All right. Hello, everybody. Thanks for tuning in today, and welcome back to the Raising Elite Competitors podcast. If we have not yet met, I'm Coach Saylor. I'm our head athlete coach inside of The Elite Mental Game, which is our signature mental training program for girl athletes to build confidence, manage pressure, and compete freely. Um, so today's episode, we have a very special guest on today. We have Olivia on, who is our April athlete of the month, and we're super excited to highlight her and showcase her story. She told us about a moment at a tournament she was at recently. It was a very high-stakes tournament. It was a national qualifier. Very big, big stage to be on, and how she was able to just handle the stress and pressure, remain really calm, kind of reset and stay focused. So Olivia, welcome to the podcast. Thank you for having me. I'm so excited. Of course. I'm super excited to dive into your story, and we just wanna shout you out and tell you how proud of we are of you, um, for being really intentional on working on your mindset and just continuing to level up, um, both on and off the court, it sounds like. Uh, so Olivia, give me a quick introduction of yourself so that people who are tuning in can kind of know who y- know who you are, what you do, what sports you play, how old you are. Um, my name's Olivia. I'm from Tennessee. I, um, play volleyball, and I'm a setter. Ooh, okay. I didn't know that, actually. So we have that in common. Um, that's awesome. And how long have you been playing volleyball for? Oh my goodness. This is my fif- fifth year of club, and before club I played for three years. So like my eighth year of q- volleyball in total. Awesome. Oh my gosh, that's sweet. Yes. And what keeps you coming back to volleyball? What's, like, keeping that passion and that love of the game alive right now? I think it's, like, just the love of the game that, like, volleyball has brought me so many different people. And just it's given me my best friends, and the coaches that have poured into me over the years have just- Mm-hmm grown me in ways I didn't know I could grow in. And so that has been really fun to see in my life. But I think it's just mostly for the community. Yeah. I love that. Sounds like you have, like, really great bonds and relationships, a good support system around you. Um, and it sounds like you're a true competitor, too, of wanting to constantly, like, grow and improve and, like, focus on things that you can get better at, too. Yes. I would say I'm very competitive. I've been told that by a lot of people. Which is a good thing. I am curious, so, and I'm putting you on the spot here a little bit, but one of the very first things that you do inside the Elite Mental Game is take a quiz to find your competitor style. Do you remember at all what your competitor style was? And I can give you There's three different competitor styles. You can be the self-motivated grinder, the comeback player, or the pressure player. Do any of those ring a bell to you? I think it was either the pressure player or, like, the self-motivator one. Okay. It was one of those two. Yeah. Could've been a little bit- Yeah of a mix, too. Um, I mean, from, like, knowing you and hearing your story, too, I would pin you as the, the pressure player, right? Like, in this circumstance that we're gonna hear about. Um, but yeah, just curious of what kind of sets that competitive fire for you. That's great. Yeah. Um, and then I'd love to know what brought you to the Elite Mental Game? Um, I would just say that I had, like, a really hard high school season. Mm-hmm. And so my mom found this, I think she was just on Instagram, and she came across it, and she saw the page. And so we took the call, like the intro call. Mm-hmm. And we talked about just the mental stuff, and I, like, really thought, "Oh, this would be really good for me," because I was struggling a little bit mentally, like, um, with being confident in myself- Yeah and just, like, playing through the pressure. And so my mom signed me... My mom and dad signed me up for it, and it's been great, so. That, that's awesome. I love that. Um, did you have... I know that a lot of athletes when they start mental training, one, they've maybe never heard of it before, of like, what even is mental training? And some athletes can be, like, really resistant and hesitant to start the program, like, "Is it gonna work for me? How does this even work?" Um, it sounds like you didn't really have that at all, and you were ready to jump right in. What do you think helped you in the beginning stages just, like, start to implement the strategies and, like, really be on board with mental training? Um, well, I think it's just because, like I said, I'm competitive. And so it- mom was like, "It's gonna grow your game." And then when we got on the call, it was more like, "This is gonna make you a better athlete, and this is gonna strengthen the skills that you already have." And so I took it as a, like a opportunity to grow in my mental game. And so that's something that I've never been trained in before. Everybody talks about being mentally tough, but they never really tell you how to do it, and so this gave me an opportunity to learn and grow in that. Yeah. Oh my gosh, isn't that the truth, right? Like, coaches- Yeah are probably constantly telling you, like, "Just be more confident. Shake it off." Like, "You need to be mentally tough and resilient." And you're like, "All right, coach, like, but how do I actually do