Top 6 Life Lessons That Volleyball Has Taught Me

When it comes to life lessons, learning it through team sports like volleyball is definitely enjoyable. Aside from the physical and mental building blocks we can acquire from it, playing volleyball also provides athletes integral learning moments that come in handy when dealing with real-life situations.

Here are some volleyball life lessons that can help guide us in our everyday lives:

1. What’s gonna work? Teamwork!

Interacting with people is inevitable. We have to learn how to work with others in school and in the office, whether it be in small intern projects or major thesis defenses. When it comes to this type of situation, it’s always best to work well with your team instead of just tolerating them.

In a sport like volleyball, the level of team chemistry will definitely show. Differentiating a group with individualistic players from a team with great chemistry is a piece of cake. The comfort and ease a player has with their team will show in how well they play, how they interact with each other, and how they deal with adversaries during a tight competition. The chemistry within a team is important because it can foster an environment where one member can become comfortable and at ease enough to execute tasks to their full potential.

What do they say? Teamwork makes the dream work.

2. The weight of saying “mine.”

Saying “mine,” at least in volleyball, goes beyond just asserting what is supposed to be yours. It’s a rather weighted claim because with every “mine” you shout comes an accompanying great deal of responsibility.

Imagine if a ball goes your way and you stake claim over its reception. There are quite a number of things you have to consider when you execute the next task. You’d ask yourself, “Where should I position myself to best receive the ball? Where do I direct the ball to? How high should I pass it to my teammate?” This encourages us to have a strong sense of responsibility over things that we proclaim to be ours.

3. Everybody has a role.

Volleyball players fill in positions whenever they step on the court. One can be a spiker, maybe a libero, perhaps a setter, or another. Sometimes, we burn ourselves out when we do work that should’ve been done by others. Volleyball tells us how important roles are in order to mobilize a team to its full potential. But of course, in times of chaos, your team has got your back.

4. Wit can outdo brute force!

Even though volleyball pays great homage to strength, wit is even more powerful. There are tons of moves in volleyball that require intelligence to be efficiently executed. Sometimes, we are pushed back to corners where brute force doesn’t cut it anymore: be it a persistent blocker from the opposing team, or floor defense-specialists.

Same with real life situations; sometimes we get cornered to places where we can’t just push back. These situations call for a calm mind and a solid strategy.

5. Communication is the golden key.

First things first, volleyball is a team sport. Communication is fundamental for any team to function. It helps us discuss roles among one another and paves the way for that perfect unity we aspire to develop within a team.

Just like personal relationships outside of the sport, it’ll never work without proper communication. A lot of conflicts go unresolved when players avoid confronting each other about an issue.

6. Trust goes a long way.

All of the goals above wouldn’t really be achieved if one doesn’t trust those around them. Trust is important in everything that we do. Not just for teammates, but more importantly, we have to learn to believe in ourselves.

Volleyball requires a lot of skill and it deserves nothing but the best from those who play it. Trust is vital for us to be able to play to our full capacity every time we step on the court—for both ourselves and our teammates.

Outside of the sport, it’s always best to exercise vigilance, but choosing the right people can go a long way. It all boils down to trusting them and yourself enough to be able to help each other grow.

Never tried playing volleyball? Give it a go! A little exploration wouldn’t hurt; it might be the sport your heart’s been yearning for all this time!