{"id":8760,"date":"2018-05-10T20:37:51","date_gmt":"2018-05-10T20:37:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/?p=8760"},"modified":"2025-06-09T05:54:36","modified_gmt":"2025-06-09T09:54:36","slug":"how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\/","title":{"rendered":"How Volleyball Teams Can Succeed Against Rivals"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-8767 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/How-to-Mentally-Prepare-For-Playing-Rivals.jpg\" alt=\"How to Mentally Prepare For Playing Rivals\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/How-to-Mentally-Prepare-For-Playing-Rivals.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/How-to-Mentally-Prepare-For-Playing-Rivals-300x150.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Mentally_Prepare_For_Playing_Rivals\"><\/span>How to Mentally Prepare For Playing Rivals<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-transparent ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Article Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #0769bf;color:#0769bf\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #0769bf;color:#0769bf\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\/#How_to_Mentally_Prepare_For_Playing_Rivals\" >How to Mentally Prepare For Playing Rivals<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\/#Players_can_feel_more_pressure_to_perform_well_and_win_when_playing_against_a_rivalry\" >Players can feel more pressure to perform well and win when playing against a rivalry.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\/#Play_the_game_not_the_hoopla_of_the_occasion\" >Play the game not the hoopla of the occasion.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\/#Pressure_and_intensity_can_be_a_good_thing_as_long_as_its_controlled\" >Pressure and intensity can be a good thing, as long as it\u2019s controlled.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\/#Related_Sports_Psychology_Articles\" >Related Sports Psychology Articles<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\/#The_Confident_Athlete\" >The Confident Athlete<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>Being from Durham, or North Carolina in general, you take part in the famous Duke-UNC rivalry. Coach K was my neighbor while growing up in Durham, so obviously I was a Blue Devil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In February 2012, I was fortunate enough to attend the Duke-UNC game at the Dean Dome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It wasn\u2019t looking good for Duke throughout most of the game, and Carolina was leading by 10 with 2 \u00bd minutes remaining in their domain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Duke began to chip away the lead and trailed by 2 in the final seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Austin Rivers, a freshman at the time released a 3-pointer with 1.3 seconds to go. Rivers sunk the shot as time expired and Duke won 85-84 in Chapel Hill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The look of disgust trailed across the UNC crowd as the Duke Gang celebrated their victory&#8230; One of the greatest comebacks in one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Playing a crosstown rival, like the 8 miles existing between Duke and Carolina can be <strong>stressful.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Players_can_feel_more_pressure_to_perform_well_and_win_when_playing_against_a_rivalry\"><\/span>Players can feel more pressure to perform well and win when playing against a rivalry.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Each team wants the bragging rights for the next year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Added stress when playing a rival opponent:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Wanting to play well<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wanting to outplay them<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wanting to beat them<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Friends and family watching, wanting to impress them<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Heightened emotions with the competitive environment<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wanting to please the fans<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Not wanting to let your team\/coach\/program down<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Concern with how you and your team will play<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Worried what others will think\/say if you lose<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Gaining revenge<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>When playing at Peace College, we had a crosstown rival, Meredith College. Meredith was about 5 miles down the road from us in the downtown Raleigh area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each year we faced-off at least twice, and the games were always a battle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our records in that season didn\u2019t matter at all. One of us may have been in the top of the conference and the other in the bottom, but it didn\u2019t matter, it was the &#8220;championship&#8221; game every time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I remember playing at Meredith my junior year&#8230; They had already beaten us earlier in the season at our place, so we felt it was time for absolute revenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We were <strong>nervous, anxious,<\/strong> and <strong>hype<\/strong> all at once. That state where your heart is beating out of your chest, your hands are sweaty, the <strong>butterflies<\/strong> <strong>are taking over your stomach<\/strong>, and your legs feel shaky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We wanted to play our best and win so badly, too badly that we lost the first two sets by a score that wasn\u2019t even close.