Hard

“It’s hard. That’s what makes it special.” - Chef Carmen 'Carmy' Berzatto in “The Bear”

Former Alabama Coach Nick Saban shared a lot with players. "Life is difficult." Key principles apply broadly...including volleyball. One of the themes of exceptional situations is "it helps to have great people around you." Hitters thrive off excellent sets. Setters thrive off good passes. Princeton basketball coach Pete Carril said, "the quality of the shot is determined by the quality of the pass." Sets and attacks depend on the quality of the antecedent pass. 

1- Focus on now  Play present. Be in the moment. Volleyball is a game of momentum. Don't allow one negative play to shift momentum. 

2- Eliminate the clutter  Coach Scott Celli has always emphasized simplicity and consistency. Make the simple play. 

3- Do not be attached to outcomes  Trust the process. Great process becomes better, not perfect, results. 

4- Adversity is your friend   Love our losses. Learn from them. And never quit. 

5- Inhabit mental toughness and discipline. Intangibles like attention, coachability, and toughness reward you.

Duke Women's college basketball coach Kara Lawson says, "Do hard better...the easy busy is never coming around." 

Make it fun, shared experiences and shared joy. 

Believe in yourselves. You can only be as good as your self-belief.

Be 'professional' in your approach. Be professional in your preparation, your interaction with teammates, and in your self-care. At the end of each practice, write in a composition book or notebook three things that you did well and one thing to work on. You will accelerate improvement.  

Lagniappe. Directional training with pool noodles.