First game...freaked out. Help?

Question

Okay I'm sorry because this may be sorta long. I'm a sophmore and this year and I made full varsity.

Today I started the game with a block, kill, and then racked up three aces playing outside hitter. Once the libero came in for me, and I got back up to front row we were losing (after being up 13-2) so my intensity went down. I made one mistake and she pulled me.

She then put in this one junior who is crossover from JV, who only hit the ball out and into the net at least three times out of like five or six times.

Game 2 she didn't even play me. She only let me serve for this one girl because I have a pretty good jump serve. By game 3 I was freaking out mentally about my playing and it REALLY affected my game and I admit I screwed up A LOT! But still not as much as one senior and the junior did.

I would say that she's letting the junior have a mistake since it's her first game on varsity, but it's also mine.

I never played game 4 at all.

I feel like she doesn't even give me a chance. Do you have any idea why this might be? I feel like I have a pretty good attitude, and I always try my best. Any advice?

Answer 1

ok i really don't understand why she would do that... but a way to stayed relaxed is just think of all the good you did not bad and also take your anger out on the ball

Answer 2

First never get down on yourself. Keep yourself pepped up and if you have a bad play get everyone to come in and say team together.

If you get taken out of the game don't be upset your coach probably felt that you were a bit flustered.

You should take a deep breath and keep calm after a bad play.

Answer 3

You've answered it for yourself, at least you've identified what you should be boing. Relax on court ........ and let the force be with you ...

I must admit I don't know about the intensity or seriousness of US varsity comp (eg whats a sophomore?). Here in Perth Australia we play in Open League, but I can honestly say I have never seen any coach getting his or her players wound up like you appear.

If any of our Club coaches (or players for that matter) look like getting a player into a stressed condition such as yours, they are VERY quickly given the word

Answer 4

as u probebly know, volleyball is as much as a mental sport as it is a physical sport, and once u start thinking negative thoughts its hard to start thinking positive. You have to stay focused throughout the whole game, or else ur gonna start slipping in ur form which leads to maybe eventually loosing a point. ...take deep breaths through ur nose and let them out through ur mouth, telling ur self to relax. stay loose, don't tense up. It also helps if u talk a lot on the court and pump ur team mates up, and in return, it'll pump u up.

Not to sure about ur coach though, i'd be mad too, but if u do happen to be on the bench, just keep talking and pump ur team up, but don't act nervous... ur coach will notice that ur excited and that u r in full aware of the game...

well, hope this helps.

Answer 5

This exact thing happened to me my junior year.  I was like the best person on the team and my coach pulled me because i made 1 little hitting error.  I know how frustrating it is, but the way i got through it was just moving on to the next game.  Play your game there and ignore what happened in the previous.

There's no need to get scared about your playing time.

About staying calm on the court......i always think of nerves as a good thing.  I always seem to do better under pressure, maybe it's just me.  Before the game i always take a deep breath and just think about playing and what i've learned.   Remember that it is only a game of high school volleyball that probably will have to effect on your future life anyway.

Hope this helped. =)