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At intermission, everyone took a deep breath and played a quick game of, &#8220;Ninja, Warrior, Bear,&#8221; which is just like &#8220;Rock, Paper, Scissors,&#8221; only more active.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Within those five minutes, we were able to <strong>relax,<\/strong> slightly bringing down the <strong>pressure<\/strong> we felt. We returned to the court and won the next three matches, beating them 3-2 in their house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Play_the_game_not_the_hoopla_of_the_occasion\"><\/span>Play the game not the hoopla of the occasion.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>pressure<\/strong> and <strong>intensity<\/strong> added to a crosstown rival game can hurt a team\u2019s ability to perform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pressure_and_intensity_can_be_a_good_thing_as_long_as_its_controlled\"><\/span>Pressure and intensity can be a good thing, as long as it\u2019s controlled.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To help your team reach a <strong>peak performance<\/strong> state, use a <strong>pregame routine<\/strong> that get loose and <strong>mentally prepared<\/strong> for the game&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of my favorite games to feel calm is Rock, Paper, Scissors right before the first set starts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A fun, competitive activity can help take the edge off right before a big rivalry game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-979ef383-5bc7-43ee-b8f9-249663ca1a6c\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Related_Sports_Psychology_Articles\"><\/span>Related Sports Psychology Articles<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul id=\"block-05642731-8752-4dbf-9c18-5cc4d276e821\" class=\"wp-block-list has-normal-font-size\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/do-you-or-your-team-have-the-comeback-mindset\/\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/mindset-for-playing-rivalries\/\"><strong>Mindset For Playing Rivalries<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-grow-competition-confidence\/\"><strong>How to Grow Competition Confidence\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-preparation-boosts-confidence\/\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-turn-self-doubt-into-confidence\/\"><strong>How to Turn Self-Doubt Into Confidence<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\" id=\"block-5726d13f-f715-4ca4-8813-2f8a9ebd8bc3\">*Subscribe to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/sports-psychology-podcast-by-peaksports-com\/id152566009\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0on iTunes<br>*Subscribe to <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0ynyaalKxbnNmsoeL8gF5X?si=8224669de9b3435b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/strong><\/a> on Spotify<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\" id=\"block-281f5afb-980b-4c71-9aa0-11d606b5f7c9\"><strong>Download a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/mental-toughness-report-athletes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">free sports psychology report<\/a>&nbsp;to improve your mental game!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\" id=\"block-94138e75-d591-4645-bb1d-212cf57a8841\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sport-psychology-training-athletes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Learn more about our one-on-one mental game coaching.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Confident_Athlete\"><\/span>The Confident Athlete <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/confident-athlete-audio250.jpg\" alt=\"The Confident Athlete Audio\" class=\"wp-image-16347\" style=\"width:198px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe Confident Athlete\u201d consists of 2 audio programs that include 14 days of confidence fueling exercises and a simple to follow workbook that guides you through the 14 days, helps you apply the strategies, and customizes the exercises to your personal needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let me help you put a <strong>stop to the confidence leak<\/strong>. You can learn to have greater levels of confidence in competition than you do in practice by identifying the specific ways you undermine your own confidence and <strong>how to convert your practice confidence into COMPETITIVE CONFIDENCE<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe Confident Athlete\u201d is a ground-breaking system to teach you how to think like a champion and have ultimate self-confidence every time you step on the playing field, court, track, or course. The confident athletes was <strong>developed for any athlete \u2013 junior to professional \u2013<\/strong>that wants to gain confidence. However, coaches and sports parents can learn how to teach others to perform with ultimate confidence. Use my program if you want to bust a slump or just wanting higher or more consistent levels of self-confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-0b39f7aa\">\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-a74417ae gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/the-confident-athlete-cd-program\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">GET DETAILS<\/a>\n\n\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-461ab57c gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/shop.peaksports.com\/collections\/the-confident-athlete-series-digital-download\/products\/the-confident-athlete-digital\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">BUY NOW<\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How to Mentally Prepare For Playing Rivals Being from Durham, or North Carolina in general, you take part in the famous Duke-UNC rivalry. Coach K was my neighbor while growing up in Durham, so obviously I was a Blue Devil. In February 2012, I was fortunate enough to