High School and Club volleyball has always been a matter of debate. Which is more important? Is a club player more dedicated than a strictly high school player? Are club coaches better than High School coaches? These questions have been discussed and debated all around the country. To help shed some light on the subject, we look towards the forum for some interesting insight from players, coaches, and parents who have lived the debate.
At the heart of the matter seems to be a perception by club players and their parents that High School volleyball is more about a popularity contest than about playing the game. While on the other hand, High School coaches claim that parents look through "rose colored glasses" when it comes to there own kids and a majority of the parents do not understand volleyball or the High School volleyball program. Club coaches make claims that for the most part, their High School counterparts do not benefit from the knowledge and experience most club coaches posses.
So we go to the forum for an interesting expose on the big debate and look at the argument from three different points of view: players; parents; and coaches. While the view points are very different, together we can come up with a solution to surviving High School volleyball. Players are often the best place to turn to when trying to figure out how good or bad a program is. However, while one would think that happy players indicate that they belong to a good program, you must first identify what is important to that player. Most volleyball players play volleyball for one or both of the following reasons: the social aspect of the game; they love to play volleyball. Some players, like Desire4Ever, are even more motivated and look for a program with a coach "who can be a mentor for me, as a player and a future coach."
The debate between club volleyball and High School volleyball is the motivation of the players. Club ball players seem to believe that volleyball club players have more desire to play and by the very nature that they choose to play club shows their motivation. Their feeling is almost of contempt for the "part-time" High School players that have not put in the time or practice and yet remain on the team due to some alleged hidden political agenda by the coach, administration and senior team members.
As for High School and club programs, opinions vary. Which is more important, club or High School. One aspect that rings loudly amongst the players that have discussed this issue is that High School volleyball teams are influenced by and also influence social standings of the High School students. Apparently, often seniority and age dictate the coaches selection of the team's starting players. Whether true or not, this perception can definitely have an impact on how the team functions.
In club ball, players seem more focused on learning volleyball rather than improving their social standings. While, generally amongst the club players, their motivation lies in their desire to improve their volleyball skills, one can not deny the strong social bonds and acceptance among peers that the club volleyball environment also produces.
But, that's not true for all boy volleyball club players. Take Kevin from Rhode Island. Growing up, his perception of High School and Club Volleyball was that "club volleyball is for everyone and high school is for the select few." Club ball was where you developed your skill and High School was where you showed off your skills. An interesting change from the normal view that that High School volleyball, for the most part, was not as important as club volleyball for those players wishing to continue on to college level volleyball. The biggest concern by many parents involved in their child's athletic career is that their child is getting a fair shake at competing. It makes sense that this would be true in any aspect of life. The big difference between club and High School programs with parents is the amount of control possessed by the parent. Ultimately, if a parent is not happy with a particular club programs management or coaching, they take their child and their money to another club. With the High School programs, this is often not possible. With this apparent lack of ability to change anything, parents also feel that coaches and the administration do not take their concerns about their players seriously. After all, are not they only worried about advancing their own child and can not see the reality of the situation? While every coach is different, some bad and some good, the same goes for parents. What is apparent is often there is an extreme lack of communication between High School coaches and the parents.
The perception of High School athletics being a political social club also plays a major role in many parents opinions of High School programs and coaches. This was the situation Tracy found herself and her daughter during her daughter's High School career. Tracy's daughter played club volleyball. However, despite her talents, Tracy's daughter was forced to play in the shadow of the older girls selected to start on the team because of seniority not ability. In fact, this parent believes that club players are resented not only by the non-club players but the coach as well.
The same goes for STINGERVB. He is a long time player and coach in both Europe and the USA and contends that his experience with his daughter in High School volleyball has been terrible. He contends that today's High School team athletics program is on big political campaign where no one, not the players, parents, coaches, nor the administration is innocent. His experience stems from a High School coach who was also a volleyball club owner and favored his club players over any other player, whether they played club volleyball or not. If you did not play for his club team than you are not going to play for his High School team. His daughter, who played on another club, survived a constant attack on her playing ability by the coach and went on to play Division I Volleyball in the Big Sky conference. He believes, "Playing High School volleyball is more of a teenage status thing than an athletic experience. Administration and fellow coaches will often side with the coach, claiming the parents don't know what they are talking about. Coaches should take the time to deal with the parents by explaining the rules, skills and expectations. Most coaches don't have the skills or self-confidence to bare their requirements because then they would have to adhere to them. Coaches often act first and then justify second, often bending or changing their own rules. Players and parents should demand consistency from their coaches." High School coaches and some club coaches look at this whole manner differently. Take MANOSDEPIEDR for example. He warns not to hold every high school program or coach in the same manner. In his experience, often the parents will have an unrealistic expectation for their children. "I have seen lots of parents with unreal expectations of their kids. In fact, I would say that it is the rule rather than the exception here." He believes club volleyball has its place and if given a choice would love every player to play club ball. However, he warns, we should not forget that some great volleyball players also play basketball and softball, precluding them from club volleyball participation. Do not, in an effort to give the supposedly most motivated player a fair shake, exclude that fairness when judging the multi-sports player. His program is very successful, winning district six times in a row and state three out of the last five years. However, he claims that many players' parents are very ignorant when it comes to the technical aspects of volleyball. Even after attending his parents clinic at the beginning of the season, parents still have at best little knowledge of the game.
