Are you a volleyball player or do you play volleyball? If you don't know the difference, then you play volleyball.

Competitive volleyball should be fun. If it's not fun for you, then you need to examine a few things. Relax a little and don't take yourself so seriously. Learn how to play to have fun, not just to win.

There is no need to think about your last serve or your next pass. Focus only on the shot that you have control of at the moment and make it the best one possible.

Sit back, relax, have fun, practice, and win.

Never lose to a team because you were unprepared, out of condition or did not play your hardest. If you did all of these and you did not win the match, keep your head up -- you did not lose, you were beaten. You should never feel bad if you played your best and a better team beat you.

Play in as many tournaments as possible. Practice is great, but there is no substitute for the pressure of actual competition. Learning to deal with that pressure will undoubtedly make you a better volleyball player. The pressure is on when you're in a game at 13 all. Can you play the rest of the game without a mistake?

In the heat of competition, confidence is all that will save you --confidence in yourself, your abilities, and your partners. A great player should be able to transfer his confidence to his partner.

Confidence is vital to every volleyball player. It comes from hours of practice and knowledge of the game of volleyball inside and out.

As an aspiring volleyball player you must realize that you must visualize success, and then proceed to practice to achieve what you have visualized. The process begins with picturing the "perfect game."

Practice the trouble shots from ten feet off the net instead of giving the other team a free ball. Run a lap at full speed and then make five serves in a row. When you practice the real game situations, you learn to have confidence in your game and not choke under pressure.

Nothing takes the place of hard work when it comes to being the best volleyball player that you can be. There is a price to be paid by every volleyball player that aspires to become the best volleyball player that he or she can be. (PERSONAL BEST - PB)

Dedicated practice, training, and meaningful study of your opponent's habits are all part of what it takes to be successful. This will help you achieve your PB.

Knowing the rulebook is greater than knowing that there is a rulebook. Most referees in tournament play know that there is a rule book; make sure that you, as a player, know the rules. It will never hurt, and it may save you a point or even a game.

Winning a world championship is not something that every volleyball player can have as a reachable goal. Only a very few have the GOD-GIVEN ABILITIES that can make that a reachable dream. But every volleyball player should have goals that can be reached. Maybe your goal will be AAA Rating, making the playoffs in a big tournament, or not missing a serve during a tournament. FIND A GOAL!

Are you that player who after every close game is heard saying, "I should have won, the referee made a bad call, the other team didn't call a net, the wind or rain picked up," or other excuses? Think about this: if it was such a close game, "I should have gone for that ball, I missed my serve three times, I was in the net twice, I hit one ball out and two in the net and left a cut shot on my side of the net." KNOW HOW TO TELL YOURSELF WHO REALLY LOST THAT CLOSE GAME.

After the game is over, win or lose, close or blowout, bad calls by the referee, in your face trash talking -- whatever -- leave it inside the lines. A player that wants to fight, or yell at the referee after the game, or break bar stools up at the bar needs to step back and remember that it's only a game. Talk to an ER doctor or one of our troops from Iraq and realize that what we are doing is ONLY A GAME.