attend the Duke-UNC game at the Dean Dome. It wasn\u2019t &#8230; <a title=\"How Volleyball Teams Can Succeed Against Rivals\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about How Volleyball Teams Can Succeed Against Rivals\">Sport Psychology Article&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8766,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18,230,13,142,40,3,4,37],"tags":[1107,728],"class_list":["post-8760","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-confidence-in-sports","category-intimidation-in-sports","category-mental-game-skills","category-sports-psychology-tips","category-mental-preparation","category-mental-toughness","category-mental-toughness-in-sports","category-pregame-stress","tag-pressure-in-volleyball","tag-success-in-sports"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO Pro 4.9.5.2 - aioseo.com -->\n\t<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Players can feel more pressure to perform well and win when playing against a rivalry. Each team wants the bragging rights for the next year. Adding stress.\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Patrick Cohn\"\/>\n\t<meta name=\"keywords\" content=\"stress in sports,pressure in volleyball,sports psychologist near me,success in sports\" \/>\n\t<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\/\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"generator\" content=\"All in One SEO Pro (AIOSEO) 4.9.5.2\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Sports Psychology Articles | Sport Psychology Articles for Athletes, Coaches, and Sports Parents\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Mental Prep For Playing Rivals | Sports Psychology Articles\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Players can feel more pressure to perform well and win when playing against a rivalry. Each team wants the bragging rights for the next year. Adding stress.\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\/\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/blue-logo-512.png\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:image:secure_url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/blue-logo-512.png\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"512\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"512\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-05-10T20:37:51+00:00\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-06-09T09:54:36+00:00\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PeakPerformanceSports\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PeakPerformanceSports\" \/>\n\t\t<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary\" \/>\n\t\t<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@PeaksportsCoach\" \/>\n\t\t<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Mental Prep For Playing Rivals | Sports Psychology Articles\" \/>\n\t\t<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Players can feel more pressure to perform well and win when playing against a rivalry. Each team wants the bragging rights for the next year. Adding stress.\" \/>\n\t\t<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@PeaksportsCoach\" \/>\n\t\t<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/blue-logo-512.png\" \/>\n\t\t<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"aioseo-schema\">\n\t\t\t{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"BlogPosting\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\\\/#blogposting\",\"name\":\"Mental Prep For Playing Rivals | Sports Psychology Articles\",\"headline\":\"How Volleyball Teams Can Succeed Against Rivals\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/author\\\/doccohn\\\/#author\"},\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/05\\\/How-to-Mentally-Prepare-For-Playing-Rivals1.jpg\",\"width\":150,\"height\":150,\"caption\":\"How to Mentally Prepare For Playing Rivals\"},\"datePublished\":\"2018-05-10T20:37:51-04:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-06-09T05:54:36-04:00\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\\\/#webpage\"},\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\\\/#webpage\"},\"articleSection\":\"Confidence in sports, Intimidation in Sports, Mental Game Skills, Mental Performance Articles, Mental Preparation, Mental Toughness, Mental Toughness in Sports, Pregame Stress, Pressure in Volleyball, Success in Sports\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\\\/#breadcrumblist\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog#listItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\",\"nextItem\":{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/category\\\/sports-psychology-tips\\\/#listItem\",\"name\":\"Mental Performance Articles\"}},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/category\\\/sports-psychology-tips\\\/#listItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Mental Performance Articles\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/category\\\/sports-psychology-tips\\\/\",\"nextItem\":{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/category\\\/sports-psychology-tips\\\/mental-toughness\\\/#listItem\",\"name\":\"Mental Toughness\"},\"previousItem\":{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog#listItem\",\"name\":\"Home\"}},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/category\\\/sports-psychology-tips\\\/mental-toughness\\\/#listItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Mental Toughness\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/category\\\/sports-psychology-tips\\\/mental-toughness\\\/\",\"nextItem\":{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\\\/#listItem\",\"name\":\"How Volleyball Teams Can Succeed Against Rivals\"},\"previousItem\":{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/category\\\/sports-psychology-tips\\\/#listItem\",\"name\":\"Mental Performance Articles\"}},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\\\/#listItem\",\"position\":4,\"name\":\"How Volleyball Teams Can Succeed Against Rivals\",\"previousItem\":{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/category\\\/sports-psychology-tips\\\/mental-toughness\\\/#listItem\",\"name\":\"Mental Toughness\"}}]},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Peak Performance Sports, LLC\",\"description\":\"Sports psychology coaching, articles and tips for athletes, coaches, and performers excel in sports.