Volleyball is 90 Percent Mental: These Skills Can Help
What helps young athletes remain mentally tough after a hard loss in volleyball? What helps them bounce back after difficult circumstances? How can kids turn losses into wins?
Many volleyball players would say hard work is the key here. Of course, the ability to work harder than opponents, push teammates to their limits and out-hustle opposing team members is an important quality.
Without this kind of effort, kids often don’t realize their potential.
While hard work helps young athletes succeed in volleyball, mental game strengths are just as important.
To boost their mental game, kids should concentrate on building confidence, improving their focus, remaining composed under pressure, managing their emotions, re-focusing after making mistakes and pushing forward when they’re tired. They should also work on mental game skills that allow them to keep trying when they’re tired and mount comebacks when they’re behind.
With these skills, sports kids can boost their performance a notch or two.
Keep in mind that it’s important for sports parents to encourage kids to work hard, but mental skills help kids work harder and smarter.
The women’s volleyball team at the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse understands the importance of mental game skills. The team is using mental strategies to improve performance in 2019, after a 16-13 record last year.
Senior Abbey Fox said, “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.
“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.”
She’s right. The mental game is critically important to athletes’ success.
Now more than ever, professional players, Olympic athletes, national-level athletes, collegiate athletes and young athletes are searching for ways to gain an edge on their opponents. They understand that by boosting their mental game, they can improve their performance. But that’s not all. They can also lift up their confidence and happiness–in sports and life.
Related Articles on Kids’ Mental Game:
- The Link Between Sports Kids’ Mental Game and Mental Health
- How Sports Kids’ Mental Game Affects College Recruitment
- This Pro’s Mental Game Helped Her Overcome Physical Limitations
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We’re certain that, as a parent, you want to help your child develop confidence and discipline in sports and life. And as a sports parent, you’d love for your children to reach their potential in sports. But encouraging your child to strive for greatness without pressuring them can be a challenge.
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