Archives for Mental Game category

Using Music to Motivate

Posted on Dec 05, 2007 under Mental Game | No Comment

At the higher levels of volleyball, learning and skills become automatic, and it is hard to get players over the hump of the daily practice routine. Many players will play without emotion or spunk during the middle of the season when workouts seem to become monotonous. One way to tap into the emotional reserve of your players is to incorporate things that make them feel good and that they enjoy. For many teenagers, music defines a lot of who they are and how they feel. It is an external expression of who they are. Music can evoke the entire spectrum of emotions from elated joy to deep sorrow.

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Zen of Setting

Posted on Dec 05, 2007 under Mental Game | No Comment

A setter who is in “the zone” can dictate the flow and pace of a match more than any other player on the court. The zone is that mental and physical state where an athlete appears to perform effortlessly while being aware of everything around her. Being able to get into the zone as a setter requires different things for different athletes. The three elements of breathing, seeing the play before it happens, and reacting are elements that are often cited as key to entering that state of volleyball nirvana.

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