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/\",\"email\":\"coach@peaksports.com\",\"telephone\":\"+14079091700\",\"foundingDate\":\"1996-08-01\",\"numberOfEmployees\":{\"@type\":\"QuantitativeValue\",\"value\":5},\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/06\\\/cropped-2022-Logo-Ball-Blue.jpg\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\\\/#organizationLogo\",\"width\":512,\"height\":512,\"caption\":\"Sports Psychology for Athletes\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\\\/#organizationLogo\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/PeakPerformanceSports\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/PeaksportsCoach\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/sportspsychcoach\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.tiktok.com\\\/@peakperformancesports\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/MindsetForSports\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/author\\\/doccohn\\\/#author\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/author\\\/doccohn\\\/\",\"name\":\"Patrick Cohn\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/07\\\/patrick-cohn-mental-coach-web-sq.jpg\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/PeakPerformanceSports\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/PeaksportsCoach\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/sportspsychcoach\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.tiktok.com\\\/@peakperformancesports\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pinterest.com\\\/peaksports\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/MindsetForSports\"],\"description\":\"Mental Performance Coach Dr. Patrick Cohn has helped athletes for over 30 years enhance their performance. Dr. Cohn earned a master's degree in sports psychology from CSUF and a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia, specializing in Applied Sports Psychology. Today, he is the president and founder of Peak Performance Sports, LLC in Orlando, Florida, where his team offers mental performance coaching to individual and team athletes. He works with high-profile teams and athletes, such as the Miami Dolphins, NASCAR winners, NHL players, NFL players, National Motocross champions, and PGA Tour professional golfers. Visit full bio&gt;&gt;\",\"jobTitle\":\"Master Mental Performance Coach\",\"alumniOf\":[{\"@type\":\"EducationalOrganization\",\"name\":\"University of Virginia\",\"sameAs\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.virginia.edu\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"EducationalOrganization\",\"name\":\"California State University\",\"sameAs\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.fullerton.edu\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"EducationalOrganization\",\"name\":\"University of Buffalo\",\"sameAs\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.buffalo.edu\\\/\"}],\"knowsLanguage\":[\"english\"]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\\\/#webpage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\\\/\",\"name\":\"Mental Prep For Playing Rivals | Sports Psychology Articles\",\"description\":\"Players can feel more pressure to perform well and win when playing against a rivalry. Each team wants the bragging rights for the next year. Adding stress.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/#website\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\\\/#breadcrumblist\"},\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/author\\\/doccohn\\\/#author\"},\"creator\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/author\\\/doccohn\\\/#author\"},\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/05\\\/How-to-Mentally-Prepare-For-Playing-Rivals1.jpg\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\\\/#mainImage\",\"width\":150,\"height\":150,\"caption\":\"How to Mentally Prepare For Playing Rivals\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\\\/#mainImage\"},\"datePublished\":\"2018-05-10T20:37:51-04:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-06-09T05:54:36-04:00\"},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"Sports Psychology Articles for Athletes\",\"description\":\"Sport Psychology Articles for Athletes, Coaches, and Sports Parents\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.peaksports.com\\\/sports-psychology-blog\\\/#organization\"}}]}\n\t\t<\/script>\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO Pro -->\r\n\t\t<title>Mental Prep For Playing Rivals | Sports Psychology Articles<\/title>\n\n","aioseo_head_json":{"title":"Mental Prep For Playing Rivals | Sports Psychology Articles","description":"Players can feel more pressure to perform well and win when playing against a rivalry. Each team wants the bragging rights for the next year. Adding stress.","canonical_url":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\/","robots":"max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1","keywords":"stress in sports,pressure in volleyball,sports psychologist near me,success in sports","webmasterTools":{"miscellaneous":""},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\/#blogposting","name":"Mental Prep For Playing Rivals | Sports Psychology Articles","headline":"How Volleyball Teams Can Succeed Against Rivals","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/author\/doccohn\/#author"},"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/How-to-Mentally-Prepare-For-Playing-Rivals1.jpg","width":150,"height":150,"caption":"How to Mentally Prepare For Playing