Miranda Shakouri: Varsity-level Volleyball Player

-Junior and Varsity Volleyball player at Monta Vista High School

-She helped them reach CCS Division one finals

-Miranda also plays club volleyball for Mountain View Volleyball Club (MVVC) 17 Red

How do you manage volleyball, school, friends, family, etc.?

“I usually try to make a schedule the day before so that I can do homework and make sure I have set times for that. This is because we have set times for practice and then with homework, you don’t how much there is or how long it will take, so I try to set as much time as I can for homework. For family, I usually try to make events beforehand so that I can make time for that and put that time into my schedule.”

What is the type of environment that MV girls volleyball has? What kind of environment do you thrive in? (Some prefer more uplifting and positive environments while some like intense and extremely competitive environments for motivation)

“I’d say that it’s a good mix of both upbeat and very intense and focused practice. I think that we have a good mindset for staying focused and staying on top of things. During practices, it’s very fun but there are also many moments where it’s more serious when we want to improve and get better.”

How do you deal with burnout?

“I usually deal with burnout by taking a break or missing a practice or just focusing on something else. I sometimes also just go outside and look at nature to take my mind off of just anything that’s causing the burnout.”

How do you deal with stress on competition day/games/tournaments?

“I usually deal with stress by listening to music to calm myself down because whenever I feel stressed, I feel like I can’t eat a lot before games or tournaments but that’s not good because you need to eat well before tournaments. I kinda just focus my mind on something else. Talking to teammates helps a lot and just getting your mind off of the stress works.”

You guys reached the finals of CCS D1 girls volleyball, which first of all is really amazing. CCS D1 is one of the top levels for high school sports and is very competitive. How did playing in such a high-pressure and competitive league impact your mental health? (performance anxiety, stress, etc.)

“I think that it was definitely very stressful because it was one of the bigger tournaments that I’ve ever been to. I think it just helps a lot that the coaches were very supportive of us and so I didn’t feel as pressured to do as well because I knew that everyone else was behind me and was supporting me.”

Is there any parental pressure? How do you deal with it?

“Personally, I don’t have much parental pressure. They are very chill with what I’m doing and they just want me to do what I do best. They don’t me to be stressed or to get injured.”

Is mental health talked about on your team? Would you like to see it talked about?

“It’s not talked about often but we do talk a bit about how we are stressed about school and things like that. I think it would be nice if it were talked about but there’s not really much you can do within a team because that team is mainly just focused on the sport so maybe just having something separate for mental health to talk about it.”

Does your coach emphasize mental health and provide support for your mental health?

“Yes, I know that whenever someone gets injured, their mental health definitely gets affected because you won’t be able to play for a while, and then it’s just hard on you, especially on your mind. My coach helps make sure that you’re very calm throughout it and he always wants you to know that he’s behind you and that he supports you. He also makes sure that you stay healthy and things like that.”

What other external pressures affect volleyball? ( (1) peer pressure, (2) social media)

“I don’t really feel that there’s a lot of peer pressure in volleyball and I don’t really feel much pressure from social media.”

Are you comfortable talking to teammates about mental health and pressure? What types of teammates help with your mental health/wellness (“good job”, “great work”)?

“Yeah, so I think that our volleyball community, which is very team-based and close, helps me feel comfortable talking to my teammates. Also, for my club team, I’ve been playing with them for almost 3 years and I’ve known a couple of them for a year or two and so I feel very comfortable with them. They’re very friendly. The types of teammates that help me with my mental health include people that encourage me - they tell me things like “good job” and “keep going”. If I’m not playing well, they help advise me through it.”

How would we be able to help you best with your mental health as an athlete? (presentations, videos on websites - what would help you best?)

“Having presentations over what people could do to calm themselves down or like bring down their nerves before games would be really helpful!”