Hamilton, ON- Before the game starts, Maddy Lutes has already braced herself for what’s about to come. She knows she’ll make mistakes. She knows things will happen that she doesn’t want to. 

Lutes is not scared of it though. She knows how to react. She knows how she’ll need to be composed to do so. The McMaster Marauders third-year outside hitter trained for this. Lutes made it a goal of hers to become mentally stronger. To be more composed. 

On Saturday night against the Western Mustangs on Jan 13., her and her teammates’ composure shone through. After the Marauders dropped the second set to the Mustangs to tie the game at one set apiece, Lutes stepped on the court.

She immediately made an impact with her attacking (five kills), serving, blocking and defence. With her energy as well. 

“Immediately floats up our team,” Marauders head coach Nathan Janzen said. He could feel her positivity and encouragement. Lutes came in with her team on her mind. She was totally team-first. A veteran mindset, Janzen calls it. 

“Whatever you need, I’m contributing,” she told Janzen before the game. When Janzen heard her say that, knowing all the work she puts it, that resonates with him. 

She delivered on her words as the Marauders won in four sets. “She was incredible today,” Janzen said. 

Take a moment or two to watch Lutes and there’s her trademark energy and aggression. Watch the way she bolts up for a kill or a block. Watch how she celebrates with those around her. 

Setter Lauryn Colpitts knows that energy from being with her on the court. She loves Lutes’ aggressive compete level. “She always really brings it,” Colpitts said. 

Colpitts knows her energy is there on and off the court. It’s there whether they’ve just lost a point or won one. She knows she can keep setting balls for her – which she did against Western. 

Underneath all that energy and aggression is something deeper…

Composure. When Lutes is composed, she sees things she otherwise wouldn’t. A more open mind, she calls it. 

She sees what’s going on around her – with her teammates and opponents. Lutes sees the small things that she and her teammates can fix. From their positioning on the court to having their hands up higher on a block. 

It’s also about what she doesn’t see or think. That swing she missed for instance. That serve that hit the net. That attempted dig that didn’t go well. Lutes finds herself with a short-term memory.

Lutes had that short memory and composure against Western but it’s been a roller coaster ride to get there.  

Growing up, Lutes has always been an intense person. Deep down, she always had a mission and a desire to win. She loves to succeed and loves seeing her teammate succeed. 

For that success to come to fruition, Lutes realized what she needed to do. Lutes needed to take the time to reflect. 

She’s been trying to be more composed and mentally tough ever since her club volleyball days before McMaster. This season’s been a roller coaster for her.

“It’s been tough,” Lutes said. “A lot of self-reflection. A lot of self-awareness. A lot of growing up honestly.” 

Lutes will pause to reflect. She’s done that a lot the past few months. Positive and negative thoughts come to mind but something pushes that aside…

She thinks of the big picture. She thinks of where she’s at in life as a student-athlete at McMaster with all loved ones and her teammates. She thinks of how she lives with them and sees them all the time. 

She reminds herself she’s playing for her teammates because she loves them so much.

Lutes thinks of that when she’s frustrated at practice or when things aren’t going well. When that frustration sometimes boils up at the end of a long day of classes. 

Yes, it’s frustrating, she knows. However, when she thinks of the bigger picture, something else comes to mind. I get to be here and be with my friends and be active, she thinks. This is one practice of hundreds of practices I get to do in the next few months. I’m going to learn from it.

Perhaps perspective is indeed at the heart of this all. Instead of looking at errors or frustrating moments as something to dwell on, it’s something to learn from. Take control of what I can control, she tells herself. Focus on what I can focus on.

Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t, when she finds herself dwelling on things. Lutes knows her trial and error – in both volleyball and her mental game – is something natural. With that comes understanding. 

“I feel things for a reason and I accept that,” she said. “I know that what I’m going through in whatever moment is valid but I don’t need to hang onto it forever.”  

As Lutes works towards that, she’s trying to be immersed in the present. She knows focusing too far into the future can be damaging.

The week heading into the Western games, she was only thinking as far as that weekend. No further. Lutes knows the bigger picture of it all as well. 

Everything she learns she wants to use in her life on and off the court. She wants to apply it even after her volleyball career. 

A fantastic learning opportunity. That’s what comes to mind when Lutes thinks of the spot she’s in. She learns so much from her teammates, from her coaches – including assistant coach Tim Louks. Some things Louks has told her will stick with her forever. 

She learns from herself as well. From those mistakes and the how she reacts to them. Lutes will hone in on practices in particular. After all, if she can find her mental edge in practice, it’s easier to do so in games. 

So, let’s turn to those times when Lutes does feel that frustration rising inside of her in a practice. She takes a moment to image the bigger picture. She knows she will learn from her errors. 

Every mistake that I make is in practice is one less error I’ll make in a game, Lutes thinks to herself. One less error I will make in an important moment of a match.

So, what does she feel knowing that those errors will come before the match even begins? “I just find comfort in that,” Lutes noted. “I know that I’m going to do my best and stay disciplined the way that I can and [have] composure.” 

With her mind set on the present, Lutes played her game. She felt her teammates’ composure as well. She felt their open mind and support with each other. 

The game went on against Western as Lutes and her teammates scored points, celebrated and won the third and fourth sets. 

Lutes rarely found herself looking up at the scoreboard due to nerves. She found herself only doing so when there was a timeout – which meant often realizing how many points they were up by. 

Lutes was too busy being in the moment. Too busy having fun among her teammates as they ran the offence, went for blocks and digs. Too busy playing her role in the middle of a team effort.

Perhaps in those moments – together with all her teammates – Lutes has truly seen and realized the big picture of it all. 

Featured Image: Kevin Lassel/McMaster Athletics