Bridging the Gap Between Training and Real Performance
A player nails their serves in practice. Their passing is solid. Their hitting looks sharp. But come game day? Everything tightens up. The timing feels off, confidence dips, and suddenly, performance doesn’t match training.
This is a common and fixable problem in volleyball. Many young athletes struggle to transfer what they’ve mastered in practice into real matches — and it’s not just about nerves. The issue often lies in how they train, how they prepare mentally, and how much pressure they experience in practice settings.
In this post, we’ll break down why the practice-to-game gap happens, and how athletes can train in ways that build true in-game confidence, consistency, and resilience.
1. Practice Isn’t Always Game-Like Enough
Most players get lots of reps in practice — but those reps often happen in low-pressure, predictable environments. Game play is anything but predictable.
What’s Missing in Most Practices:
- Uncertainty – In games, players don’t always know where the ball is going.
- Crowd noise, score pressure, and expectations – These don’t exist in typical drills.
- Decision-making on the fly – Game play demands quick thinking, not scripted patterns.
The Fix:
- Add chaos to practice – Use random tosses, unpredictable game-like scenarios, and scoring systems that raise intensity.
- Make drills competitive – Track performance under pressure.
- Simulate real-game pressure – Practice “must-serve” situations or “match point” plays to build composure.
2. Mental Preparation Matters More Than Talent Under Pressure
On game day, physical skill is just part of the equation. Anxiety, overthinking, and fear of mistakes are what derail performance — not a lack of ability.
What Happens Under Pressure:
- The brain shifts from automatic mode to over-control
- Players second-guess their movements
- Breathing becomes shallow, and muscles tighten
- Focus narrows to fear instead of execution
The Fix:
- Pre-match routines – Help athletes regulate nerves through consistent warmups, breathing, and visualization
- Cue words – Simple phrases like “quick feet” or “snap the wrist” keep the mind focused on action
- Focus on process, not outcome – Thinking “get this pass right” instead of “don’t mess up” can flip performance
3. Training Under Stress Builds True Game Readiness
Research shows that skills learned under low stress are less likely to transfer to high-pressure situations. Training should mimic stress — so athletes learn to thrive in it.
High-Stress Practice Ideas:
- Timed drills where mistakes cost the team
- Team scrimmages with music or noise distractions
- “Win or sprint” mini-games that raise emotional intensity
- Pressure serving rounds where players must land zones under a score limit
These methods build tolerance for pressure, so when game time comes, it doesn’t feel unfamiliar.
4. Emotional Control Is a Trainable Skill
Teaching athletes how to recognize and reset their emotions is just as important as reps.
Simple Mental Reset Tools:
- “Box breathing” (inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4) between plays
- Shake-off rituals after mistakes (e.g., brushing off hands or snapping fingers)
- Refocus routines before serve receive or going back to the service line
The best athletes aren’t perfect — they’re just better at getting back on track quickly.
Conclusion
Great volleyball players don’t just practice hard — they train smart. They build skills that hold up under pressure because they prepare for more than just technique.
To perform your best on game day, your training needs to challenge your body, your mind, and your composure — the same way a match does. Add pressure, increase unpredictability, and treat practice as preparation for everything the game throws at you.
Because when practice gets real, game day feels just like another rep.
Coach Luc Tremblay is the Founder and Head Coach of Volleyball Winnipeg. Luc has been coaching volleyball for 30+ years with athletes of all age classes and all abilities. He has developed most of the training techniques used by VISION coaches and is responsible for the coach development program at Volleyball Winnipeg. For more details on our Coach Resources, click here.