Is the Club Volleyball worth it?

My daughter is a sophomore and is 5’9”. She plays front and back row on her high school team.  As she is attending a small school, she is forced to play front row as she hits hard and has a decent game vertical at about 2’ but her scrappiness is impressive in the back row. 

She has a hudl account and keeps on getting emails from ncsa, which she is hoping that it means colleges are interested but it’s more likely that paid recruiters want our money. She has been offered to play on a travel team but there is so few girls on the team that are college level girls and the cost is over $3000. Are we better to save that money for our daughter’s college or investing it toward her getting a scholarship? 

My daughter also is a softball pitcher and a basketball player and has a perfect gpa. She managed to play varsity as a freshman in all three sports.  She’s also a kind and a terrific team player.  She does love volleyball. 

I don’t know if contacting coaches is a good option. Should she get attend a camp to get some data on her athletic abilities?  Should we spend the money on her playing on a travel team?  Is she tall enough to make a D1 team?  Is her making a D2 or D3 team even worth the cost of travel volleyball?

K.O.

Thank you for your email and there are a number of questions to work through - Before answering, I will provide some additional context and information.

Club volleyball is looked at as the entry into college volleyball, but that is a little bit like "putting cart in-front of the horse".  Talent determines an athlete's ability to play college volleyball and club volleyball provides the opportunity for athletes to develop their talents.  Because an athlete will receive a significant amount of extra repetitions and hundreds of extra matches versus just playing high school volleyball, club volleyball is the dominant vehicle to increase a player's abilities.

As college athletic scholarships are limited in numbers and/or amounts, it is a competitive situation to obtain an athletic scholarship.  A player's talent will determine the opportunity to receive an athletic scholarship and the amount of such a scholarship.

Traditionally, club volleyball is commonly viewed as the pathway to college volleyball because of all the college coaches which attend club volleyball tournaments to evaluate/scout recruits.  If college coaches can't see an athlete in person, it can be uncomfortable for them to offer roster positions and scholarships to players via video tape.  Club volleyball tournaments allow college coaches to evaluate hundreds of players over the course of 2 to 3 days.  From January to the end of April, there is a large club volleyball tournament every weekend in the more populous states, which allows college coaches to constantly evaluate athletes in person!

NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball has 12 scholarships to award and since women's volleyball in DI is a 'head count' sport and only 12 heads can be on a scholarship, each player gets a full scholarship (provided the program is fully funded with scholarships, which the majority of DI women's teams are) - Obviously, the DI Full Scholarship, especially considering the crazy cost of college these days, is a huge motivation for families to participate in club volleyball.  

Families need to be aware that NCAA DI Women's Volleyball rosters are larger than 12 - Take a look at the roster page on the school's athletic website in the fall season, and you will see Volleyball teams with 16, 18 or 20 players.  This means that all the players outside of the Golden (like Greenwood) Ticket holders, are not receiving an athletic scholarship; they may well be receiving academic and/or merit scholarships, but these are not influenced or controlled by the athletic department.

NCAA Division II and NAIA have 8 scholarships (if the school fully funds the volleyball program) and these type of scholarships are called 'equivalency'.  A coach can take those 8 scholarships and divide them among 20 players, as long as the total amount awarded is equivalent to 8 full scholarships.  In Division II and NAIA volleyball, athletic scholarships are rarely awarded in full amounts, but rather in partial scholarship amounts.  But, unlike NCAA Division I, DII and NAIA schools can stack or package a variety of scholarships together; a player can receive an academic, an athletic, a merit and/or need based scholarships.  Often times, especially if the player has very good academics, the scholarship package at DII/NAIA schools can total out to a Full Scholarship.

NCAA Division III does not offer athletic scholarships.  Doesn't matter how great of a volleyball player, the division rules do not allow the awarding of an athletic scholarship. However, players can receive academic, merit and/or need based scholarships, but they cannot be influenced at all by athletic ability or the athletic department.

Junior College has a variety of athletic scholarship opportunities, depending upon the category of JC.  Junior Colleges have 3 divisions or categories of athletic programs, much like the NCAA.  DI Junior Colleges have full scholarships and the limit is 14 full scholarships if the program is fully funded.  DII gives out partial athletic scholarships, and DIII Junior College is not allowed to provide athletic scholarships.

That should provide some background information to move into your questions - As you have a number of important questions, let me break them out, along with a few other lines from your email which merit comment: 

• .....she is forced to play front row as she hits hard and has a decent game vertical....

As she is only a sophomore and she is 5'9", it is a good thing that she is playing all the way around.  The most competitive collegiate recruiting position is the Libero/DS/Back Row player because there are so many talented players and not a lot of opportunity.  All to often, the back row players don't receive much of an athletic scholarship, if any at all.  I believe 'good' all around Outside Hitters have more recruiting opportunities, than 'good' back row players.

• ....but it’s more likely that paid recruiters want our money....

