Beach volleyball, two players, deep sand, hot weather, no subs. This describes the conditions beach volleyball players experience every time they step on the court, and they love it. The amount of dedication and commitment it takes for someone to love a sport even when having to play in those conditions is astronomical. As an athlete, your sport ends up taking over your life. You watch what your body intakes, you practice close to everyday, you miss out on special events weekly, and you have to track your sleep, hydration, and workout weight numbers. With all of these responsibilities weighed into someone's everyday life, they are able to get burnt out super-fast. This is when the importance of athletes training their mental toughness comes into play. Working on your mental game just as much as your physical game can lead to very rewarding things including advantages during games, how athletes view themselves whether it is in a sports setting or not, and how training your brain can set your brain up for success in most situations.
When an athlete works on their mental toughness, they have more of an advantage in a game than someone who does not put in that extra effort. When athletes' minds are mentally tough, they have skills to calm their bodies down that others do not contain, this is what leads them to victories. "One review found that higher levels of mental toughness among athletes were associated with better performance, more progress toward goals, less stress, better coping skills, and more self-reflection" (Fetters). Athletes are constantly practicing their skills, most of them go in for practice almost everyday of the week.This causes burnout, which is when doing too much makes it unenjoyable for them. Mental toughness training can help someone find a healthy balance for their love for themselves and their sport. "Athletes with mental toughness excel in their ability to adapt and problem-solve. Whether it's a shift in strategy by an opponent or an unforeseen obstacle, mentally tough athletes are quick to adjust" (Spooky Nook Sports). When in a game, specifically sand volleyball, there are no subs and only two people on the court. For this reason mental training is so important at the beach because if you aren't having a good skill day, you still have to play, and if you are acting upset then that is unfair to your partner who is trying to have fun. Mental training would help your brain come out of the rut so you can play for your team even when your skill is not at its peak performance. Everyone is able to get in a rut no matter what phase of life they are in. Since athletes tend to have their sport control their lives, their feelings often translate into other relationships making them feel isolated. Mental toughness training helps people separate the two environments and helps athletes separate their feelings towards each situation.
Athletes have more than a life filled with sports, even though they are a big part of them. "Mental toughness is essential because it helps us be the best possible version of ourselves, lead a productive and contented life, and strive toward our goals - making it a core focus of sports psychology interventions aimed at young athletes" (Sutton). When an athlete is in a rut, they feel like they don't deserve much. They often are confused on why they can't get out of it, why they keep messing up, what got them into this rut. When someone is properly mentally trained they are able to recognize that they are allowed to have off days and plays. This takes practice because as humans, messing up is hard, but to receive a point in volleyball, someone has to mess up. As an athlete continues to have bad energy around them all the time, it leads to negative self talk. Athletes are constantly thinking about their sport so eventually this negative energy spreads to their relationships and life outside of their sport. For young athletes, it can boost perseverance in training (even reducing the time to fatigue), provide an edge in competition, and support a healthy life outlook, improving self-esteem, optimism, and self-efficacy; lowering anxiety; and increasing life satisfaction" (Strycharczyk). When you train your brain to be able to bounce back from a mistake you made, you are able to feel more confident in yourself knowing you can hit the ball over the net, you can pass the ball, you can serve in the court. The positive self-talk it takes to come back from a mistake will eventually translate to every aspect of the athlete's life and set them up for success.
Since situations within sports and the real world are so similar, mental training is able to set athletes up for success in both. "If you're mentally tough you're more likely to engage in healthy coping mechanisms and maintain a positive outlook, which is beneficial for long-term mental health" (Calm). The amount of lessons you learn from playing a sport are uncountable. You learn how to be a team player, to be consistent, to how to take care of your body. In the real world you need to know basic skills to be able to complete tasks with little to no explanation. This can be challenging but as an athlete you should be trained to use your resources, take the task step by step, and be able to calm your body when nervous about submitting the finished result. All of these come with mental training, you use all of the skills in both the real world and sports world. "This self-awareness can allow you to navigate challenges with a clear mind, making decisions that align with your values and goals" (Calm). Many people enter a new environment either quiet and scared, or loud and overstepping. When you mentally train yourself, you are not only learning to be aware of your body language but also the things you speak. When you learn to control your body, you end up more calm, collected, and confident. These are essential traits to have when successful in the real world.