that?" And, like, so many coaches- Yeah are not trained on the mental side of it, um, which is why, like, sometimes you just have to go the different avenue and, like, continue to seek that out to level up your own game. Um, and I really, like, what you just said really hits home because I think that there's a huge misconception that a lot of athletes have that mental training is only for athletes who are weak or struggling or something's wrong with them, and that's, like, really not true, right? It is simply to enhance the skills that you already have, and kind of get that mental edge, and, like, step into the version of yourself who you know is there deep down and just needs to, like, believe in herself a little bit more that, and really, like, showcase, um, all of the strengths that you have. So I'm super glad that you- Yeah took the leap and that you trusted us in the program as well. Yes. All right. Let's get into your story. So you submitted to our champions board, and you told us, "I'm a champion because me and my team won the Big South National Qualifier." So tell me about, like, this tournament. We probably have some non-volleyball listeners on here, too. So give me the rundown of, like, what this tournament is like and what was happening. I think it's a three-day tournament, right? So, like- Yeah give me a little bit of the, the breakdown of what was happening up until that final championship match. Okay, so we played Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. And Friday we played three games and Saturday we had played three games. And we went 3-0 on the first day, 3-0 on the second day. And so this is like one of the biggest tournaments. It's my favorite tournament of like the entire year. It's just like the atmosphere. It's huge. Mm. It's in Atlanta. It's so much fun. There's so many fun like people there. Um, and so you go through the two days and we made it into the gold bracket. And so we competed at this tournament last year, our team did, and we got third. And this Okay, so last year I had an injury and so I wasn't able to play. Mm. And so this was the first time I was able to play in this tournament, and so I was so excited. And so we made it to the gold bracket and the team was just really pumped that we did that, 'cause this is a, a big tournament and there were a lot of good teams in it. Mm-hmm. And so as we went throughout the day of Sunday, we started early, and we played our first game and we won. We played our second game and we won. And then our third game, we got there and we knew that the team that we were playing h- was also undefeated, and no team had gotten over, like, 18 points on them. Mm-hmm. And so we were like, "Oh, okay," like, "They're pretty good." And every team there is good, but seeing their record, we were like, "Okay, maybe..." Like, we were kind of nervous because this was getting us into the semifinals. Like, the, if we won this game, we were in the semis. And so that would be as far as we made it last year. Mm-hmm. And so we won that game in three sets. It was a fun game. This is when I really, like, used my mental game training. I used my snap back routine, I think, four times in, like, one set. Wow, yeah. Just because I was like, it, there was a lot of people watching, and it's really easy to get distracted, and it's really easy to, like, get really hyper and excited because, like, you're just, adrenaline kicks in. And so we won that game, and then the semifinals was, again, such a fun game, but we finished it in two sets. And then the third and championship game was by far, like, the best we've played as a team. Um, we took it to three sets, and the third set only goes to 15, as you know. And so it was, at one point we were down by, like, six points, and we came back and we won 13-15, I'm pretty sure, and it was just insane. But, like, our team had to pull it together in that third set and use our, like, mentally we had to lock in. But it was just so much fun and insane. Wow. I would just say it's one of the coolest experiences ever. Yeah. That's awesome. I mean, it sounds like that whole last day was, like, thriller after thriller after thriller. Yeah. Like, I literally have goosebumps with you telling me that story and just knowing... I mean, tell people a little bit about the pressure and potentially the target that's on your back as a setter. Like, even in that position, I think it adds an extra layer. So what were you feeling throughout that final day as well? Um, I think I was feeling like, "Don't let your team down." Mm-hmm. Like, "Use your training. Don't let your team down." That was my biggest thought. W- just because I love my team so much, and I know they count on me, and we count on everybody, but- I just, a setter, you control your offense and so you run the offense. And so I was having to really make s- the smart decisions. You know, if we made a bad pass, like, who would, who am I gonna go to? Who am I gonna get a single block with? And if you don't know what that means, it just means, like, you're setting your hitter and they only have one person going up against them at the net. And so especially in the third day, it's very important because the teams on the other side of the net have a really strong offense and can block, and they have a really strong defense. So a setter, you're controlling where the ball goes and who's gonna put it away, so. