In sports, coaches are often seen as strategists, motivators, and leaders. They design plays, organize practices, and guide athletes toward victory. But beyond the scoreboard, coaching plays a deeper role—shaping not only how players perform, but how they think, feel, and handle pressure. As a multi-sport athlete who has played both soccer and volleyball for most of my life, I’ve experienced a wide range of coaching styles. Those experiences have shown me just how powerful a coach’s influence can be on both performance and mental health.

Growing up playing soccer, I had coaches who approached the game in very different ways. Some focused on encouragement and development, while others emphasized discipline and winning above all else. When I entered high school, I made the decision to stop playing soccer and fully commit to volleyball. That shift not only changed the sport I played, but also exposed me to a new level of intensity and a different coaching environment. Across both sports, one thing became clear: the way a coach communicates and leads can significantly affect how athletes perform and how they feel about themselves.

At its core, coaching is about relationships. Athletes are more likely to succeed when they feel supported and understood by their coach. I’ve had coaches who created positive environments where mistakes were treated as part of learning. In those situations, I felt more confident taking risks and pushing myself to improve. On the other hand, I’ve also experienced coaching styles that were more critical or disconnected. While those approaches sometimes pushed me to work harder, they often created pressure and self-doubt that made it harder to perform at my best.

Volleyball, in particular, is often described as a highly mental sport, and my experience supports that idea. Unlike some sports where play is continuous, volleyball is made up of short, intense rallies with pauses in between. Those breaks leave a lot of time to think, which can either help or hurt a player depending on their mindset. One mistake can stick in your head before the next serve, affecting your confidence and decision-making. Because of this, a coach’s role becomes even more important in helping athletes reset and stay focused.

I’ve personally experienced how negative coaching can impact that mental side of the game. At times, I’ve had coaches who seemed apathetic toward their players, where effort went unnoticed and feedback felt limited or purely critical. In those environments, it became difficult to stay motivated. Instead of focusing on improving, I found myself wondering if anything I did would ever be good enough. That mindset didn’t just affect my performance, it also took a toll on how I felt about the sport overall. When players don’t feel supported or valued, it can lead to frustration, loss of confidence, and even burnout.

In contrast, the most effective coaches I’ve had, especially in volleyball, were the ones who stayed engaged and communicative. They gave clear feedback, recognized effort, and created an environment where players felt comfortable learning from mistakes. That kind of support made it easier to stay mentally strong, even during tough games or practices. It also reinforced the idea that improvement is a process, not something that happens instantly.

Confidence is one of the biggest factors influenced by coaching. Athletes often rely on their coaches for feedback, and that feedback shapes how they see themselves. Coaches who emphasize growth and effort help players develop a mindset focused on improvement. I’ve noticed that when I felt encouraged and supported, I performed better and was more willing to take risks. On the other hand, constant negativity made me more hesitant and focused on avoiding mistakes rather than playing confidently.

Mental health is another critical aspect of coaching that deserves more attention. Being a student-athlete means balancing school, practices, games, and personal expectations, which can be overwhelming at times. Coaches who recognize these pressures can make a huge difference. Simple actions like checking in with players, encouraging communication, and understanding when someone is struggling can create a healthier environment. These moments may seem small, but they have a lasting impact.

Unfortunately, not all coaching styles prioritize mental health. A strong focus on winning can sometimes overshadow everything else, leading to high-pressure environments where athletes feel defined only by their performance. I’ve seen how that kind of pressure can take away from the enjoyment of the sport and create unnecessary stress. This is why more athletes today are speaking out about mental health, helping to shift the conversation toward a more balanced approach.

The influence of coaching goes beyond the game itself. Coaches often act as role models, shaping how athletes approach challenges both in sports and in life. The lessons learned through positive coaching, such as resilience, teamwork, and discipline, can carry into school, relationships, and future goals. At the same time, negative experiences can also leave lasting effects, especially when they impact an athlete’s confidence.

In recent years, mental health in sports has become a more widely discussed topic. High-profile athletes have shared their experiences, showing that mental struggles can affect anyone, regardless of talent or success. This has encouraged many programs to rethink how they support athletes, including the role coaches play in creating healthy team environments.

Ultimately, coaching is about more than just winning games. It’s about developing athletes as both players and individuals. My experiences in soccer and volleyball have shown me that the best coaches are the ones who challenge their players while also supporting their mental well-being. Especially in a sport like volleyball, where the mental aspect is so important, the way a coach leads can make all the difference. When athletes feel supported, they are more confident, more motivated, and more likely to succeed—not just in their sport, but in other areas of their lives as well.

Signing out,
Ally Puckett.