Recruiting Services are businesses and they have well developed systems to encourage families to sign up for their support.  Some families do need a recruiting service and this can be a wise investment to manage the collegiate recruiting process.  

• She has been offered to play on a travel team but there is so few girls on the team that are college level girls and the cost is over $3000.

Club volleyball is expensive, but it is the protocol to increase ability and to be effectively seen by college coaches.  College coaches don't recruit the club team, we focus on the player were are evaluating.  The majority of time, we don't even know the score of the game much less stay for the entire match.  We don't judge a player by the abilities of her teammates; we judge her interaction with team mates though.

• Are we better to save that money for our daughter’s college or investing it toward her getting a scholarship?

The current club season has ground to a stop with the COVID 19 pandemic, so we will consider the Junior and Senior year of high school playing club volleyball - If we look at this from a return on investment viewpoint; $3000 per year for the next 2 years of club volleyball, plus related expenses of equipment, travel, meals, etc: say....$8,000.

If an athlete plays for 4 years and graduates in 4 years (we won't consider the possibility of a redshirt year), the per college year investment is $2,000.  To make the math work, a player would want to receive at least a $2,000 per year athletic scholarship.  There is a certain in-college value to playing collegiate sports (academic support, priority scheduling, athletic clothing and equipment, representing something larger than yourself, developing lifelong friendships through a common experience, etc.), not to mention post college life of having athletics on your resume and potential employers rating you higher.

Because of my experience as a collegiate player and as a collegiate coach, I feel that eight thousand dollars is a good investment.

• ....and has a perfect gpa....

If her ACT/SAT test scores will reflect this great g.p.a., she will be in a good position to garner academic scholarships.  For the majority of non-Division I players, the academic scholarship will be the largest scholarship award and, as long as you keep up the college mandated g.p.a, this academic award will continue until graduation!

• I don’t know if contacting coaches is a good option.

It is not only a good option, it is the only option to reach your recruiting goals.  As presented above, college volleyball recruiting is competitive - Your 5'9", all around outside hitter daughter, with the great gpa and personality, is competing against thousands of other 5'9" all around outside hitters with great grades and personalities.  Waiting for college coaches to find a player is not a plan, it is a dream.  Because there are so many talented players of average height, it is absolutely necessary for players/families to reach out to college coaches via email with player information and current video.  Even if a player is participating in club volleyball, they still need to reach out to college coaches to convince them to come to court #52 in the Dallas Convention Center during the MLK Classic tournament.

• Should she get attend a camp to get some data on her athletic abilities?

Camps are generally not designed for recruiting, unless the camp specifically says it is for recruiting and has the itinerary to support such a statement; a college camp where the only coaches are from one school (the host college) is not a recruiting camp.  A better option would be recruiting combines or showcases, where a bunch of college coaches attend and would contact an athlete if interested.  The best, but most expensive option, is club volleyball, in which the team plays in large tournaments and the player/family can easily see how they stack up!

• Should we spend the money on her playing on a travel team? 

Yes, if she does want to play in college, she needs to have the training and repetitions needed to develop her talent, along with putting herself into the live view of college coaches attending big tournaments.  There are rare occasions that a gifted volleyball athlete can secure a collegiate opportunity by playing only high school volleyball.

• Is she tall enough to make a D1 team?

Yes, but not at the Power Conference or upper mid major level.  There are plenty of 5'9"-5'10" outside hitters at the mid to lower level NCAA Division I programs.  Her ball control/passing, attacking ability and volleyball intelligence will be more of a deciding factor for these type of DI programs, rather than just her height.

• Is her making a D2 or D3 team even worth the cost of travel volleyball?

I believe so - Think of DII/NAIA in terms of a combination of scholarships and collegiate experience.  Even a partial D2/NAIA 'partial scholarship' will routinely be more than $2,000 per month.  Again, the packaging of D2/NAIA school scholarships can approach and easily total a full scholarship.

There is much to digest when it comes to today's college volleyball recruiting environment.  Hopefully my answers and background information will provide some direction as your daughter moves forward with her volleyball career!!!

Plight of the Short Outside Hitter

Hi Coach:

    I’m an 8th grader right now and I’m 5’3. I have played outside for the last two years I have been playing but i’m not expected to grow any taller. My standing block is 8’5 1/2 and with an approach I am able to reach 8’11. 

Is there any possible way i could play outside in college or no? Do you have any tips? 

Thank you!

L.M.

You can play in college but the challenge will be your position.  Even the smallest collegiate outside hitters tend to be in the 5'6"+ range; recruiting for the attack positions is height driven.

The silver lining is your athleticism - at 5'3" and in 8th grade, it is fantastic that you are blocking a full foot above the net and over 18 inches above with your attack!  This athleticism, combined with your outside hitter experience can translate well to another position for college volleyball - The Libero.

If playing in college is your goal, then you will need to switch to the libero position - Statistically speaking, 5'3" collegiate outside hitters don't exist.  But there are collegiate opportunities for 5'3", great passing and athletic liberos!

