Why Confidence Is a Skill — and How to Train It Like One

You wouldn't expect your athlete to nail their serve without practicing it. So why expect them to feel confident without teaching them how? Confidence isn’t something kids are born with — it’s something they build. And like any skill, it needs reps, feedback, and a smart approach to training. In fact, research from Visek and colleagues shows that fun and enjoyment are foundational for long-term sport participation. When fun disappears, motivation drops — and athletes begin to disengage

Research Insight

Psychologist Albert Bandura’s theory of self-efficacy shows that confidence grows when athletes succeed in challenging but achievable tasks. Real confidence comes from experiencing small wins — not from cheerleading or false praise. According to the OPTIMAL Theory of Motor Learning, confidence grows when athletes have the freedom to make decisions, focus on external goals, and receive uplifting, purposeful feedback — not constant corrections. On the flip side, over-coaching or constant correction can actually damage confidence, making athletes hesitant, anxious, or afraid to take risks. Too much feedback too soon disrupts flow and independent learning.

What This Looks Like in Volleyball

• Confidence builds when athletes are allowed to fail and try again without being pulled off the court.

• It grows when they see their own progress — like finally making that tough cross-court serve.

• And it deepens when they’re trusted with a challenge — like leading a drill or captaining a scrimmage team.

If athletes only hear feedback when they mess up, they learn to fear mistakes instead of learning from them.

What Coaches Can Do

1. Use 'level-up' drills with increasing difficulty — let athletes feel themselves improving.

2. End practice with a 'confidence round' — each player shares one thing they did well.

3. Reduce in-the-moment corrections — let the rep finish, then give clear, focused feedback.

4. Don’t always rescue players from pressure. Let them figure things out with support, not control.

What Parents Can Do

1. Ask what they’re proud of after games — not just what went wrong.

2. Celebrate effort, hustle, and growth moments (like trying a jump serve), not just success.

3. Avoid jumping in after every mistake — let them feel capable of recovering on their own.

4. Remind them that confidence isn’t about always succeeding — it’s about believing they can get better.

The Takeaway

Confidence doesn’t magically show up. It’s trained, earned, and protected. Give your athletes room to grow, space to fail, and consistent chances to succeed — and they’ll start building the kind of confidence that lasts long after the season ends.