Six Sets To Help You Spike Your Volleyball Recruiting
In 2019-20, 1,836 colleges and junior colleges sponsored varsity volleyball programs in the U.S. But, given that only 5.8% of female players and 5.6% of males compete at any college level, the competition for scholarships is fierce. That’s why it’s important to attack the recruiting process just as you’d attack an opponent on the court. And, to help set your recruiting up for a kill, make sure you follow these tips:
Always Serve Up Your Highlight Video
As many college volleyball programs lack the budget for large scale recruiting searches, including your highlight video when contacting coaches is vital to being seen. Make sure your video shows off your volleyball abilities, such as leaping, blocking, saves, and attacks. If your game leans to the technical side, use your highlight video to show off your positional awareness and the precision and accuracy of your serves, sets, and passes. Keep your video updated, remember to link it in every email message you send to coaches, and ask your club coach or recruiting coordinator to share it as well.
Keep It Real
At elite levels, volleyball coaches look for recruits with height, physicality, and statistics. On top of that, when watching videos of potential recruits, coaches also look for vertical leap ability, standing reach, and attack, approach, and block jump abilities. If your confidence in your physical abilities doesn’t quite match the reality, then you’ll likely need to adjust your recruiting search accordingly. While you shouldn’t give up your dream or doubt your ability, you may simply need to expand your list of schools to find the one that fits your game best.
Focus On Attitude And Ability
While college coaches place lots of emphasis on your athleticism and physical skills, your attitude will also carry plenty of weight in their evaluation of you. Do you listen to your coach at practice and in the huddle during matches? Are you projecting a negative attitude? Is your support for teammates constant, whether you win or lose? Coaches look for competitiveness, but if your “competitiveness” is cancerous to the rest of your team, a coach will look elsewhere. Make sure that you always have a positive attitude and that you’re coachable. (link to Are You Coachable blog)
Compete At The Highest Level Possible
As high school and college volleyball seasons run concurrently, the best time to be seen and evaluated by college coaches is at club tournaments. Regardless of the competition level of your high school team, high-level club teams offer better chances to raise your recruiting profile. In other words, if you want to compete at the highest levels in college, you should also strive to compete at the highest levels while in high school.
Be Flexible
While they’re evaluating your skills, coaches also consider your potential to fit with their team. While you may have always been a setter during high school, some college coaches may see you as a defensive specialist on their team. That’s why it’s important for you to be skilled.
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