To this end, for the next club season, your freshman year, you should move to the Libero position.  

If you are absolutely and without a doubt, only want to play Outside Hitter - Then your collegiate options would tend to be at the NCAA Division III and lower NAIA levels.

Good luck!

Boy's Volleyball Recruiting Question

My 2 sons attending the [AVCA] KC showcase...really enjoyed listening to your insights you shared with the parents. 

I have 2 follow-up questions:

1) My older son just turned 18 and is a freshman in college, plays on the schools boys club team. He attended the showcase in hopes of being scouted, as he would now like to play for a collegiate VB program. He has not done the NCAA clearing house paperwork, will this prevent coaches from contacting him? Are we correct to assume we can always complete this once someone shows interest?

2) Say a coach identifies a talented prospect, yet he has no spot within his program. From your experience, do coaches spread the word by passing along the prospect with other coaches? Or do they just delete athlete.

Appreciate your feedback!



Thank you for the email and the compliments on my Recruiting Education Talk at the AVCA Boy's Showcase in Kansas City - A have a cool job with NCSA Next College Student Athlete because I get to share my experience with families and help them along the recruiting path!

As to your questions:

1)  He should start and complete the NCAA Eligibility Center process ASAP, along with the NAIA (playnaia.org) - This will be very important because it allows college coaches to quickly and accurately asses his academic standing and playing eligibility.  Since he is playing organized college volleyball (albeit men's college club), he may have burned one year of eligibility, but worst case, he would still have 3 years to compete at an intercollegiate program.  With his freshman academic status, he should have no academic transfer issues provided he has been enrolled in core classes and attained solid grades.

2) They would 95% of the time hit the delete button rather than pass along a player.  My guess is that this "pass-along" happens more in women's volleyball because of the sheer volume of players/college programs, but even this is not too often.

My direct advice is your eldest son needs to get registered with the NCAA and NAIA, get a current copy of his college transcript (including Spring Semester classes) and most importantly, generate current video to send to college coaches.  

As I mentioned (hopefully) during my Talk, if a player has the talent to make the collegiate team better, then the coach will recruit this player.  Ability creates opportunity, but the men's collegiate coaches must see video because they don't have the recruiting budgets of the women's teams!

Good luck and thank you once again for the nice email!

Coach

College Volleyball Recruiting and the Outside Hitter

5'5 OH / college future,

Hello, my daughter is going into the ninth grade and she loves volleyball. She wants to play on the collegiate level. Does she have a good chance on playing with taller girls as well as playing on a D1 or D2 level with her height?

She is 5'5 right now, and has a 9'2 approach and 8'3 block. My daughter played all around in the last club season. Her speciality is OH/DS but she says she is open to any position that will get her a scholarship. She is also a powerhitter. She continues to play club ball in the DFW area because she loves the game and want to get to the next level after high school.

Thank you in advance for your response. 

SA

With your daughter's height and current jumping ability, NCAA Division I will not be a realistic possibility.  Even if she grows to 5'7"+, her approach touch would need to go over 9'6"+ - DI volleyball is extremely height driven for attackers.

If your daughter has the passion to be an attacker at the collegiate level, the categories outside of NCAA Division provide the best opportunity for a roster spot and scholarship.

The key with scholarships outside of DI, is to remember that they are packaged scholarships which are inclusive of athletics, academics, merit and need based avenues.  The packaging of these avenues allows many non DI athletes to actually receive a full scholarship, but it does not come exclusively from athletics.  Not having the scholarship fully funded by athletics, can be a safety net because your financial future is not subject to the whims of a coach or the cruelness of the volleyball gods.

You mentioned NCAA Division II, and be aware of NCAA Division III, NAIA and Junior College categories. NCSA - Next College Student Athlete has a great free recruiting profile, which includes the definitions and protocols for each of the above categories!

Being a "shorter" outside hitter, means that passing and ball control are keenly important. A college coach can accept a smaller attacker, provided they are one of the best passers on the team.  Many coaches will recruit smaller attackers, knowing that they can transition this player to a back row athlete, should the need arise.

With your baby girl being in 9th grade, she has more time on the recruiting clock than a 6'2" OH.  This is a positive because it allows her to develop skill sets before becoming actively engaged in the recruiting process and needing to interact/evaluate collegiate programs!

Stay focused on developing her all around game and keeping the game fun!

Coach

NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Recruiting Question

Hi my name is Jayden Sanford, I just completed my freshman year of high school. I am 14 and, 5"8 3/4 and I started varsity as MH/RS. I am an okay passer, and a good server. I have played club for 3 years, and have attended Nationals once in the USA division and placed 5th and I will be attending Nationals this year in the National division. I was wondering if I have a shot at playing D1 in college... I know the chance is slim but my dad is 6"8 and played D1 basketball, and I would like to follow in his footsteps but with volleyball. 

Thanks in advance.

J.S.