Some simple strategies to become for mentally focused and tough during stressful situations consist of visualization, positive self talk, and goal setting. When an athlete sets aside a time to visualize themselves being successful, this could be making a good play or winning the game, they are more likely to have the confidence to go and perform the same way. This can be a great tool for an athlete because when you watch yourself do something from a different person's point of view, you might see an area you usually don't feel when you perform the skill. For a volleyball player this could be seeing yourself dropping your elbow on a swing, you don't realize you do this in the moment but you are able to see what it would look and feel like to make the simple switch to become more consistent within attacking. "Visualization can help you stay focused and confident during games, as you've already seen yourself succeed in your mind's eye" (Better at Beach). When an athlete is able to visualize their success, they are able to know what it feels like to have a positive attitude towards their game because of how they are playing well. Talking positive to yourself or using a positive language, whether that is verbal or physical, has such a big impact on an athlete's performance. When your brain receives support, it is more encouraged to want to try again, when it is crucial criticized, it wants to quit because it feels like it is failing your body. When someone's brain receives negative energy, it is most likely from the person who lives in the body. This is where the statement, you are your biggest critic came from. In volleyball someone is bound to make a mistake, when an athlete reassures their brain, it makes their brain less stressed about the next play and eager to fix the body's mistake. "Repeat these affirmations to yourself before and during games to help you stay focused and confident" (Better at Beach). Just like when an athlete's brain is able to stay motivated when it is being treated well, it also works best with a set goal in mind. When an athlete sets a goal, it can be long term or short term, but either way every rep will help move them toward their goal. "To set effective goals, make sure they are specific, measurable, and achievable" (Better at Beach). Athletes are known to push themselves until they cannot physically do anything. This is important to take into account when setting a goal because you want something that will push you to work but is also manageable in a timely manner. For example, someone can say they want to play on the olympic team, which would be a major long term goal, but also need to set several short term goals along the way. These short term goals would ideally push them closer to their long term goals in a timely manner. Being able to implement these practices into an athletes game can be very beneficial and improve their resilience.
Resilience is another very important aspect of beach volleyball, as there are only two players on the court with not substitutions. The time it takes an athlete to bounce back from a mistake could be a few seconds to a whole game. The quicker an athlete is able to get back and reset their brain and body from a mistake the better. With the correct mental training and techniques athletes will be able to learn to do this within the time the mistake occurs until the next point is served. Those looking to play at the next level need to master this skill because it is what can make them stand out from other players. "Resilient athletes practice self-compassion, acknowledging their efforts and progress rather than focusing solely on outcomes" (Stipe). When an athlete is able to accept that everyone makes mistakes and your athletic mistakes don't define you as an athlete or as a person, that is when you know someone has been putting in the work to improve their mental toughness. Many people think so negatively of themselves when they make one mistake but if their partner makes a mistake they are not upset at all and usually super supportive. This is because of two things. First, everyone knows what it feels like to be in the hot seat of making mistake after mistake so most people feel empathy towards their partner. Second, everyone trusts their partner. If you don't trust your partner then you are not meant to be playing with them because that is the only thing that will get you anywhere. You need to trust your partner when you are down, they need to put the ball away. You trust your partner to show up to practices and games with you. You trust your partner to take care of themselves in preparation for the game you are about to play together. Whoever an athlete is partnered with is not the only person who benefits their attitude and well being.
