The World Aquatics Water Polo Championships in Singapore have just wrapped up, with the United States finishing fourth. Goalkeeper Amanda Longan breaks down her mental game that helps her handle both the wins and losses of major tournaments. 

Turning Mistakes into Momentum

Going into the 2024 Paris Olympics, the US Women’s Water Polo team was favored to win their fourth consecutive gold medal, a feat never before accomplished in water polo. Instead they finished fourth, just narrowly edged out of the podium by the Netherlands. The team faced a similar challenge this summer, just narrowly missing out on the podium with a 12-13 loss to Spain in the bronze medal match. 

When asked about recovering from a frustrating result, Longan says she reminds herself “I can't change the past, but I can try to do something about the future.” Instead of letting a mistake define her in the moment, she reframes it as an opportunity. “When it comes to missing a block or making a bad pass live time in a game, I just try to think of it more as intel for the rest of the game on the opponent rather than feeling defeated so that I don't doubt my abilities for the rest.” 

In the Classroom and the Pool

Longan’s resilient mindset in competition is strengthened by her field of study. Outside of sport, she’s pursuing her master’s in clinical psychology at Pepperdine University, giving her an added layer of insight to the mental side of sport. “One of the most important things I have learned so far is that we choose our mindset, no one else. So in moments of shortcomings or failures, we choose how we want it to affect us.,” Longan says. 

“When it comes to missing a block or making a bad pass live time in a game, I just try to think of it more as intel for the rest of the game on the opponent rather than feeling defeated.”

VIS Mentor Amanda Longan

As athletes, we are the masters of our own mentality. “I am in control of how much I want to let something continue to hurt me or bring me down,” Longan says. 

Flexibility in Big Moments 

Longan’s approach to control applies to managing competition nerves, too. “I try to keep everything as normal as possible… I don't overthink my routines or become obsessive about trying to keep everything the same each game day,” she says. By staying flexible and grounded, Longan knows she can perform, no matter the circumstances. 

Reset and Refocus

Longan’s winning mindset fits in well with the United States Water Polo Team. At the World Athletic Championships this year, the U.S. breezed through the group stage of the tournament, defeating China 15-7, the Netherlands 11-9, and Argentina 26-3. Longan herself notched 8 saves against the Netherlands, including a penalty shot, and 13 saves against China. 

But in the tournament semifinals, they fell to Greece 14-10 and later faced a tough loss against Spain, finishing just off the podium in 4th place. 

As a veteran player and the only Olympic gold medalist on the roster, Longan supports her team by fostering a positive environment and leads her teammates by example. More than anything, she values being there to support them through moments of success and failure. Her mindset isn’t about guaranteeing outcomes, but rather being present and intentional in the moment and showing up for your team. 

Longan reminds us of the importance of the mental game. Win or lose, she knows she and her team have the mental tools to meet the moment, no matter what lies ahead.