Pro volleyball player Kelsey Robinson Cook is a three-time Team USA Olympian with a full set of medals: bronze in 2016, gold in 2021, and silver in 2024. As an outside hitter, she drives the offense, by making split-second decisions while staring down a wall of blockers.
A metaphor for life? Definitely. But it took time for Cook to realize that mental strength is just as important as physical grit.
“Once you transition to pro, you're competing against the best players in the United States and in the world,” Cook told theSkimm. “I got to the point where I would get super anxious on the court.”
That anxiety became a cue that she needed support. Prioritizing her mental health didn’t just make her a stronger athlete. It helped her show up more fully as a partner and friend, too.
Now, she plays in League One Volleyball (LovB) as an outside hitter, and just wrapped up the league’s inaugural season by winning its first-ever MVP award, presented by adidas.
Here, Cook shares six lessons she’s learned about managing performance pressure — on and off the court.
Find the Right Kind of Therapy
“I see a somatic therapist, so it’s sound, touch, visualization, and movement. I did talk therapy for awhile, but my athlete mind needed the action piece of it. With somatic therapy, I could move through so much of what I was experiencing. And then I could use those tools on the court to move me back to my center.”
Set Boundaries
“I watch videos [of my performance], so I can be really objective about what’s happening, but I’ll set limits into how much I’m going to speak about and run through things.”
Make Time to Play (Not Professionally)
“Tuesday is my horse day. I put my phone on a bench and just ride for an hour or two. There's just certain things that I put time and energy into because it gives back to me and allows me to be better on the court.”
Burnout Is Normal
“I think our idea around burnout maybe is once you get there you have to stop. But what if there will be moments of passion and we're obsessed with it and in love with it and moments of, ‘I can't do this anymore’? What if it just ebbs and flows and that's just the nature of it?”
Take the Focus Off You
“When I'm in those moments where it's really hard, I try to make it about another teammate or somebody else. For example, I'm extra aware of getting them a nice set so they can take a rip.”
Know Yourself and Set Up Your Network
“I am super competitive, probably more than 95% of people. Seriously, I have to decide if I'm going to be capable of playing game night or just watching because losing will eat me alive sometimes. I can get to a place where I can learn from losing. But I think having support in general from my family, from my husband, making those communities that know you really well and can support you and you can lean on them is really important.”
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
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