Club Volleyball Tryouts are When?!
Club Volleyball Tryouts are When?! Every year, club volleyball tryouts sneak up on us. It felt like just last week when we were at the pool trying not to get too sunburned and looking forward to the week-long vacation before the kids go back to school. Then bang! Here comes the rush of back-to-school-shopping-first-day-of-school-team-tryouts-first-game-why-is-my-kid-on-the-bench!?-good-lord-these-kneepads-need-to-be-washed-we-need-to-stop-and-get-stuff-for-dinner-before-homework-and-why-is-the-halloween-candy-out-this-early? Wait, what season is it again? Are those Christmas decorations? IT’S STILL SEPTEMBER FOR PETE’S SAKE. That reminds me…. Oh my gosh! Club volleyball tryouts! When does that start? Am I too late?! Where is the info? Who are the clubs? Where are tryouts? How [...]
The Importance (and Unimportance) of Club Volleyball
The club volleyball question In 20+ years of coaching, I’ve been asked many questions about volleyball. Some technical, some position-specific, and some really challenging. But the most common ones asked are about joining a Club Volleyball program. “What is club volleyball?" "When should my athlete start?" "Who is the best coach?" "Which is the best club?” I feel I never give a good answer to these questions. Not because there are no good answers, but because the answers are so dependent upon situation, Usually, there is just not enough information to give the best advice. In short, I don’t know [...]
Coach vs. Parent
Hey Coach, My daughter is playing volleyball with the local recreation league, and she feels like she is not getting a fair chance to show off what she can do. I have attended practices and in my opinion, I believe that the coach favors her daughter over my own. While I understand that this is only rec ball, I want her to have the same opportunities as everyone else. What is the best course of action? - Sidelined Dear Sidelined,Unfortunately, this is a common concern. The child feels left out, the parent questions fairness, and there may be [...]
The Art of Performance
Hey Coach, My 15-year old daughter is playing on a club volleyball team this year, and included with the team is some optional performance training. While I understand that some gym work is necessary, she doesn’t seem to find it helpful, and just wants to play volleyball. Should I require her to do to the training? - Indecisive Dear Indecisive, For many of us, working out is a chore: something we should do, but will avoid at any opportunity. Yet we all understand that working out has benefits that impact our entire lives. So, we go. And we [...]
Burnout or Fade Away?
Hey Coach, This year has been all volleyball for my son. He has played almost nonstop from the freshman season until now, and has become an excellent outside hitter; starting for the varsity team as a sophomore. While I am proud of all he has accomplished, I am beginning to see the signs of burnout. He isn’t finishing his homework, and is fighting a nagging hip injury. I want him to take the spring off to regroup. He’s worried that his skills will decline, and wants to keep playing. We need a professional to help us choose, what do you [...]
When to Begin a Sports Career?
Hey Coach, My daughter can’t get enough volleyball. She talks about playing day and night, and seems to have developed most of her friendships through the sport. She even talks about playing collegiate volleyball at LSU someday. The kicker? She’s only 9 years old. Although I don’t want to spoil her dreams, I also don’t want to become one of “those parents”; the ones who push their children farther than they are ready to go. Is this too early to begin thinking about a sports career? - 9-year-old pro Dear 9-Year-Old Pro, Parenting is a tough balance; [...]
What is the Best way to get my Children into Sports?
Hey Coach, Both my children (8 and 10) are active and healthy, but are not currently involved in sports. Many of their friends have been playing a single sport for years already. Is it too late to get them involved? How do I give them the best experience? - Concerned Parent Dear Concerned Parent, It’s never too late to start your children in sports. The resiliency and energy of youth can quickly narrow the gap between a 10 year old that just started, and a 10 year old that has been competing for years. So your concern [...]
How do I Gain a Larger Competitive Edge?
Hey Coach, I have been playing competitive tennis for three years now, and I seem to have hit a plateau. Although I feel like I am doing everything I can to get better, my win percentage seems to stay the same. How do I get better, faster? - Love-30 Love-30, For all athletes, there are times of rapid growth, and times of plateau. This is natural to any area of learning, and is not necessarily bad. But being stuck on a plateau is more likely to be about your routine, and less about your skills or drive. [...]
What Should my Athlete do in the Offseason?
Hey Coach, My son is entering high school next year. He was a starter on his 8th grade team, but the HS players seem so much larger and faster than him. I’m worried that freshman year will find him on the bench. How should I prepare him this summer? - High School High Anxiety Dear HSHA, High school sports mark a big shift in intensity and competition. The stakes are greater, the audiences larger, and the competition tougher. Additionally, many teams will have 18-year-old starters practicing next to 14-year-old freshman. For many young athletes, this can be [...]
Should My Daughter Change Sports?
Hey Coach, My daughter has been playing basketball since she was 8 years old. She started at our local parks department, and rapidly moved into travel ball. The problem is she is now 13 years old, 5’1”, and not going to get much taller. She is a good athlete, but her interest in basketball is ending. I want to guide her into a new sport, although I worry she is going to be too far behind to be successful. Should she continue in basketball or start anew? - Stay or Go Dear Stay or Go, There are [...]