As I have written online and with Inside College Volleyball, NCAA Division I is the bright light for high school players but may not be the best fit.  I have seen too many VolleyFamilies get hung up on that DI tag and limit themselves in the recruiting process or attain that DI goal only to have a terrible experience because it was not the best match for their collegiate academic and athletic goals.

Much of DI is driven by height; from Stanford to Samford, DI coaches want height.  With your father being 6'8" and your 5'8" (and 3/4) height as a 14 year old, you could well reach 5'10"+ by the time your Senior year rolls around.

For the majority of DI programs, 5'10"ish, will eliminate the Middle Blocker position and the elite DI programs as an Outside Hitter (should you be a great passer with a great approach jump, then it is possible to break into those power conferences, as recent history has shown);  but, mid to lower DI conferences routinely have 5'10" OH's, provided they can receive serve adequately.  As a RS (you mentioned MB/RS as your positions), this may be a bigger challenge, as many DI's load up on tall RS players, because they can convert a MB or poor passing but tall OH to the RS.

If your goal is stubbornly DI, then you should focus on vastly improving your passing skills and defense as to transition to the OH position.  Or, greatly increase your vertical so your 5'10" height jumps like a 6'3" player on the Right.

That being said, and you know what is coming next, look outside the DI category - There are great opportunities with fantastic scholarship packages for quality 5'10" MB's/RS's/OH's in the DII, NAIA and JC levels.

In my recruiting education talks for NCSA, I routinely state "Ability determines Opportunity"; the better your skills the more choices you will have in schools.  

You can't change height, but you can improve your talent to improve your options.  For those players which are not height normal for DI, they can 'make-up' for this genetic reality by working very hard to become the best possible player.

Coach

College Volleyball Transferring....the questions begin....

I was wondering what are the key points to know when looking to transfer schools. Currently I play in the NAIA, I wish to transfer to NCAA preferable but not ruling out the other options either. Is there restrictions rules to follow when talking to new coaches? When should i tell my current coach I am looking to transfer? What do I say to prospective coaches in emails, etc? Should I wait until the season is done to seek out to new schools? Is it worth it to switch schools for the new semester or play Spring with my current school for reps? I am a Freshmen student, it wouldn’t be with it to play JC right?

Very confused and frustrated college athlete,
Thank you for your time.

T.P.

'Tis the season of the transfer.  Each year about this time, I will get a number of questions about transferring; the rules, the process, the challenges, the outreach, the academics, etc.

A few things to note before any player/family goes down the transfer path (and I mean leaving a 4 year school, as opposed to moving from Junior College to a 4 year school):

• Why exactly do you want to transfer?  Is it playing time, academics, quality of life at the school, issues with the coach, issues with your team mates, too far from home, etc.

There are many valid reasons to transfer but be very careful when you transfer because you are not playing enough or you don't like your coach.  Playing time is never guaranteed, no matter what any coach tells you. If you are trying to transfer to a college volleyball program of similar stature, then what makes you think you will play at this new school? Also, I know there are a some truly crazy college volleyball coaches, but the reality is almost all coaches have some traits which will be undesirable.  Make sure you are not deferring your personal playing time or volleyball satisfaction upon the coach, instead of taking ownership of what you should be doing in practice to garner this desired playing time.

The grass is not always greener...

• Understand that you can transfer one time without any penalties (broad statement).

Transferring should not be a knee jerk reaction "...I am not playing, so I am going to transfer...", "the coach doesn't like me, so I am going to transfer...".  A Transfer is the special pass that can get you out of a bad situation but it must be respected.  If you switch schools and the new school/program is basically the same as the old school/program, then you are stuck there.

Please note that there are often conference restrictions on transferring and current schools are within their rights to limit what schools you can transfer to, even if they are not in the conference.  Yes, there is a 'hearing opportunity' to challenge any limitation, but the school seems to always win these hearings.

• Transferring can be a challenge because of the rules and the recruiting competition.

There are specific rules for transferring with regards to athletic and academic eligibility, not too mention some important documentation and protocol which must be processed.  Also, and this is something most players/families forget, when you are trying to transfer as a 4 year student athlete, you are competing against every other 4 year transfer, and 2 year transfer and high school age athlete.  

And now to your questions:

• As a NAIA student athlete and a Freshman, you can transfer to a 2 year college or a 4 year college.  If you look towards a JC, then it would be known as a 4-2-4 transfer because you will eventually go back to a 4 year.
• There are only 3 options for a transfer; NCAA (Divisions I, II, III) Junior College or National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA, which I am the least familiar with).
• It is my understanding that NAIA and member schools are moving towards a Permission to Contact Letter (PCL), as the NCAA currently has - This means you must gain permission from the appropriate athletic director at your school to contact other schools.
• Even though you are a NAIA athlete, NCAA schools will also ask for a Permission to Contact Letter  (PCL) before they will allow their coaches to interact with you.
• A common mix up in terminology is to say "get a Release".  First you need a PCL to reach out to college coaches, and if you have been successful in finding your new school, the new school will request a "Release" from your original institution which says that you would have been eligible at the original school and they release you to play for another school.
• You should tell your current coach that you are intent on transferring, only after you are absolutely sure you want to leave.  There is no rule against it, but current coaches are not going to allow you to go look and then return to the team.  When you state you are transferring, then it is like jumping off the diving board.
• Before you reach out to other colleges, make sure you are reaching out to the correct schools based upon your athletic, academic, geographic and social desires.  Remember, be very specific about why you are transferring and what you exactly want out of your new school.
• When it is time, reach out to college coaches with an email which includes your Permission to Contact Letter, the most current video, your most current academic transcripts and a brief explanation of why you want to transfer (if you cannot clearly define why you want to transfer, then you need to rethink everything).
• It is very rare that players can transfer mid semester, and almost impossible for freshman to transfer mid semester; the majority of freshman (at any type of school) are mandated to stay for one academic year before transferring).
• Be aware that academic status is very important.  There are governing body rules (NAIA/JC/NAIA) about how many units you need to have on your transcript at the end of each semester/year, and the corresponding grade point average.  In addition, each school will set its own academic standards which must be met and they are almost always above the governing body rules.  For instance, the transferring school may not accept the Sociology class you took at your original school.  You will need a school specific accepted unit count and grade point average, which is determined by your current academic year status before you can be academically eligible.

So, in summary - Make sure that transferring is the answer, obtain the PCL, reach out with emails containing all your pertinent information and video, then be very consistent and focused on your outreach/communication with potential programs because you are in a still competition to garner your next opportunity!

Good luck!

College Volleyball Championships

VolleyFans - We are now into the Championship seasons of college volleyball.  


Please go see a Championship match in your area - Great entertainment for the family and a heck of a lot cheaper than football or basketball game!


NCAA Division I Championship - http://www.ncaa.com/championships/volleyball-women/d1/road-to-the-championship


NCAA Division II Championship - http://www.ncaa.com/content/division-ii-womens-volleyball-championship-guide


NCAA Division III Championships - http://www.ncaa.com/interactive-bracket/volleyball-women/d3


NAIA Championships - http://www.naia.org/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=27900&SPID=96227&SPSID=640698


Junior College Championships - http://www.njcaacasper.net

College Volleyball Recruiting without playing Club

Hi Coach,

First of all, I'd like to thank you for all the great advice you've given in your book and on this website. You've already answered a ton of questions about volleyball, recruitment, and playing at the next level.

So here's my situation. I'm a 16-year-old 5' 11 middle blocker just beginning the school season of my junior year. I played club ball in the 13's and 14's years, but (while still playing school ball) took my 15's and 16's years off, mostly due to burnout. Now, however, I'm more excited than ever about playing more and improving my skills, especially this year, because I know 17's is where most coaches start seriously recruiting players. I should add that I don't feel "behind" my fellow junior class (those who have played club consistently) because my school team is exceptionally good and the coaching is great. I feel like I learn a lot and am constantly improving. I'd also been doing clinics and extra practices during the off seasons to keep up.

Right now there are two options for the rest of my junior year as far as volleyball goes. 1) I could play club ball on a national team who has already offered me a spot, although it would be a strain on my large family, factoring in time spent away at tournaments, club costs, travel costs, and other expenses such as food, gas, etc., or 2) Practice with some of my teammates and school coach throughout club season and scrimmage other teams in a nearby club. I wouldn't be getting any material for a tournament highlight video, and I couldn't exactly email coaches to come watch me play, but I would be getting coaching and playing time, and I could always film a skill video (I think you've said in the past that as a college coach you actually prefer skill videos?).

My question is this: Is it necessary to play club in order to be considered for a scholarship? How, if possible, would I go about being recruited for college volleyball without playing club? If it is something that can be done, I think it would be a better option for my family, especially since I know I don't want to play D1 (my goal is D2/NAIA). So how do I reach out to those coaches if I won't be playing in tournaments next spring? Can I send a highlight video from my school season, and then possibly some skills videos or film from practices next spring rather than tournament highlights? Basically, if you were me, and playing club ball would be logistically tricky, what is the course of action you would take to get noticed by D2/NAIA coaches?

Again, thanks for all your wonderful advice in your book and on this website!! And thank you for taking the time to consider my question(s).

-Perplexed Player

Thank you for the compliments on my book and collegevolleyballcoach.com!  Glad that both avenues of information have been able to help you!

You have referenced something which many club volleyball families are managing and that is 'burn out' - Either physically, emotionally or financially, year round volleyball with the club volleyball season being dominant can easily lead to an exhaustion.  Because of how young club and almost year round volleyball can begin, staying fresh and focused for 10 years, before even going off to college, is a daunting challenge.

If a player/family feels this 'burn' approaching, it is best to do step away earlier in club than later in the club.  Better to take the  8th and 9th grade years off from club than the 11th and 12th grade years, if playing college volleyball is a desire.