The term, "You are who you surround yourself with" is one of the most accurate and important terms when it comes to a person becoming the person they are. As an athlete you hear so many different opinions and are around so many personalities it's hard to choose what you let get to you. Athletes have their priorities of who they listen to and take feedback from such as coaches and parents, but teammates are a different situation because you can't choose who they are. At one point everyone gets paired with someone they don't prefer but being the bigger person is learning to look past those differences and being able to make the partnership work one way or another. When an athlete is mentally tough this can come easy for them. They can either get paired with someone at a lower level or someone better than them. When placed with someone at a lower level they will be able to take the game into their own hands and do whatever they need to do to win, even if it means hogging the ball a bit more. When playing with someone better the athlete is able to keep their body calm and not let their thoughts take over when they make a mistake and get embarrassed. "Players must adapt and persevere through the rollercoaster of a match, a testament to their mental resilience. This strength allows players to stay composed and make sound decisions when the pressure is on" (Lacriox). When playing with a new less experienced partner, you really need to lead them through the game and be able to teach them how to make the sneaky options. Many may say this is rude and robbing them from their reps. Most athletes have been the underdog before and when someone takes the role of an underdog it is helpful when the better player is able to take some pressure off you and make smart plays for the team. While mentally tough athletes are able to filter in what they listen to from others, they also need to recognize how far they have come themselves.
Self acknowledgement is one of the most mature things an athlete can do. In the world today it always seems like you can be doing something better, but when you take a step back and realize how far you have really come it makes you feel so proud on the inside. For someone to be proud of themself is actually very rare. There is a saying that talks about how there will always be someone better than you and when an athlete takes a second to stop, realize the accuracy of the statement, accept the statement, and keep pushing forward to their goals, that is when they have matured. Petty athletes or just people in general often figure this out, get frustrated because they are not the best, and quit because they overworked themselves from trying to be the best too fast. "It's that people that win and succeed at a high level, they don't actually think about winning. They simply believe they're going to do well" (Beecham). The people that will eventually be the best of the best, don't sit and ponder on how to do it. They don't even have that time period in their mind. They don't sit around, but they train. They do everything they can in the present to be able to set themselves up for success in the future.
Working on your mental game just as much as your physical game can lead to very rewarding things including advantages during games, how athletes view themselves whether it is in a sports setting or not, and how training your brain can set your brain up for success in most situations, strategies, resilience, surrounding yourself with positive support, and self acknowledgment. Beach volleyball is a very difficult skill that requires so many different parts of challenges all packed into one game. All sports need to have mental toughness incorporated somewhere within them but beach volleyball is extremely important to train both mentally and physically. If beach volleyball players would invest in mental training as much as they did physical training, many players would be in a much better position for their future.
When an athlete works on their mental toughness, they have more of an advantage in a game than someone who does not put in that extra effort. When athletes' minds are mentally tough, they have skills to calm their bodies down that others do not contain, this is what leads them to victories. "One review found that higher levels of mental toughness among athletes were associated with better performance, more progress toward goals, less stress, better coping skills, and more self-reflection" (Fetters). Athletes are constantly practicing their skills, most of them go in for practice almost everyday of the week.This causes burnout, which is when doing too much makes it unenjoyable for them. Mental toughness training can help someone find a healthy balance for their love for themselves and their sport. "Athletes with mental toughness excel in their ability to adapt and problem-solve. Whether it's a shift in strategy by an opponent or an unforeseen obstacle, mentally tough athletes are quick to adjust" (Spooky Nook Sports). When in a game, specifically sand volleyball, there are no subs and only two people on the court. For this reason mental training is so important at the beach because if you aren't having a good skill day, you still have to play, and if you are acting upset then that is unfair to your partner who is trying to have fun. Mental training would help your brain come out of the rut so you can play for your team even when your skill is not at its peak performance. Everyone is able to get in a rut no matter what phase of life they are in. Since athletes tend to have their sport control their lives, their feelings often translate into other relationships making them feel isolated. Mental toughness training helps people separate the two environments and helps athletes separate their feelings towards each situation.
