All season we have been talking a lot to Knoxville Volleyball Coach Mollie Keitges about the mental side of the sport. As in all levels of sports, the mental game is just as important as the physical game. So last week as I arrived for an interview I noticed assistant Coach Turner Devore, who also is the varsity baseball coach for the Panthers, doing a meditation session with the Panthers at the end of practice. Turns out that Devore used this last summer for his baseball squad and tells KNIA/KRLS Sports it helped them get through the first two weeks of the season when they have the end of the school year and spring sports winding down dealing with the stress of the end of the school year. While volleyball is at the beginning of the school year he adds the girls noted they struggle a bit with the metal side and the mediation sessions are a big help.
Devore: “One of the things they girls said they struggle with is confidence and being able to move on. The first time we did it, I don’t think they knew what was going on, but they enjoyed it and with the first quarter coming to an end you’ve got grades, and the seniors realizing the end of the career and coming up.”
Junior Player Brittany Bacorn says it is a bit different coming from Devore, who serves as the freshman coach for the volleyball Panthers but it has helped her and the rest of the team visualize and get their minds right for upcoming matches.
Bacorn: “We have definitely been a mental team and we’ve struggled with the mental game more than the physical. It’s different hearing from Devore because that’s not his personality but it definitely helps.”
Knoxville is coming off a 3-1 day at its own invitational on Saturday where they nearly knocked off class 3A #5 Union in the semifinals. The Panthers will take on the winner of tonight’s Pella and Newton match on Thursday in Knoxville in a class 4A regional semifinals. Hear a complete interview with Bacorn previewing that match on this week’s Radio Sports Page Wednesday at 6:00 and Thursday at 10:00 on KNIA/KRLS.