The opportunity cost of club volleyball is high; financially, physically, emotionally, time commitment, academics, family time, etc, etc, are all impacted by club.  Playing club easily takes away the opportunity of traveling just for adventure, saving for a new car, getting a better grade, visiting with Aunt Edna and so on.

If a player's goal is to play college volleyball, club is not mandatory but customary, especially for those aspiring to the DI level.   Club allows for thousands of additional touches upon the volleyball.  Beyond good or bad coaches, beyond regional or national level teams, beyond all of that, each touch upon the ball can make your better and a thousand touches will make you a thousand times better.

As to your questions; if you were intent upon playing NCAA Division I volleyball, then I would reply that you should play club on the national team which has already offered you a spot.  DI recruits must obtain maximum repetitions and then play in national tournaments where they can display their abilities to DI coaches.

But, you have noted that D2/NAIA is your desired level, so this changes the response.  Before I give the world's best answer to your question, please be aware that many elite level D2 and NAIA programs (those in the top 10+) operate and recruit like DI programs, so the expectations of the recruitment scenario are the same.

For those D2/NAIA programs outside of the elite ranks, a recruit does not necessarily have to play club but must be conscious of still developing abilities.  As I have written about many times and spoken about at my many NCSA Athletic Recruiting events, a player's ability will determine their opportunity.  Too many families/players think that since they are not shooting for DI, then they can just play high school and send out some emails to secure the D2/NAIA position. This is an old school mentality which is no longer valid.

The number of high school age athletes playing volleyball continues to grow, but there are no more colleges/universities being built.  This results in the supply vs demand equation becoming a disadvantage for players; there is an increasing number of good players trying to secure roster spots with a non increasing number of colleges.  This new reality means that players must continue to develop skill sets outside of their high school season, because they are competing against a thousand other recruits for that roster spot.

If you decide to not play club volleyball, then attending open gyms, scrimmaging against teams, engaging in clinics/private lessons and increasing your physical fitness will be critical to achieving your goal of securing a D2/NAIA opportunity.

In terms of managing the recruitment process, video and combines will be your two best avenues.  While you may not have club tournament footage, you can still video practices, lessons and scrimmages.  This will give you current video to send out to college coaches.  

Recruiting combines (also called Showcases) can be a useful tool for exposure to college coaches, along with a venue for you to invite specific programs to come watch you play in person.  If there are major club tournaments in your greater region, many of them will offer open Combines (you don't have to be playing in the tournament to register and participate).

With any situation, playing club or not playing club, the outreach process by the player is the critical part of any recruiting situation.  College coaches need your help to 'find' you because there are so many many high school age players who want to play college volleyball.  If you reach out to the appropriate level of collegiate program, that also matches well your non-volleyball interests, then you are positioning yourself to be successful in the recruiting game.  Because of technology and the internet, it is simply a matter of emailing them with your information and including a video link.  

The more active you are in the outreach process, with using video, the more opportunities you will have (provided you are contacting appropriate D2/NAIA programs)!

Coach

College Volleyball - NCAA, NAIA and NCCAA questions (and I help Olympic Volleyball)

I saw your Olympic update and can't agree with you more on the men's volleyball, it is very hard to watch and not very exciting.  On that note besides the color of the ball what other changes would help viewership, I think the net should also be raised to 8' 6" instead of the 7'11".  When you have 6' 10" guys who can approach touch 12' it doesn't make the game very entertaining, it's like a 6 foot guy playing basketball on a 9' goal, it just doesn't seem right.  I don't know what they have tried in years past to make the game more entertaining from a viewers perspective, but I wish they would implement a zone scoring system where as an example a back row attack is worth 2 points on a kill or an untouched Ace is a 2 point score.  Other than blocking there really isn't a whole lot of defense being played unless the ball is hit right at someone or within arms reach, the ball just moves so fast that taking a step is to slow. 

I do have a question regarding girls college volleyball.  What are the comparisons / differences between NCAA volleyball and NAIA volleyball?  What should parents and players know about choosing NCAA or NAIA or NCCAA.  My daughter has been focused on NCAA schools and then out of the blue she started getting a lot of interest from NAIA and NCCAA schools.  I know that NCCAA is Christian Faith schools but what is the level of play, scholarship info to know.   Up until they started recruiting her I had no idea there was even a registration site for NAIA eligibility. Even the clubs that my daughter has played for have never even mentioned these other 2 options to my knowledge.       

Thank You,

B.B.

Thank you for your email and support of collegevolleyballcoach.com.

The men's game has grown so physical, that it has overwhelmed the space of the volleyball court and the ability of the cameras to track the ball.  Each generation of athletes gets taller and stronger but the physical dimensions of the playing spaces have stayed the same.  In men's volleyball, including collegiate men's volleyball, everyone is tall.  A 6'3" guys looks small on the court and as you mentioned, the net is a non factor.

