Practicing Mindfulness
Now days it is extremely hard to practice mindfulness in any capacity whether it is at home, on the court, field or in the classroom. Our brains are running a thousand miles a minute and thinking about what needs to…
Access all of Prep Dig
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingNow days it is extremely hard to practice mindfulness in any capacity whether it is at home, on the court, field or in the classroom. Our brains are running a thousand miles a minute and thinking about what needs to get done or reflecting on past experiences or keeping up with social media. Many volleyball clubs are close to the midway point of their season and basketball is winding down and before you know it spring sports will begin. How can practicing mindfulness help you get out of mid-season slump or refocus you for that championship run? Often times, teams with the most clarity and mindfulness are the last ones standing at the end of the season. They are able to ride the waves of the season and remain mentally tough. How can volleyball players or really any athlete practice mindfulness? First off, let’s define what mindfulness really is, is is a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.
Let’s look at what you can do to help yourself and your teammates practice mindfulness daily. When I was coaching at the junior high and and high school level I always wanted to start off practice with some high energy non volleyball drill or game. This could help kids forget about the daily “stuff” of being a tween or teen. It also helped to build problem solving skills, team building and develop clarity for the practice. After the activity our brains and minds were ready to handle the skills and intensity of the practice. When we are at volleyball we think and focus on volleyball and other things can wait. In today’s sports world we need to focus more on just being rather then what comes next. So many times teams can experience the mid season slump or the end of the season… I am ready for the next sports season to start.
Another way to focus on mindfulness is to put the devices away! During road trips or home games I would collect all their devices and phones and they would actually have to…wait for it.. TALK TO EACH OTHER and think about the upcoming match or reflect on the match that was just played. I found this extremely beneficial in developing relationships and being in the moment. It also gave athletes a chance to reflect and not text their parents about playing time, the poor officiating or posting other negative things on social media that maybe were said because of high emotions. I think the girls enjoyed too though they may not admit it.
Volleyball is such an emotional and mental game. What other sport do you make a mistake whether it is forced or unforced and the other team gets a point? Deep breathing is important to work on mindfulness. Players become more in tune to their bodies as well as the simple pleasure of focusing on their breath. Deep breathing before games, or serving plays a huge role in creating mindfulness and relaxes any nerves or anxiety.
Music can also help in practicing mindfulness. After tough practices play relaxing music while doing ball massages Make them reflect on the practice. I used to do a mindfulness activity for two minutes called take two where you had to write down one thing you felt you did great at practice and one thing you needed to do better. It gave the athletes time to actually write down on paper their thoughts and be mindful about what they excelled at and what they needed to improve. I could see at the next practice a skill they specifically wanted to improve on. The benefit of this is that it practiced mindfulness, and it was player driven, not coach driven.
When you are planning your next team meeting, team bonding or practice try implementing practicing mindfulness and it can be a small thing that makes a huge difference. High school and club sports are only a short time in a player’s life it is important to put the simple joy back into it and take it all in.