Wednesday, April 03, 2013

Volleyball Shopping

With only a few more weeks left of the regular club season families and players are beginning to think about next club season. It's not unusual for club director's and coaches to get questions from families "what do we do now?" or "will we have a spot on the team next year, when will we find out?". As a club director I am also hearing from families, outside the club, who are expressing interest in our program. 

Whether you've had a great season or a less than stellar season families are already thinking about next club season. This is the time to start shopping for a program! While we are still in season is the best time to gather information about the club you are currently playing for as well as the other programs in the area. There are some things you should be looking at during the season and on competition days. Here is a short list of things to look at while we are finishing up the 2012-2013 season. 

1) The most important aspect to place on your shopping list is the COACH. While your athlete is competing you'll want to take note of how your coach interacts with the athletes and your child. Is the coach treating your child in a respectful way, is there feedback being given, is there encouragement? Or do you have a coach who spends her time yelling and belittling? What do you find acceptable and what type of coach would you like? In addition to watching your own coach be sure to watch the competition, see how other coaches relate to their players. 

Decide what is most important to you, is it winning, your child improving, a fun season, a balance of a number of items? Because coaches must consider 8 - 11 players each season it is unlikely you'll find everything you are looking for but prioritize your list. If winning is most important then you may overlook a coach who is aggressive with your 13 year old. If improvement and learning is high on the list then you may overlook a team that is not highly ranked and look instead for a team that has continued to improve throughout the season. 

If you find a coach that you think would be a good fit be sure to introduce yourself and visit with the coach. Although we can not recruit players until September 1st visiting with the coach will give you a better idea if this is a program you should purse. 

2) The second aspect you should consider is the DIRECTOR and the PROGRAM.  While the coach is the most important aspect, since they will be working with your child, the director sets the tone of the program. Director's tend to hire people who are like themselves and also set the philosophy of the club. The first question to ask yourself about the director is, "do I like them as a person?" Volleyball is a career of passion (not finances), we bring a lot of ourselves to the program. If the director is someone you can visit with and get along with that is a good start but if you find yourself having challenges with the director as a person you'll get the same response when you are trying to work with them. Find someone who has a similar philosophy when it comes to your child. Directors have to consider 100 - 200 players per season, we may not get it right for all athletes, but if you agree with the program/director's philosophy you'll be much happier with the decisions that are made in the club. 

Visit with friends in other clubs to find out what they like or dislike but be sure to take everything with a grain of salt, everyone is looking for a different experience and personal preferences will color their responses. 

If you are interested in a particular program be sure to attend their summer training sessions, find a way to get involved to begin to find out more about the program and coaches. It is also helpful to develop a relationship with the coaches so we are familiar with your athlete. But a WORD OF CAUTION, as you are shopping for a program coaches are also shopping for players. Some things to keep in mind as we finish out the season.

Your athlete is ALWAYS trying out. For athletes in a program, coaches will begin to evaluate a few things, a) is this player coachable. Has the athlete been able to take feedback and make changes, have they worked hard to earn their position on the court? If you child comes to practice and has not improved during the season it is likely the coach will look at finding a replacement for her. It is important that your athlete train hard and improve. Every time they are in front of the coach understand it is a tryout. 

Coaches will also look at b) a players attitude, is your athlete adding to the team, making it better with a positive attitude or do they drain the team with a negative attitude. This attitude also includes how they handle pressure, do they handle it on the court or do they "throw" their emotions on the court for their teammates to deal with. Nothing is more damaging to a team with an immature player who throws "fits' when they or their teammates make mistakes.  It takes all of the players mental ability to stay involved in a game and having a teammate who makes their emotions more important than the game takes away from their teammates. It is nearly impossible to win when you have a player who can not deal with their emotions, these are the first players to lose their positions in their current club. Small note, players who cry on the court are always replaceable, coaches do not want to "babysit" athletes. If you child has cried on the court, outside of an injury, it is unlikely they'll be asked back to a program. 

Another quality coaches look for is c) focus and player goals, is the athlete focused on improving and reaching personal goals or are they more interested in the social aspect of sports? If an athlete would like to play for a successful squad they need to make decisions that are best for them and that may include playing on a team where they do not know any of their teammates. Players who will only play with their friends need to realize they are limiting their possibilities, top coaches will look for players who have their own goals and are focused on reaching them. 

While we evaluate our current club members we are also watching other athletes in the programs we compete against. Coaches will assess players with the above qualities in mind. If your child is unhappy with their current club and they no longer make an effort to add to their team other club coaches will take note. It is important that you athlete continue to bring their best effort, "game" and attitude to the court. If your child attends training sessions or camps with a new club they need to come with a good work ethic, positive attitude and control their emotions. While it is important to develop a relationship with a club you are interested in it could backfire, if your child does not impress the coaching staff it is likely to be remembered. Remember, the athlete is ALWAYS trying out and like families who are looking for a good coach and program, club programs are looking for great players. Great players are those who are coachable and improve, work hard and have a positive attitude and control their emotions. 

Clubs provide a service and there are numerous programs to choose from, find one that fits with your child. While families try to find the best fit understand that clubs are also looking for athletes that will help them reach their goals. It is important to be honest about what you are looking for so everyone can have an enjoyable season. Good luck with the remainder of your season and we'll see you on the court. 

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