Rivals"},"datePublished":"2018-05-10T20:37:51-04:00","dateModified":"2025-06-09T05:54:36-04:00","inLanguage":"en-US","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\/#webpage"},"isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\/#webpage"},"articleSection":"Confidence in sports, Intimidation in Sports, Mental Game Skills, Mental Performance Articles, Mental Preparation, Mental Toughness, Mental Toughness in Sports, Pregame Stress, Pressure in Volleyball, Success in Sports"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\/#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog#listItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog","nextItem":{"@type":"ListItem","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/category\/sports-psychology-tips\/#listItem","name":"Mental Performance Articles"}},{"@type":"ListItem","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/category\/sports-psychology-tips\/#listItem","position":2,"name":"Mental Performance Articles","item":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/category\/sports-psychology-tips\/","nextItem":{"@type":"ListItem","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/category\/sports-psychology-tips\/mental-toughness\/#listItem","name":"Mental Toughness"},"previousItem":{"@type":"ListItem","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog#listItem","name":"Home"}},{"@type":"ListItem","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/category\/sports-psychology-tips\/mental-toughness\/#listItem","position":3,"name":"Mental Toughness","item":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/category\/sports-psychology-tips\/mental-toughness\/","nextItem":{"@type":"ListItem","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\/#listItem","name":"How Volleyball Teams Can Succeed Against Rivals"},"previousItem":{"@type":"ListItem","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/category\/sports-psychology-tips\/#listItem","name":"Mental Performance Articles"}},{"@type":"ListItem","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\/#listItem","position":4,"name":"How Volleyball Teams Can Succeed Against Rivals","previousItem":{"@type":"ListItem","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/category\/sports-psychology-tips\/mental-toughness\/#listItem","name":"Mental Toughness"}}]},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/#organization","name":"Peak Performance Sports, LLC","description":"Sports psychology coaching, articles and tips for athletes, coaches, and performers excel in sports.","url":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/","email":"coach@peaksports.com","telephone":"+14079091700","foundingDate":"1996-08-01","numberOfEmployees":{"@type":"QuantitativeValue","value":5},"logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/cropped-2022-Logo-Ball-Blue.jpg","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\/#organizationLogo","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"Sports Psychology for Athletes"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\/#organizationLogo"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PeakPerformanceSports","https:\/\/x.com\/PeaksportsCoach","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/sportspsychcoach\/","https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@peakperformancesports","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/MindsetForSports"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/author\/doccohn\/#author","url":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/author\/doccohn\/","name":"Patrick Cohn","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/patrick-cohn-mental-coach-web-sq.jpg"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PeakPerformanceSports","https:\/\/x.com\/PeaksportsCoach","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/sportspsychcoach\/","https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@peakperformancesports","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/peaksports\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/MindsetForSports"],"description":"Mental Performance Coach Dr. Patrick Cohn has helped athletes for over 30 years enhance their performance. Dr. Cohn earned a master's degree in sports psychology from CSUF and a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia, specializing in Applied Sports Psychology. Today, he is the president and founder of Peak Performance Sports, LLC in Orlando, Florida, where his team offers mental performance coaching to individual and team athletes. He works with high-profile teams and athletes, such as the Miami Dolphins, NASCAR winners, NHL players, NFL players, National Motocross champions, and PGA Tour professional golfers. Visit full bio&gt;&gt;","jobTitle":"Master Mental Performance Coach","alumniOf":[{"@type":"EducationalOrganization","name":"University of Virginia","sameAs":"https:\/\/www.virginia.edu\/"},{"@type":"EducationalOrganization","name":"California State University","sameAs":"https:\/\/www.fullerton.edu\/"},{"@type":"EducationalOrganization","name":"University of Buffalo","sameAs":"https:\/\/www.buffalo.edu\/"}],"knowsLanguage":["english"]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\/#webpage","url":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\/","name":"Mental Prep For Playing Rivals | Sports Psychology Articles","description":"Players can feel more pressure to perform well and win when playing against a rivalry. Each team wants the bragging rights for the next year. Adding stress.","inLanguage":"en-US","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/#website"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\/#breadcrumblist"},"author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/author\/doccohn\/#author"},"creator":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/author\/doccohn\/#author"},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/How-to-Mentally-Prepare-For-Playing-Rivals1.jpg","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\/#mainImage","width":150,"height":150,"caption":"How