Athletes have more than a life filled with sports, even though they are a big part of them. "Mental toughness is essential because it helps us be the best possible version of ourselves, lead a productive and contented life, and strive toward our goals - making it a core focus of sports psychology interventions aimed at young athletes" (Sutton). When an athlete is in a rut, they feel like they don't deserve much. They often are confused on why they can't get out of it, why they keep messing up, what got them into this rut. When someone is properly mentally trained they are able to recognize that they are allowed to have off days and plays. This takes practice because as humans, messing up is hard, but to receive a point in volleyball, someone has to mess up. As an athlete continues to have bad energy around them all the time, it leads to negative self talk. Athletes are constantly thinking about their sport so eventually this negative energy spreads to their relationships and life outside of their sport. For young athletes, it can boost perseverance in training (even reducing the time to fatigue), provide an edge in competition, and support a healthy life outlook, improving self-esteem, optimism, and self-efficacy; lowering anxiety; and increasing life satisfaction" (Strycharczyk). When you train your brain to be able to bounce back from a mistake you made, you are able to feel more confident in yourself knowing you can hit the ball over the net, you can pass the ball, you can serve in the court. The positive self-talk it takes to come back from a mistake will eventually translate to every aspect of the athlete's life and set them up for success.
Since situations within sports and the real world are so similar, mental training is able to set athletes up for success in both. "If you're mentally tough you're more likely to engage in healthy coping mechanisms and maintain a positive outlook, which is beneficial for long-term mental health" (Calm). The amount of lessons you learn from playing a sport are uncountable. You learn how to be a team player, to be consistent, to how to take care of your body. In the real world you need to know basic skills to be able to complete tasks with little to no explanation. This can be challenging but as an athlete you should be trained to use your resources, take the task step by step, and be able to calm your body when nervous about submitting the finished result. All of these come with mental training, you use all of the skills in both the real world and sports world. "This self-awareness can allow you to navigate challenges with a clear mind, making decisions that align with your values and goals" (Calm). Many people enter a new environment either quiet and scared, or loud and overstepping. When you mentally train yourself, you are not only learning to be aware of your body language but also the things you speak. When you learn to control your body, you end up more calm, collected, and confident. These are essential traits to have when successful in the real world.
Some simple strategies to become for mentally focused and tough during stressful situations consist of visualization, positive self talk, and goal setting. When an athlete sets aside a time to visualize themselves being successful, this could be making a good play or winning the game, they are more likely to have the confidence to go and perform the same way. This can be a great tool for an athlete because when you watch yourself do something from a different person's point of view, you might see an area you usually don't feel when you perform the skill. For a volleyball player this could be seeing yourself dropping your elbow on a swing, you don't realize you do this in the moment but you are able to see what it would look and feel like to make the simple switch to become more consistent within attacking. "Visualization can help you stay focused and confident during games, as you've already seen yourself succeed in your mind's eye" (Better at Beach). When an athlete is able to visualize their success, they are able to know what it feels like to have a positive attitude towards their game because of how they are playing well. Talking positive to yourself or using a positive language, whether that is verbal or physical, has such a big impact on an athlete's performance. When your brain receives support, it is more encouraged to want to try again, when it is crucial criticized, it wants to quit because it feels like it is failing your body. When someone's brain receives negative energy, it is most likely from the person who lives in the body. This is where the statement, you are your biggest critic came from. In volleyball someone is bound to make a mistake, when an athlete reassures their brain, it makes their brain less stressed about the next play and eager to fix the body's mistake. "Repeat these affirmations to yourself before and during games to help you stay focused and confident" (Better at Beach). Just like when an athlete's brain is able to stay motivated when it is being treated well, it also works best with a set goal in mind. When an athlete sets a goal, it can be long term or short term, but either way every rep will help move them toward their goal. "To set effective goals, make sure they are specific, measurable, and achievable" (Better at Beach). Athletes are known to push themselves until they cannot physically do anything. This is important to take into account when setting a goal because you want something that will push you to work but is also manageable in a timely manner. For example, someone can say they want to play on the olympic team, which would be a major long term goal, but also need to set several short term goals along the way. These short term goals would ideally push them closer to their long term goals in a timely manner. Being able to implement these practices into an athletes game can be very beneficial and improve their resilience.