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it sounds like you handled it really well and you were thinking strategically, and also just, like, wanting to play for your team and earn it for the team, which I think is a really great place to be when you can, like, own your own skills and then also be really selfless in how you're showing up. Um, okay, Olivia, give us a little bit of, like, a peek behind the scenes then of what your preparation looked like to really stay mentally focused and strong. I know you said you used your snapback routine. Um, I'd also love to know, and for those of you who are maybe tuning in, our snapback routine is probably our most popular tool. It, it's most athlete's favorite tool, and it's taking a deep breath. Athletes have a word that they all come up with themselves, and then a signal. So let's start there. What is your word and signal, if you don't mind sharing? I know sometimes- Yeah athletes don't wanna share, but I'd love to hear what your word and signal is. Okay. My word is unstoppable. Mm-hmm. And I just touch my thumb to all of my fingers because I feel like I just, that's something easy I can do while I'm standing waiting for the serve or waiting to set the ball, um, or for the next play. And so I say unstoppable, and I breathe, and then I just do that until the, the play is resumed, so. Yeah. Love it. So quick, so simple. What kinds of situations and moments were you using it in? I was using it, I used it a lot in the games where it was a tight match, um, and when my breathing kind of got out of control, like when we ran around a lot, it was a long play. And, you know, maybe we lost a point, maybe we gained a point, but just using it to reset my focus, um, to calm my breathing down, and to ti- kind of just, like, reset what I was thinking about. Like, you have to make the next play, and where are you gonna... how are you gonna be smart? And so just stopping for a minute and using that snapback routine really helped. Yeah. Totally, yeah. It sounds like it kept you from going down the spiral, which every athlete knows- Yes what the spiral is, and, like, thinking about the past, dwelling on the mistakes, and just thinking about, "All right, what's my next best move? W- how can I have that next, that next point mentality?" Um, okay. Yeah. Great. So snapback routine. And then take me to, like, your preparation going into... I know you said, I think it was the semifinal match, like, you knew that team was good. They were undefeated, and they were kind of stomping on the teams that they were playing a little bit, as well as the next two matches that you played, too. Like, knowing it was gonna be tough. Mm-hmm. What kinds of things did you do to, like, mentally prepare and kind of lock in, and also calm down? Yeah. I think I just, I took some time to myself, but also, like- Mm-hmm me and my team, we've played together for a while, and so we kind of just came together and we were like, "Let's do this for each other." And, um, like have an audience of one. And it's like, it was really cool because we didn't play for, like, we didn't play for ourselves. We played for each other, and we played for our coach, and like everything we had worked for. And we just knew that going into it, we were gonna have to have really good body language because- Mm-hmm that affects our team a lot, is like if one person gets down, we tend to like all get down, and that's something we've recognized throughout this season, is like the next play mentality. It doesn't matter where we are in the game, we have to have that next play mentality. And so we prepared in that way of thinking like, if you make a mistake, no one's gonna remember it three points from now because we're thinking about the next one. So that's how we kind of went into it. Yeah. That's awesome. I love that. And for you as a leader and as a teammate, when you're noticing teammates maybe like being a little bit down on themselves, beating themselves up, how do you, like inspire them and hold them accountable to that mindset of, "Hey, we gotta move on to that next play"? What do you think helps your I know it's individual to probably every teammate, but- Yeah in general, what would you say works for you as a leader? Um, yeah, it is really different for every teammate, and I think that's something you have to learn about your team, um, as a whole, is like which, who responds best to what. But I would just say bringing 'em to the middle of the court and just being like, "Hey, guys," like, "smile. We're playing the sport we love, um, with the people we love," and just realizing how blessed we are to be able to play because there's people we know wish they could do that- Mm-hmm um, and be where we are. And so I think we just constantly remind ourselves to have fun first, and to just use the skills that we know we have. So- Just encouraging first, not being like, "Hey, you need to do this," or, "Hey, you need to do that." Just being super encouraging, being like, "You got the next point," or, "You- you're gonna get that ball next time," so. Yeah, yeah. And something that you've probably heard talked about on, like, a Level Up call too, Coach Bre loves to say this, is calling people up instead of calling people out. So, like, really using that- Yes uplifting encouragement and, like, know instilling that belief of like, "Hey, we can trust our skills. We know what we're capable of." And that's where that true confidence comes from in yourself, in the people around you, in your entire team. Um, yeah, that's really, really good advice too, um, for anyone who's in a team sport that's listening in. I think