QuestionOur 15 year old daughter will be trying out for development teams this Fall. Due to financial limitations, development teams are the best we can do. There are three reputable clubs in our area. The best is a nationally known, extremely competitive, excellent club. But their development team only plays in a locally hosted tournament, and the girls only practice once a week. The other choice is a less desirable club (still one that many girls play for, though) but they practice twice as often and play in about 3 regional tournaments as well as the same locally hosted tournament as the other club. My question: Is it better to play for an excellent club with extremely well qualified coaches, but only have half the practice and tournament time, or for a lower level club (and less qualified but still competent coaches) but one where you get twice as much time? She is hoping to make her school's JV team next year as a sophomore, and is in the top quarter of the freshman players at her competitive high school. We can supplement either development program with some camps and lessons, but the travel teams at both of these clubs cost in the $3500 price range, vs. $500-$700 for development. It's the best we can do this year, just can't decide which club to go for. Thank you for any advice!
AnswerGood morning Karen!
Welcome to www.allexperts.com! It's great to hear from you.
You say one club is excellent. The other is less desirable. Is that b/c of their success at the state or national level. I'm not being critical, just interested in why makes you say that. Here in Roanoke we have 2 competing clubs. Last year my club's 18's team was stronger, but their 17's team was stronger, but our 15's team was stronger, etc. Which club is better? It's just someone's perception, someone's guess.
Here is what I would advise. At which club will your daughter:
* be happiest with her teammates?
* be happiest with the coach?
* be enjoying herself? looking forward to practice, rather than dreading it?
* learn the most about playing volleyball?
These questions have nothing to do with the quality of the club. If I were a parent, I wouldn't care about that. I'd care about will my child have fun, like her teammates, tolerate her coach haha, learn, enjoy herself, etc. Here in Roanoke, I won't be surprised when girls play for us at 14's, play for our the other club at 15's, come back to us at 16's, etc. No problem. I understand completely. The parents and the players first look out for themselves; then, after they find the best possible situation, they can better commit themselves to a team.
I think when you answer those questions, I think that will tell you which direction to go.
I will tell you, however, that if that 75% that she's ahead of play above development, she will have a hard time staying ahead of them, even with camps and lessons. How do you compensate? well, you may not be able to b/c the 3-day a week practices for 5 to 6 months are awesome for a young vball player's development. But, here is what I would do for summer 2011: Family vacation(s) and the rest of the summer volleyball camps. No job, no summer school, etc. I would also not encourage her to take vacations with friends' families. By May, she may be 100 to 200 hours behind those other girls.
She may want to attend 5 or 6 summer vball camps. Again, do your homework and try not to send her to camps that players say, "We were fussed at," or "It wasn't fun," or "I'm never going back there". Price and name (Nike, for example) don't indicate much. Ignore the price, the name, and the university. Try to send her to the ones where the players say, "That was great!" or "I learned so much, I want to go back." I think you'll discover my STAR site camps are ones the kids LOVE! You can see what I'm offering at www.coachhouser.com. This is not an advertisement, b/c I tell every parent, "If your daughter isn't having fun, if she's not learning, if she dreads going on the 2nd or 3rd or final day, then the staff isn't doing their job correctly."
I hope that I've been some help. If you have more questions, please follow up, or email me at
[email protected].
And one favor: would you please visit me at www.coachhouser.com. I think you'll really enjoy all the smiling faces. And if your daughter school coach is interested in a fun, affordable (24 hour camp for around $200 at your school), yet intense volleyball camp for next summer (or an in-season clinic), please have him/her contact me.
Coach Houser
