Steps to Developing the Ideal Volleyball Player

Building the "ideal volleyball player" goes far beyond just focusing on physical skills like passing, hitting, or serving. While those elements are critical, the mental aspect of the game is equally important. As coaches, it's essential to understand that physical ability alone won’t bring a team to its fullest potential. This is where cultivating mental toughness, resilience, and self-awareness becomes key to player and team development.

1. Understanding the Mental Game

The scenario shared at the beginning of this article about the coach asking his team to describe the "ideal player" perfectly illustrates that a player's mindset is just as vital as their technical ability. In fact, most qualities the players identified—like leadership, resilience, work ethic, and a positive attitude—are related to mental skills, not physical ones.

In volleyball (and any sport), the mental game allows players to elevate their performance under pressure, maintain focus, and bounce back after mistakes. Training athletes to be mentally strong can make the difference between a good player and a great one.

2. Redefining Reactions to Mistakes

One of the biggest challenges athletes face is the fear of making mistakes, which is often driven by a fear of embarrassment. Mistakes can lead to frustration and decreased performance if not handled correctly. Coaches can change this mindset by teaching players that mistakes are not failures but learning experiences.

After every error, players should ask themselves, "What can I do differently next time to succeed?" This approach shifts the focus from embarrassment to problem-solving and growth. Over time, this method helps players develop resilience and the ability to self-correct in real time, a hallmark of high-level athletes.

3. Encouraging Maximum Effort

The only true "mistake" in sports is not giving 100% effort—whether physically or mentally. Players must learn to trust that they are doing their best. Encouraging athletes to focus on giving their maximum effort every time, even when the results aren’t perfect, can help alleviate pressure.

Building this mindset helps players avoid over-trying, which often leads to tense movements and poorer performance. Players should be taught to trust that their effort is enough and that consistent effort will lead to improvement over time.

4. Building Trust and Team Dynamics

For a team to succeed, trust is essential. This trust must operate on three levels:

• Self-Trust: Players need to trust in their own ability to give 100%. When they believe in their effort, they can perform more freely without the burden of overthinking every move.
• Trust in Teammates: Team chemistry is critical. Players must trust that their teammates are also giving their all. This mutual trust prevents finger-pointing and promotes collective effort. Building this trust often requires coaches to emphasize that they, not the players, are responsible for assessing effort.
• Trust in the Coach: Players must trust that their coach sees and appreciates their effort, even on days when things aren’t going well. Coaches should openly communicate this appreciation, reassuring players that effort is valued above perfection. This keeps the environment positive, even during tough losses.

5. Creating Positive Reinforcement

To develop both mental and physical aspects of a player, coaches need to focus on positive reinforcement. Constructive feedback should focus on what went well and what can be improved, rather than focusing on the mistake itself. For example, after a poorly executed serve, instead of criticizing the error, a coach can say, “Next time, focus on your toss—let’s work on getting it higher.”

Positive reinforcement motivates players, builds their confidence, and encourages them to keep improving.

6. Incorporating Growth Mindset

A growth mindset is key to developing mental resilience. Players need to understand that improvement comes from effort and learning from mistakes, not from innate ability. Coaches should foster this mindset by praising effort, perseverance, and the willingness to learn. This not only helps players grow but also creates an environment where they’re not afraid to push their limits.

Conclusion

The journey to becoming an ideal volleyball player is not just about mastering skills on the court but about developing a strong mental game. By helping players redefine their relationship with mistakes, encouraging maximum effort, building trust, and providing positive feedback, coaches can bring out the best in their athletes. Developing mental toughness and fostering a growth mindset will help players reach their full potential, both on and off the court.

The physical and mental sides of the game must work together, and when they do, the results can be transformative for both individual players and the team as a whole. Let’s get to work, because as the coach said, "Our best is yet to be!"

Coach Luc Tremblay is the Founder and Head Coach of Volleyball Winnipeg. Luc has been coaching volleyball for 30+ years with athletes of all age classes and all abilities. He has developed most of the training techniques used by VISION coaches and is responsible for the coach development program at Volleyball Winnipeg. For more details on our Coach Resources, click here.
Share with a Friend