevere through distractions and adversity.
Your thoughts about a situation change when your perception of the situation changes.
Russ Rose, the head volleyball coach at Penn State University ranks first with his coaching record in NCAA Division 1 history. He also has a unique coaching style…
During games, he sits the majority of the time and he could go through a practice with few words spoken. Yet, he continues to have one of the top programs in the country year after year.
Under his guidance, Rose’s players recognize their own ability to influence the practice energy and to work on their individual game during practice.
If you want to work through negative energy at practice or a coaching style that doesn’t correlate with you, set practice objectives or goals, commit to your practice plan, and use positive self-talk for inspiration.
For instance, work on your technique with each ball, plan and commit to keeping your energy high even when discouraged and tell yourself “next ball” to keep you moving.
Worry only about what you can control; things like your preparation and your energy.
Related Sports Psychology Articles
- How to Prepare for Pressure in Volleyball
- How to Develop a Champion Mindset in Volleyball
- Fragile Confidence and Perfectionism in Volleyball
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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…
“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.