Email Campaign Archive

How Acting "As If" Won a Match

-By Marc Pogachar


Recently, our JV team was visiting another school
for a non-conference match. Both teams were very
similar in terms of make-up…each had decent
setter, a tall front line and a good quick back
row. Our JV team had an edge on serving, while the
other team struggled a little bit in that area.

The first set went to the opposing team 25 – 27.
Our team served well, and the opponents did not,
but our team was playing flat, listless, and
inattentive. Even the captain, a girl with lots of
enthusiasm and the willingness to encourage her
teammates, was not her usual self. In addition,
the setter, a girl who runs the offense and gets
to most balls, was showing signs of laziness. As a
result, the offense of the team was not up to par.

The second set was more of the same. Even though
my JVs won 27 -25, even the bench was still and
quiet. There was NO energy, and very slow
movement. So, at this point, both teams were
virtually equal in scoring and level of play.

During the coin flip to decide which team served
for the third set, I mentioned to my JV coach that
I’d like to chat with his players. As he went to
the scorer’s table to put in the lineup, I asked
why the team had no energy. “Coach, we just feel
flat” said the captain. “Why do you feel flat?” I
asked. They indicated that they just "felt" that
way. So, I told them a story…"Ever have a relative
or friend or visitor to your house that your
parents asked you to treat nicely?” They all
agreed that they had. “How did that visitor
react?” “It was good”, they all said. “Ok, so you
ACTED as if you REALLY wanted to be there with
them, and things went well.” “Yes”,was the reply.
I told them that while that was a silly story, the
point was that because they ACTED AS IF they
wanted to be there, things went well. “So," I said,
“How does someone who’s energized, active and into
the match act?” “They hustle.” “They yell for their
teammates.” “They run for the ball.” were their
responses. “Ok", I said “Can you go out there and
do THOSE things? Does it take any extra effort to
do those things?” “Yes”, they all said.  

They then went out on the court, and with our
staff encouraging them to run to the ball, cheer
for their teammates, and “create” energy…they
started to play much better. They put pressure on
their opponents by hitting with energy, and
running to their defensive positions. At one
point, one of the girls served the ball, ran to
her defensive spot, and got a dump right to her up
to the setter. I reminded her that had she not run
to that spot, she would not have been in position
to play that ball. She smiled a big smile and
nodded.  

The girls kept doing those simple things…ACTING AS
IF they had their usual energy. The result? A 25 –
13 final set win. We now use the term
"manufacturing energy" to remind us what we did to
earn that win.  


-Marc Pogachar
Head Coach, Westlake H.S., Ohio
Asst. Director, Spirit VBC