I believe the change which is necessary is to change the physical dimensions and not the scoring.  To change the scoring would drastically alter the philosophy of the game and we have too many part time fans to start drastic changes in the protocols of the game; I was coaching when we changed to 'rally score' and I had many part time fans ask why did we change, and no matter my answer, they said they did not understand whey because they enjoyed the game as it was.

Beach Volleyball changed their physical dimensions with mixed results - They reduced the size of the court for men's and women's.  For the women's game, I think it was positive, as it allowed for more rallies and increased excitement.  For the men's game, I believe it was a negative because it reduced rallies and turned it into pass set boom, just like the indoor game.

My perfect physical solution for all of volleyball would be, leave the women's indoor and beach protocols the same. Both of these sports are fun to watch, they have exciting rallies and both sports are enjoying solid national and international support.

For the men's beach game, I would return the beach court to the size of the indoor court and raise the net to 8'6".  This would allow for more rallies and for the 'shorter' player to be successful as they would have more court to work with and not be tied into a hopeless height battle against the net monsters, and it emphasize passing and ball control.  For the indoor game, I would raise the net at least 9'4". This would change the geometry of the game but not the game.  The jump serve would not be as powerful, the attacking and blocking not as dominant, it would increase rallies.  Folks may think that 16 inches is a big increase, but when you see players with their shoulders completely over the net, 16 inches is not big deal.

And, go back to the all white ball - If anyone is confused, google 1984 Olympic Volleyball and notice how easy it is to track the ball on TV when it was all white.

Now that we have solved any issues with the indoor and beach games internationally, let's move onto your college volleyball questions.

I am not as familiar with the National Christian College Athletic Association, other than what I can read online - The full listing of their member schools is (http://www.thenccaa.org/sports/2016/5/20/Member_Schools.aspx) but this does not necessarily mean each school has women's volleyball.  

As for the comparison between NCAA and NAIA, that is a bit of a brand question, so for volleyball the simple answer is NCAA DII and NAIA are similar in scholarships and playing levels.  NCAA DII and NAIA both package their scholarships with the majority of funding coming via the academic avenues.  Both categories have a wide range of athlete characteristics and programs; some are elite and others are just basic.  In general, the DII and NAIA players tend to be shorter and a bit less dynamic than the NCAA DI players, but there are many NCAA DII and NAIA elite programs which could beat NCAA DI mid to lower level programs.

The NAIA eligibility site is called playnaia.org and recently, they have increased their initially eligibility parameters to more mirror the NCAA. I cannot speak to the eligibility criteria of the NCCAA.

If your daughter is an all around solid player with average height and athleticism, then she would fall into the great middle class of volleyball.  And this great middle class of volleyball (which I have also called the Toyota Camry of volleyball players - Solid, all around good car but nothing dynamic) can see athletes in low DI, DII and NAIA (again, I am not comfortable evaluating the NCCAA level).  This is potential a good thing because it allows the family many more opportunities when considering academic major, school particulars and geographic location.  This can potentially be a bad thing because there are hundreds, if not a thousand schools which fall into the middle class.

As I have written before, the key with any recruiting management is to be clear about what the player/family is most comfortable with, and then reach out to those schools which fit their parameters?  Academically, what does she want to major it or at least what is interesting to her?  Volleyball wise, does she want to play right away or is she willing to work her way into a starting position in year 2 or 3?  What part of the country does she want to live?  Does she want to be close or far from home?  What size school? City or country campus?  These are all questions which must be thought through before and while engaging with college volleyball programs.  

Once a family has defined their needs, then they can reach out to those schools which can best fill those needs.

Coach

College Volleyball Recruiting - Setter or Libero?

My daughter who is going into her sophomore year has been setting since 6^th grade she runs 6-1’s very well and is equally comfortable playing in a 6-2.  She has likely reached her max height of 5’ 6”.  In the offseason she conditions well - runs, works vertical drills, does summer leagues  and has about a 36” vertical.  She’s extremely fast, easy to work with, understands the court well and at several camps DII and DI coaches have told me she is one of their favorites to work with. 

This summer at a big 10 camp one of the coaches brought in from another college even offered to help my daughter when she starts looking for a college to play at.  She is always positive and always 100%.  She understands that her height will most likely not allow her to play D1 as a setter.  

She has approached her high school coach (who is also a club director) if she can move to a DS position to get more touches at a position she thinks is where she would likely play at the next level.  The HS coach surprised me and asked her why she would want to cut her playing time as she runs the court well at setter adding that while my daughter was on a 2's team in the last season she beat her 15-1's team.  Coaches words  "you beat me at nationals despite not having a a team that passed well"  My daughters team was forced to run a 6-1 due to injuries and a player backing out of nationals at the last moment.  

I'm having some difficulty communicating with the HS coach as she really wants to limit discussion with parents, which I fully understand.  I'm not trying to be the VB parent who is trying to position my child I'm just trying to understand how to help my child plan for the future.  Maybe that is being misinterpreted.

 Bottom line, i'm not known for brevity-  Is my daughters strategy of focusing on where she think she will play at the next level correct? Considering her passing isn’t as developed as her setting capabilities/ (IMHO) outstanding court awareness.