His beliefs are strong, "I am truly sorry if your daughter has had a bad experience. My response still stands, however. I think that coaches for the most part have a better grip on what kids can do than do parents. I see my kids at practice for up to 14 hours a week, and I have an excellent understanding of what they can do. We all have rose-colored glasses when it comes to our flesh and blood."
Not all coaches feel that way. KDN2VB coaches only club volleyball and has difficulty in the past convincing high school coaches about a player's ability. He believes that volleyball is about education not socialization. High School coach's in his area generally lack any real volleyball knowledge and consequently allow the social aspect of the game outweigh the learning process. He believes that club volleyball players are special and that they attend club volleyball show a wanting desire to actually LEARN the sport and succeed, especially after high school.
In the long run, he argues, college volleyball hopefuls are found in the club
system anyway. To be seen by top ranked schools, KDN2VB argues, you must
be part of a club. Undisputed, club volleyball is the major recruiting
pull for many major volleyball colleges around the country; but, MANOSDEPIEDR
reminds us of the six players he has coached that have gone on to Division I
Universities, three never played club volleyball.
So, when the dust settles, it seems that both programs are equally important for the player hoping to go on to college. While the club system does seem to be a little easier to deal with, there are some things that players and more importantly, parents can do to make a bad High School situation, better. In life situations come and go that are not easy to deal with. From time to time, players and parents are stressed with a less than amiable situation in High School team sports. We have already said that most people do not have a problem with not being picked to start or being passed over for a team position when the selection is done fairly. However, when the perception is one of injustice or unfair practices, then the pain lingers. This pain of injustice often provokes a response of anger or resentment. This is not always the best coarse of action, especially when fighting a coach or a coach's policy.
Tracy posted that in order to be successful in High School volleyball you must learn how to play the political game. While this supports STINGERVB's feelings on High School volleyball being all politics, what's the agenda - getting you children on the court and playing the sport they love. Tracy further advises that coaches like to think they are organized and goal oriented. Using this in expressing their own desires, players can "stroke the coach's egos" and while it may sound sneaky and shallow, it comes down to communicating to the coach the player's desires and expectations from the coach. Bottom line Tracy tells us is that confrontation will not get you anywhere.
Julie Kaiser points out that parents too have a role in the High School season. Parents can influence both the players as well as the coach by creating constructive dialog, not confrontational dialog. Most notably, Julie says that parents should encourage their child players to ask the coach what the player can improve to get more playing time. Parents should never argue coaching philosophies, it's often a loosing battle. Parents can encourage their children to stick to the "how agenda" and become part of the team by supporting coaching decisions. If for your situation, club volleyball is much better than High School, than use High School as a training season for club volleyball.
STINGERVB may despise the political nature of High School volleyball. However, he also knows that there are some important questions parents should ask themselves before trying to change, challenge, or question that political situation.
Bottom line I believe is that the student athlete must gain something from the program. If nothing is gained, or if what is gained is far less than the stress and frustration, than perhaps other programs should be explored. As a parent, get involved. Coaches come in the good variety and bad variety. What is important is that by the nature of their position, they hold the ability to both encourage and grow a student athlete into greatness and also to destroy them. For the student athlete, use the bad situation as a learning experience for life. You will be presented with countless situations just like it.
For the coach, know that you are in a very influential leadership position. Fairness and compassion should be included in your teaching style. Use the old adage, "praise in public, punish in private." Players learn from examples and what better example than that off a successful player. Pointing out accomplishments of one player as a learning tool is always far better than knocking down a player's inability. If the problem is such that you have to address it directly, take the player aside when possible. Never berate or bash a player in front of other players. It not only destroys the confidence of the player but the cohesion of the team.
Use your parents. Especially those that are involved enough to approach you with complaints or suggestions. Take the time to actively listen to what they have to say and inquire about solutions or ideas. Approach them as if you worked for them, as tax payers, ultimately you do anyway. Solicit their help in running the administration of the team. If truly interested in their child's progress, parents will bend over backward to make your job easier.