I have some pretty strong feelings about certain things in this sport, and they are concepts and beliefs I demand my teams and players accept.
ACCOUNTABILITY
All of our players are young women or becoming young women and at some point they need to start taking responsibility for their actions. This applies to several areas.
STEP UP ON YOUR OWN
If you need to talk to your coach about something, set up a time to meet them maybe before practice or after. Sometimes we need a little clarity and that’s okay. It is important to be an adult and talk with your coach one-on-one. Personally, I will not talk with parents. If there is an issue, it needs to be addressed by the player.
CHOOSE YOUR WORDS
This one is simple. The question isn’t “why aren’t I playing,” its “what do I need to do to get better.”
BE REALISTIC
Don’t be upset with the amount of playing time you see if you aren’t doing anything outside of practice to improve. Think about it…being on time for practice and showing up to each practice is the NORM. That’s what is expected, and that’s what everyone else is doing too. If you don’t go beyond the norm, don’t expect to make more progress than anyone else.
ROLES
If volleyball only needed six players, there would never be more than that on a roster. Every single person on a team is needed to make that team successful. Ever player is equally significant. Sometimes it’s hard to see that, especially when the players are younger. If you are not sure what your role is, talk to your coach.
It is okay not to be content with your role. We don’t always get to choose our roles but it is imperative we do our best to fulfill them for our team and for the sport. And I repeat: do not expect your role to be changed with out extra hard work! :)
IT’S PRETTY UNIVERSAL
When you watch higher-level volleyball, everything looks the same. There are no “goofy feet” or quirky habits. Sometimes, we have to take a couple steps back in order to move forward. Be prepared to struggle a little, especially if you have been playing longer. Many of you are used to doing things a certain way and it may work for you. However, if you stand beside a player who is equally talented without that quirky habit, that player will be recruited first.
Taking steps back gets frustrating, especially when the wrong technique has been working for you and the right way isn’t. Keep working hard and it will click. Repetition repetition repetition!
We are all still learning, and that includes your coaches!! If we all knew what we were supposed to know, and all played perfectly…volleyball would be kind of boring, right? :)
Lastly – and this one is personal! I don’t coach to make friends. Parents may not like me, and some players may not like me. I am okay with that - but my players will respect me, the sport, and whoever may coach them in the future. I know I can promise that I will always be doing everything in my power to make my players the best volleyball players they can be and I am ok with my "like-ability" at stake to do so. :)