to Mentally Prepare For Playing Rivals"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\/#mainImage"},"datePublished":"2018-05-10T20:37:51-04:00","dateModified":"2025-06-09T05:54:36-04:00"},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/","name":"Sports Psychology Articles for Athletes","description":"Sport Psychology Articles for Athletes, Coaches, and Sports Parents","inLanguage":"en-US","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/#organization"}}]},"og:locale":"en_US","og:site_name":"Sports Psychology Articles | Sport Psychology Articles for Athletes, Coaches, and Sports Parents","og:type":"article","og:title":"Mental Prep For Playing Rivals | Sports Psychology Articles","og:description":"Players can feel more pressure to perform well and win when playing against a rivalry. Each team wants the bragging rights for the next year. Adding stress.","og:url":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\/","og:image":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/blue-logo-512.png","og:image:secure_url":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/blue-logo-512.png","og:image:width":512,"og:image:height":512,"article:published_time":"2018-05-10T20:37:51+00:00","article:modified_time":"2025-06-09T09:54:36+00:00","article:publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PeakPerformanceSports","article:author":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PeakPerformanceSports","twitter:card":"summary","twitter:site":"@PeaksportsCoach","twitter:title":"Mental Prep For Playing Rivals | Sports Psychology Articles","twitter:description":"Players can feel more pressure to perform well and win when playing against a rivalry. Each team wants the bragging rights for the next year. Adding stress.","twitter:creator":"@PeaksportsCoach","twitter:image":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/blue-logo-512.png"},"aioseo_meta_data":{"post_id":"8760","title":"Mental Prep For Playing Rivals | #site_title","description":"Players can feel more pressure to perform well and win when playing against a rivalry. Each team wants the bragging rights for the next year. Adding stress.","keywords":[{"label":"stress in sports","value":"stress in sports"},{"label":"pressure in volleyball","value":"pressure in volleyball"},{"label":"sports psychologist near me","value":"sports psychologist near me"}],"keyphrases":{"focus":{"keyphrase":"","score":0,"analysis":{"keyphraseInTitle":{"score":0,"maxScore":9,"error":1}}},"additional":[]},"primary_term":null,"canonical_url":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"og_object_type":"default","og_image_type":"default","og_image_url":null,"og_image_width":null,"og_image_height":null,"og_image_custom_url":null,"og_image_custom_fields":null,"og_video":"","og_custom_url":null,"og_article_section":null,"og_article_tags":null,"twitter_use_og":false,"twitter_card":"default","twitter_image_type":"default","twitter_image_url":null,"twitter_image_custom_url":null,"twitter_image_custom_fields":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"schema":{"blockGraphs":[],"customGraphs":[],"default":{"data":{"Article":[],"Course":[],"Dataset":[],"FAQPage":[],"Movie":[],"Person":[],"Product":[],"ProductReview":[],"Car":[],"Recipe":[],"Service":[],"SoftwareApplication":[],"WebPage":[]},"graphName":"Article","isEnabled":true},"graphs":[],"defaultGraph":"","defaultPostTypeGraph":""},"schema_type":null,"schema_type_options":null,"pillar_content":false,"robots_default":true,"robots_noindex":false,"robots_noarchive":false,"robots_nosnippet":false,"robots_nofollow":false,"robots_noimageindex":false,"robots_noodp":false,"robots_notranslate":false,"robots_max_snippet":"-1","robots_max_videopreview":"-1","robots_max_imagepreview":"large","priority":null,"frequency":"default","local_seo":null,"seo_analyzer_scan_date":"2025-08-16 02:50:03","breadcrumb_settings":null,"limit_modified_date":false,"reviewed_by":null,"open_ai":"{\"title\":{\"suggestions\":[],\"usage\":0},\"description\":{\"suggestions\":[],\"usage\":0}}","ai":null,"created":"2020-12-21 15:06:14","updated":"2025-08-16 02:50:03"},"aioseo_breadcrumb":"<div class=\"aioseo-breadcrumbs\"><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\" title=\"Home\">Home<\/a>\n<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb-separator\">\u00bb<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/category\/sports-psychology-tips\/\" title=\"Mental Performance Articles\">Mental Performance Articles<\/a>\n<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb-separator\">\u00bb<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/category\/sports-psychology-tips\/mental-toughness\/\" title=\"Mental Toughness\">Mental Toughness<\/a>\n<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb-separator\">\u00bb<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb\">\n\tHow Volleyball Teams Can Succeed Against Rivals\n<\/span><\/div>","aioseo_breadcrumb_json":[{"label":"Home","link":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog"},{"label":"Mental Performance Articles","link":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/category\/sports-psychology-tips\/"},{"label":"Mental Toughness","link":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/category\/sports-psychology-tips\/mental-toughness\/"},{"label":"How Volleyball Teams Can Succeed Against Rivals","link":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-volleyball-teams-can-succeed-against-rivals\/"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8760","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8760"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8760\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8766"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8760"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8760"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8760"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}