it's really tough when teammates maybe have negative reactions to cheer them up. Um, but finding what works best for each teammate and then really encouraging them, um, to do their best, believe in themselves. Okay. All right, Olivia, tell me more about, um, the biggest difference that you've noticed in before starting EMG to now. I know you said one of the biggest things that you were struggling with was your confidence. So what do you think is different about you as an athlete and a person now versus, like, from September? Um, I would say the biggest difference is, like, realizing that I'm gonna make mistakes, and that's okay. Um, like everybody makes mistakes, and, like, it's okay, and you just have to be able to bounce back and, like, control your mind from not doing going in that spiral of doubting yourself. And so I know especially just from, I think it was, like, February, I We were playing at a tournament, and I just had completely broke down. I was like, "I'm not playing good." Um, I really started to doubt my skills, and I, like, couldn't pull it together. Um, I felt like I was letting my team down. I couldn't get the ball in with my serve. I was, like, struggling to get my- Yeah sets to where they needed to be. And so I think that's really when I noticed, like, after that, I noticed how much the mental game really affected my playing. And so just using the snap back routine and controlling what my f- like fixing the outcome of the play in my mind. So, yeah. Yeah. Totally. Yeah, and just, like, controlling what you can control. That's something that I am always big on talking about, and I think that's one of the foundational skills. And I hope that you can be super proud of yourself looking back over the past few months, too, and, like, give yourself that pa- pat on the back of your, like, showing up and shining and glowing and, like, taking up space and believing in yourself fully, right? Like, and recognizing, "I don't have to be perfect, but I'm just making progress every single day." Like, everyone's gonna have their mistakes, right? I, I always think if you were to turn on, like, a pro volleyball game right now, they're gonna be missing serves. You know? They're gonna have sets that are off. They're gonna shank balls. And that's okay because what really separates great at- really, like, elite, great athletes from an average athlete is how quickly they're recovering from a mistake. Um, and that can make the biggest difference. So super proud of you for, like, taking it head on and being able to bounce back quickly, um, and own your skills. Um, I would love to know if there is any piece of advice that you have for an athlete who's maybe on the fence about mental training or has big goals and they want to level up or may be struggling and in the same place that you were. What would you tell that athlete? Do it. Sign up. Do the mental training. It helps. And it may not, you may not see it, like, right away. It's gonna take your hard work, and it's gonna take effort, I would say. Mm-hmm. Like, it's not gonna be easy because it's gonna require time, and, like, you're gonna have to do things. But in the end, it helps so much. And, like, I'm not even through with my mental training. I'm not even halfway done. Um, and I've already noticed a huge difference. But just, I would say do it and give it your full effort and your full attention because it's something that can impact your game in, like, ways I didn't know it could impact my game, so. Yeah. Ah, thanks for sharing that. That's a awesome little shout-out there. Um, yeah, and I think a lot of athletes don't realize that mental training is a skill. And like any skill, it's gonna take the time, the reps, the intentionality. Uh, but over time it becomes easier and easier and easier, and kind of just an automatic response that you have, um, to leveling up your game. Yes. All right, Olivia, last thing I wanna know. What are some of your goals? Like, what are you continuing to work on? Where do you see yourself going in volleyball? Give us a little kind of, uh, sneak peek of your journey ahead. I think I continue just working throughout the mental training port- portal. Um, I wanna keep growing. I'm not where I wanna be in my skills. My mental skills are, like, just everything right now. But my goal is to play co- in college, and so I'm just working towards that every day. Um, but yeah, that's where I see myself, in college. Awesome. Yeah. Super exciting. Well, you're definitely on the right path, so keep on chipping away, stacking those small wins, um, because now you have the physical, the skills, the mental training, and that's all gonna work together for you. Um, yeah. All right, Olivia. Well, thanks so much for coming on today's podcast episode. Uh, again, we're super proud of you for being our April athlete of the month. Um, and athletes, hopefully all of this episode was inspiring and motivating and just, like, puts that drive in you of wanting to take that next step and work on your game in some way, whether it's mental training or pouring into another skill. We just encourage you to keep on working super hard. If you wanna learn more about mental training, we do have a quiz. I talked about it in the beginning with Olivia. So if you want to learn what your competitor style is, we'll have that quiz link in the description of, um, this episode. And Olivia, again, thank you so much for being here, and we will see you inside of The Elite Mental Game. Thank you so much for having me. Of course