"Failure is required!"

A lot of coaching clinics ask the question of coaches, "What percent of volleyball is mental?" and follow that up with, "So how much do you teach on the mental side?" 

Traci Statler has made a career out of answering that question and making this statement: "Mental health impacts everything. If your mental health isn't functioning where it needs to be, then your performance isn't going to be where it needs to be."

She is a professor at Cal State Fullerton and has worked with USA Volleyball's athletes in the past few years. Her resume' which you can see here is impressive and her talk with us highlights how connected she is to today's athlete and her willingness to help today's coaches. 

In this hour long interview, Traci shares with us her knowledge on working with "this generation," how to handle certain issues like kids that don't work hard, lack confidence or are in slumps and other issues that might affect their performance.

Sometimes she will surprise you! 

She tells us that we can't inspire our athletes.
She tells us that being an athlete at an elite level isn't very mentally healthy.
And she tells us that if we want to get better at sports psyche...start "digging deep."

Enjoy this hour with Sports Psychologist Traci Statler as she answers your questions, confirms what you may already be thinking and takes us into a world we all should know more about

Traci Statler Interview