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6 THINGS TO HELP THE VOLLEYBALL STUDENT-ATHLETE KEEP ENGAGED AT HOME

By Az Volleyball Mom, 03/19/20, 2:00PM MST

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Stuck at home during the COVID-19 quarantine? We've got some ideas to help volleyball enthusiasts pass the time.

Editor's Note: Missing volleyball? We are, too! So we looked to friends throughout the region for some ideas to keep our skills in tact and pass the time. If any of these ideas inspire you - a youth athlete - please be sure you have permission from your parent or guardian... and even ask them to join you!

SET UP A DEDICATED SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT STRICTLY FOR RECRUITING

If playing at a higher level is your goal, now is not only a great time for catching up on editing your video highlights, but it’s a great time to think about dedicating a social media account for recruiting.

If used properly, social media can be a powerful tool in getting your best plays seen. If not used wisely, it also can get you removed from a coach’s prospect list. This is why it’s imperative to get an adult to help you.

How to set up a social media account for recruiting:

  1. The most important thing to do is to get permission from a parent or guardian. In fact, this person should also be the person you turn to for advice and guidance for all of your social media.
  2. Your profile can include your team name, position and jersey number.
  3. Connect with coaches. Follow a few from your favorite schools.
  4. Keep your posts professional. “Once it’s out there, it’s out there.” Even if you delete a questionable post, someone most likely has already seen it or took a screenshot of it. Think twice about the message you’re sending with your words and videos.

Think of your social media as a press release. Your recruiting social media and private social media both reflect who you are and the message you’re sending into the world.

Countless times, I’ve heard college coaches say they’ve removed prospective athletes from their radar. If you are unsure of your messaging, don’t post it!

When it comes to any social media, don’t share too much or any personal information, don’t connect with people you don’t know, and don’t bully. Inappropriate clothing and profane gestures are things to avoid posting, as well.

Again, parental guidance is highly recommended.

VOLLEYBALL DRILLS TO TRY AT HOME

On lockdown with a parent or sibling? A quick internet search will result in hundreds of volleyball drills you can do from home.

See how long you can pepper the volleyball before it hits the ground. Then challenge yourself to try again and break your last record.

Got some space? Check out serving tips from Olympic Gold Medalist Misty May or setting drills from Olympian Alisha Glass.

Setters most likely have drills they've learned from their coaches to do every day from home, too.

This is the beauty of our sport! You don't have to have a court to keep working on your skills!

VOLLEYBALL CONDITIONING AND STRENGTH TRAINING

Disclaimer: Any exercise is at your own or parents' discretion. Be sure to stay within your doctor's orders and don't overdo it.

We’re catching several clubs and USA Volleyball sharing workout ideas for their athletes. From skaters to squats, it’s the perfect time to work on and keep up with conditioning. Don’t hesitate to reach out to your coaches for ideas.

Working out doesn’t have to be boring! You can stay connected to your team by exercising with friends through FaceTime! Video calls can help you motivate each other and improve your strength at the same time!

P.S. Don’t forget to stretch and drink water!

OF COURSE, VOLLEYBALL CRAFTS!

This could chew up countless hours!

Whew!! We did one internet search for “volleyball crafts” and lost count of the results. So, here are a few of our favorites…

  • Volleyball snack bin
  • Volleyball ornament
  • Volleyball number custom headband
  • Volleyball hair scrunchies
  • Volleyball Tic Tac (or any treats) labels
  • Volleyball cookies
  • Volleyball hotel door decorations
  • Volleyball locker decorations
  • Volleyball luggage tags
  • Volleyball wall art

We’d love to see your volleyball crafts!

CREATE A STUDENT-ATHLETE VOLLEYBALL VISION BOARD

What are your goals? What are your academic goals? What are your volleyball goals?

A vision board helps you clarify and concentrate on the realistic goals most important to you.

Do you want to make your high school team or the region’s high performance team? Do you want to reduce errors and improve your kill percentage? Maybe you want to jump higher.

Olympic athletes have used vision boards for decades to help them improve their performance.

How to create a vision board:

  1. Create a list of goals
  2. Find pictures representing your goals from old magazines or your favorite websites
  3. Make a collage of your photos on a large piece of construction paper or poster board
  4. Add motivational words expressing how you want to FEEL once you accomplish your goals

Once you’re done creating, hang your board in a place where you’ll see it every morning… in a place where you’ll be able to spend a few minutes focusing on it each day. Don’t hesitate to update it from time to time.

Be sure your vision board includes academics. If your long-term goal is to play in college, you’ll need those good grades, too!

INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO YOUR FAVORITE VOLLEYBALL COLLEGE COACHES

In the past couple of days, we’ve seen a surge of college coaches going to social media asking players to keep in touch.

Why?

The NCAA has suspended all in-person recruiting for D1 sports through April 15th in response to COVID-19. This extended dead period restricts official and unofficial visits.

The good news is athletes are still allowed to communicate to colleges through email, phone, text, and social media. Remember, D1 and D2 coaches are not allowed to respond to volleyball athletes prior to June 15th after their sophomore year. But the athletes can reach out to coaches.

D3, NAIA and junior colleges are able to communicate with athletes at most times. These schools offer fantastic opportunities for athletes and should always be in the mix when considering furthering your education.

What to consider when contacting a coach:

  1. Don’t have mom or dad do the work. Student-athletes should be the one to pick up the phone or write the note. Coaches want to talk to the athletes. Prepare ahead of time with questions you’d like to ask such as, “Are you recruiting my position?”
  2. Don’t cut and paste a mass email when reaching out to college coaches. Communicate something personal or find a way to relate to the school. Coaches like to know the student-athlete took the time to do their research showing a true interest in the school and program.
  3. Take notes. This helps you remember what you talked about the first time you talked and what you might like to include in a future conversation.
  4. Include a link to video of you playing volleyball. Whether a short highlight video or a 5-10 minute montage of your best moments from your last season will do. You don’t need any fancy graphics or music. Your video should include your name, email, jersey number, team name, and possibly your GPA and height (or other stats).
  5. Go for it! Don’t shy away from your goals because you think they’re too big or won’t happen. You won’t know till you try! Sometimes you don’t get the answers you want… but it’s better to know where things stand.

Find out more about NCAA recruiting calendars on the NCAA website here.

STAY HEALTHY!

We at the Arizona Region of USA Volleyball are grateful for your support and co-operation during this unpredictable time.

We know it's not fun to pause play. But, we do hope to "flatten the curve" and prevent the spread of COVID-19 through our events.

We'd love to hear your ideas and see your volleyball crafts! Feel free to reach out to us!