Resilience is another very important aspect of beach volleyball, as there are only two players on the court with not substitutions. The time it takes an athlete to bounce back from a mistake could be a few seconds to a whole game. The quicker an athlete is able to get back and reset their brain and body from a mistake the better. With the correct mental training and techniques athletes will be able to learn to do this within the time the mistake occurs until the next point is served. Those looking to play at the next level need to master this skill because it is what can make them stand out from other players. "Resilient athletes practice self-compassion, acknowledging their efforts and progress rather than focusing solely on outcomes" (Stipe). When an athlete is able to accept that everyone makes mistakes and your athletic mistakes don't define you as an athlete or as a person, that is when you know someone has been putting in the work to improve their mental toughness. Many people think so negatively of themselves when they make one mistake but if their partner makes a mistake they are not upset at all and usually super supportive. This is because of two things. First, everyone knows what it feels like to be in the hot seat of making mistake after mistake so most people feel empathy towards their partner. Second, everyone trusts their partner. If you don't trust your partner then you are not meant to be playing with them because that is the only thing that will get you anywhere. You need to trust your partner when you are down, they need to put the ball away. You trust your partner to show up to practices and games with you. You trust your partner to take care of themselves in preparation for the game you are about to play together. Whoever an athlete is partnered with is not the only person who benefits their attitude and well being.
The term, "You are who you surround yourself with" is one of the most accurate and important terms when it comes to a person becoming the person they are. As an athlete you hear so many different opinions and are around so many personalities it's hard to choose what you let get to you. Athletes have their priorities of who they listen to and take feedback from such as coaches and parents, but teammates are a different situation because you can't choose who they are. At one point everyone gets paired with someone they don't prefer but being the bigger person is learning to look past those differences and being able to make the partnership work one way or another. When an athlete is mentally tough this can come easy for them. They can either get paired with someone at a lower level or someone better than them. When placed with someone at a lower level they will be able to take the game into their own hands and do whatever they need to do to win, even if it means hogging the ball a bit more. When playing with someone better the athlete is able to keep their body calm and not let their thoughts take over when they make a mistake and get embarrassed. "Players must adapt and persevere through the rollercoaster of a match, a testament to their mental resilience. This strength allows players to stay composed and make sound decisions when the pressure is on" (Lacriox). When playing with a new less experienced partner, you really need to lead them through the game and be able to teach them how to make the sneaky options. Many may say this is rude and robbing them from their reps. Most athletes have been the underdog before and when someone takes the role of an underdog it is helpful when the better player is able to take some pressure off you and make smart plays for the team. While mentally tough athletes are able to filter in what they listen to from others, they also need to recognize how far they have come themselves.
Self acknowledgement is one of the most mature things an athlete can do. In the world today it always seems like you can be doing something better, but when you take a step back and realize how far you have really come it makes you feel so proud on the inside. For someone to be proud of themself is actually very rare. There is a saying that talks about how there will always be someone better than you and when an athlete takes a second to stop, realize the accuracy of the statement, accept the statement, and keep pushing forward to their goals, that is when they have matured. Petty athletes or just people in general often figure this out, get frustrated because they are not the best, and quit because they overworked themselves from trying to be the best too fast. "It's that people that win and succeed at a high level, they don't actually think about winning. They simply believe they're going to do well" (Beecham). The people that will eventually be the best of the best, don't sit and ponder on how to do it. They don't even have that time period in their mind. They don't sit around, but they train. They do everything they can in the present to be able to set themselves up for success in the future.
Working on your mental game just as much as your physical game can lead to very rewarding things including advantages during games, how athletes view themselves whether it is in a sports setting or not, and how training your brain can set your brain up for success in most situations, strategies, resilience, surrounding yourself with positive support, and self acknowledgment. Beach volleyball is a very difficult skill that requires so many different parts of challenges all packed into one game. All sports need to have mental toughness incorporated somewhere within them but beach volleyball is extremely important to train both mentally and physically. If beach volleyball players would invest in mental training as much as they did physical training, many players would be in a much better position for their future.
