How Mental Game Skills Improve Athletic Performance

How Mental Game Skills Improve Athletic Performance

October 01, 20242 min read

Many athletes and coaches often ask, "How can mental game skills help our team perform better?" Mental training should be a regular part of every athlete’s routine—even if they aren’t currently facing any challenges. Research shows that consistent mental training enhances both performance and resilience, regardless of an athlete's current state.

However, the reality is that most athletes and coaches only turn to mental training when they’re facing a problem and have exhausted all other options. This is where mental skills can make a profound difference.

5 Reasons Why Mental Training Can Help You or Your Team:

  • Better Performance in Competition: Athletes often perform better in practice than in competition due to performance anxiety, which mental training can help manage.

  • Reduced Fear of Making Mistakes: Mental training helps athletes play with confidence rather than fear, reducing hesitation and improving decision-making under pressure.

  • Manage Frustration and Mistakes: Learning mental resilience helps athletes recover quickly from mistakes, which can prevent a downward performance spiral.

  • Prevent Over-Tightening in Critical Moments: Athletes who want to win so badly often tighten up, leading to poor performance. Mental skills training helps athletes stay relaxed and focused under pressure.

  • Increased Consistency: Mental training enables athletes to transfer practice performance into competition and maintain a high level of consistency.

If you or your athletes resonate with any of the above, you can benefit from improving your mental game. Confidence is key in sports, and having a strong mental game can prevent confidence from being undermined by doubts, pressure, or mistakes.

X-Factor Volleyball has two professional mental health/mindset coaches available to offer training to our players.

Sources: Weinberg, R., & Gould, D. (2019). Foundations of Sport and Exercise Psychology. Human Kinetics. Vealey, R. S. (2007). Mental Skills Training in Sport. In G. Tenenbaum & R. C. Eklund (Eds.), Handbook of Sport Psychology. Jones, G., Hanton, S., & Connaughton, D. (2007). A Framework of Mental Toughness in the World’s Best Performers. The Sport Psychologist. Orlick, T. (2016). In Pursuit of Excellence. Human Kinetics. Hanin, Y. (2000). Emotions in Sport. Human Kinetics.

Sydney Phoenix is a Public Affairs Specialist for the U.S. Coast Guard and a dedicated volleyball coach for X-Factor Volleyball. With extensive experience in coaching and a passion for mentoring athletes, Sydney combines her professional expertise in communication with her love for the game to inspire and develop players both on and off the court.

Sydney Phoenix

Sydney Phoenix is a Public Affairs Specialist for the U.S. Coast Guard and a dedicated volleyball coach for X-Factor Volleyball. With extensive experience in coaching and a passion for mentoring athletes, Sydney combines her professional expertise in communication with her love for the game to inspire and develop players both on and off the court.

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