Generically if she is recognized as a strong setter, should she stay there and look for a DII college or with her speed and court awareness what would your advice be in regards to transitioning position this year and working on defense/passing though it would mean fewer touches?

I’ve spoken with the HS coach briefly but I’m sure she is not fond of the idea of moving this setter to a DS role.

I just found your site today I wish I had found it earlier, I know nothing about the recruiting process.  Overall my daughter loves the game and if she couldn't play DI she would be disappointed but would continue to play with the same enthusiasm if she were at a DII or DIII.  Dad would really be enthusiastic if DII were an option.

Thank you in advance for your advice.  I will be picking up your book this week, as it looks as I have a lot of work to do helping her sell herself appropriately.

- Anonymous

Thank you for your email and jumping in with us!  I hope that Inside College Volleyball will prove to be a valuable resource as your manage the craziness of college volleyball recruiting and then college volleyball.

I would agree with the high school coach, as I would not want to move a very good setter to the passing position either.  

As you read through the collegevolleyballcoach.com posts, you will notice the large number of questions/responses with regards to 'shorter' players switching into the DS/Libero position.  As I have written about on many occasions, this Libero/DS position becomes the catch all for shorter players thinking that this is the route to collegiate athletics and as such, this position is now the most competitive avenue into college volleyball.

Back to the High School topic - Remember that collegiate recruiting efforts are not based upon the high school season.  Club volleyball is the Optimus Prime of collegiate recruiting and college coaches understand that players will play different positions while in high school.  We don't stress about that because the high school coach needs to put their players into the positions for the most success of the high school team.  Because we don't stress about high school, neither should the parents which are concerned about college volleyball recruiting.

From your feedback, the better recruiting boulevard for your daughter would be to stay with setting and promote her abilities to the appropriate schools.  Yes, her height may well reduce her chances of NCAA Division I volleyball, but.....There are any number of DI schools which run the Front to Back 6-2 offense (maybe this is what you are referring to when you are saying 6-1?  I though initially this was a typo on your part!) and many schools will take a shorter setter with exceptional abilities.

The NCAA Division II and NAIA levels may offer more opportunities and scholarship monies (remember that DI is all or nothing athletic scholarships, while DII and NAIA can package their scholarships from many sources), so you should be reaching out to appropriate schools in these categories also!

Coach

Best Tournaments for College Volleyball Recruiting

In your opinion out of all the multi day volleyball tournaments which ones do a greater majority of college coaches attend (e.g. JVA World Challenge, Colorado Crossroads, Presidents Day Classic, Spring Classic)?   

I know it was mentioned in one of your responses that a lot of the NAIA and Division III colleges don't have the money to travel to tournaments that are not drivable.  So the ones that travel to tournaments outside of their state that they have to fly to are mostly Division I and II. 

So then a players best chance with an NAIA or Division III school is to make sure video is updated on their recruiting website (volleyball recruits, etc.) unless the club the player plays for goes to a tournament in the state he or she is looking at a NAIA or Division III college in, right?  Would another option be to attend a summer volleyball camp at that school if financially affordable for the family of the player? 

Thank you. 
Mom of a DS/Libero player

In terms of multi day tournaments which attract the largest number of college coaches, it would be the USA Volleyball National Qualifiers and then the early club season non-national qualifier tournaments (MLK weekend and President's Day weekend multi day tournaments). 

College Volleyball Recruiting is year round, but the earlier club season tournaments - January, February, March - tend to draw the most college coaches because they are very focused on their recruiting needs and they still have money left in their recruiting budgets.  As the club season progresses the urgency of recruiting fades, even for the later National Qualifiers; the budget starts to run out, the college coaches are also engaged in their spring season, and they may have already secured their needed commitments.

Because of budget limitations, the college programs which are flying to recruit are the Division I programs and a rare Division II or NAIA program.  The mid to upper level DI programs will have the budgets to attend a few National Qualifiers and early Holiday weekend tournaments, while the lower DI, elite DII/NAIA programs may have the budget to fly a coach to one National Qualifier and then they will be driving to the remainder of their recruiting events.

Video, and current video, is any players best opportunity to market themselves to all levels of college volleyball programs.  Hosting the video on a recruiting website gives a player the greatest exposure opportunity, and in full transparency, I support NCSA Athletic Recruiting as the best service for volleyball players.

As a player, if you are considering non DI schools outside of your geographic region, then video will be your primary, and maybe only way, that those collegiate programs can evaluate your abilities.  

If you have read collegevolleyballcoach.com or Inside College Volleyball, you will know that I am not a big proponent of using college volleyball camps as a recruiting vehicle.  DII and NAIA programs allow for seniors who have finished their high school season to train with the team during a visit to campus.  Better to go on a multi campus tour, play with a few teams, rather than pay hundreds of dollars per camp to do the same thing.  But, if the family has the financial means to go on a summer fun camp tour, then go for it!

Coach