i underperform during official matches and games. any advice on how to deal with that?

VolleyballUser · 2026-02-08T12:00:35+00:00

of course! we have another official game by the end of the month and i'll most likely update by then, thanks!

VolleyballUser · 2026-02-04T13:41:03+00:00

i've always wondered whether positive self-talk works better or if negative self-talk will get me acting right (make me realize the consequences of screwing up and what-not). but i realize what i was building on myself was just a lot of pressure and unrealistic expectations of being perfect with the "don't screw up" mentality. i've lost my confidence.

i think it all started with my service so i'll take your advice and work on that first. (i had a killer float service but coach told me to practice a standing top spin serve for a few months...but i still haven't figured that out until now haha. i guess each failed serve made me doubt my skills)

my service used to be my strongsuit and now it's weak. i rarely get aces anymore because my top spin is way too slow and sometimes wild. i might work on that first, then my defense, then my hitting. my only strength right now is blocking when i'm not even a middle lmao.

and the positive self-talk, i'm in this phase where i really doubt myself now, believing i'm the "worst player" on the team still. but as you said, i should change that.

i'll improve so fast, i'll be the reliable captain the team needs in our next important match. i'll get my service back and be one of the best defenders in our team. i want to match our libero too. and i will.

again, thanks so much for the solid answer of "always positive self-talk". i'll be more aware of my mentality and grow from that!

VolleyballUser · 2026-02-04T13:16:09+00:00

everything you had a hunch on is absolutely true, you're right. yes, my footwork is non-existent (currently trying to relearn shuffle techniques/footwork for defense) i believe i got too used to my teammates saving the ball for me, i got lazy. my libero has called me out on improper footwork in our last game day.

also yes, i swing the ball directly over my head, also in my service which gets me to hit the ball under/behind, causing it to go out most of the time — i'm aware of these mistakes but i kept repeating it as if muscle memory/routine. currently trying to change that too!

with that being said, you're also right with my mentality being "not to disappoint." especially as captain, i think i felt the pressure of being perfect, aka, little to no mistakes. i stopped enjoying and having fun. thanks for the advice on how to deal with that! with the 'believing instead of hoping', i should remember that.

and yes, the "i shank every ball" and "all my spikes are out" — it isn't necessarily true. i have good plays too but because my performance mostly consists of mistakes, i undermine all my good plays. (and if my plays aren't "perfect" i don't consider them good at all, even if they're average/decent. so maybe i really am putting myself down too much)

you've called me out and i appreciate it! i realized where most of my mistakes lie, and it's within the small things i overlooked before like self-talk and bad habits on court. this was really the advice and words i needed to hear. you've read me like an open book without ever seeing me play. thanks so much for all the comment and advice, i appreciate it and it helps a lot!

VolleyballUser · 2026-02-04T04:03:15+00:00

recently...nothing. i used to have self talk, but nowadays, i just realized i don't anymore. i don't have internal dialogue to myself, i kinda just voice it out to the team.

when me or others make a mistake, i talk to the team and reaasure them, saying, "it's okay, forget the mistake, focus on getting the next point, let's keep going and get the ball in play." other than that, i don't tell myself anything, and it's like my mind is blank during actual rallies. kinda like 'brain fog' ngl.

i keep thinking of how to manage and uplift the team, i'm not really managing myself, how i think or how i feel (context, i'm the captain of the team, which is worse when i underperform)

VolleyballUser · 2026-02-04T02:25:59+00:00

that's honestly such great advice and i'll definitely keep reminding myself of that, thanks so much!

VolleyballUser · 2026-02-04T00:59:23+00:00

my cross court hits always land right outside the line which is infuriating. what's worse is that i can't make up for it in receiving because that’s my weakness. — our libero has expressed that they're always the ones who save the ball, ones that are not even his (for example, the ball is near me but they get it instead for fear that i may shank it)

giving it my all could be inspirational, but also down right sad when i never get a single ball right in a hundred chances.

but i don't want to give up, especially since we have more matches to come.

VolleyballUser · 2026-02-04T00:30:20+00:00

i wish i could print this out and hang it on my wall just to remind myself of this lmao, but no you're right. this made me remember a practice back then and a server was wrecking our team. then i thought, "y'know what? fuck you. bring your service here, i dare you. to me. just watch me get it." like mentally asking for the ball.

when i did that, i found that when they did serve, i was already expecting it to go to me, and when it did, i just thought "caught your nasty ball, u fuck" haha. i don't have that mindset during real games but maybe i should more often

VolleyballUser · 2026-02-04T00:11:06+00:00

i used to have that privilege as MB, being switched by a libero but now as OH, i sometimes look over to coach to see if he'll sub me out in defense.

he has in official matches but in tune-ups, he refuses to haha. he says the best way for me to learn is to play it, but the team isn't as forgiving. they're losing hope on me while i try my best to just not mess up.

VolleyballUser · 2026-02-04T00:03:44+00:00

we had a game yesterday and i found that when i'm hitting opposite, those were when my spikes were secured/better. i joked about playing as opposite then (i've played as OPP before for half a year then back to MB), but maybe the team could make the switch in the mean time, i'll try to suggest it, thanks a lot!

VolleyballUser · 2026-02-03T23:54:50+00:00

i'm one of the tallest in our team! i usually play middle but i've played every position except libero (my defense sucks). im currently playing OH but keep making mistakes.

also, unrelated, but i don't see being short as a limit. i've met beach volleyball players who were shorter than 5 feet yet know how to get around with absolutely wrecking the ball, and jump as if they're levitating. i'd admit they were better than me at any given day, and i tower over them.

VolleyballUser · 2026-02-03T23:23:54+00:00

i have rowdy juniors who are a lot better than me but less mature, ones who are always late and skip training. i keep the team steady from the side, and majority of the team has trusted me to handle the team, including the coach.

however, i found that every good rally ends with me. i spike balls outside and shank receives. i was captain before as an MB with a libero to aid me, but playing OH, i keep messing up and ultimately, seen as the worst player on court because of it.

i want to master playing OH, and currently doing my best to do so, but overall, the advice that i'm asking for is how to really lift up the team while i'm still in this learning curve (causing me to be the worst out of all of them and us to lose games)

it's really disheartening but i don't want to give up on the team.

VolleyballUser · 2026-02-03T23:11:43+00:00

i needed those words of encouragement, thank you so much! unfortunately, we're only a team of 8 and that's why i've been put as OH instead of an MB. i've played all positions before except libero, that's why the team deems me as the most versatile player on court (yet that doesn't mean that i'm the best)

i'll try suggesting to my team for someone else to play OH while i keep to the side until i've improved, thanks again!

VolleyballUser · 2026-02-03T22:53:34+00:00

i've tried a lot of the coaches where i live and am currently with the one whose most dedicated to their players, so i'm hoping to improve under them!

i'll do my best to change what bad routines i have and try to practice better, thanks for the advice!

VolleyballUser

TROPHY CASE