12 year olds been playing lower level club ball....is it time to move her

Question
QUESTION: My daughter is 12 and this is her 4th year in club ball. She plays regional in the Ohio Valley. Next year when she is 13 I am unsure if I should keep her in regional or have her try out for the National team. She will be in 7th grade. I want her to play high school volleyball and college but am unsure if playing National or Regional will make a difference.

ANSWER: Good morning Michelle and welcome to www.allexperts.com!  It's great to hear from you!

My answer to you will be short...which is not normal for me.  :)
WHAT DOES YOUR DAUGHTER WANT TO DO?

Please talk to your daughter and explain as much as you can, all the duties and responsibilities of playing at a higher level.  They include:
a) More practice commitment
a.5) Those practices may be mandatory.....no excuses..unless there's a family emergency or illness.
b) More travel commitment
b.5) Those tournaments may also be mandatory......no excuses.  
c) Thus, you and her have to anticipate much more conflicts with any other sports she wants to play!  What will you do?  Which coach is willing to "give in"?  
d) Tougher coaches with higher expectations.  
e) Fewer easy tournaments, thus tougher competition, which could lead to...
f) .....less playing time. Possibly much less playing time
g) Coaches will play to win, thus decreasing some girls' playing time even more.

She may look at you when you say this say, "So?  I'm OK with all that."  Then go for it.  But if your daughter isn't a star on her club level team, or if she LOVES basketball %26 soccer and wouldn't dare give them up, OR if she cringes/cries when a coach says, "What was that?  That's not enough effort," then maybe moving up isn't for her.  Moving up could actually make her miserable.  

So, please don't say again, "I want her to play high school and college."  Please say, "I want to give her every opportunity to play high school and college if she wishes."  It's the same reason Algebra is required.....kids don't HAVE to get a college education; but, we want to prepare them to become anything they want to be.  And if my students and your daughter choose to be baggers at Kroger, then that's fine.  

What do you think about what I've told you?  

I'm glad you visited www.allexperts.com.  If you don't mind, please forward my website to you coach.  My staff and I have 8 camps already schedule for this summer!  And we have room for a lot more.  When you look at the website, and see the pics of previous camps, I think you'll know why!

Have a great day!
Tom Houser


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Those are great points and definitely something to think on. I will speak to my daughter as well. She is worried that if she does not play on a national team it may affect her in the future. I have spoken to her regarding the commitment involved, right now at 12 she is motivated and enthusiastic. I am curious to see if you think it makes a difference one way or the other.  

Answer
Good evening!

Will it make a difference?  HECK YES!  The only way it won't make the difference is if her National Team coach stinks, the coach is a lazy bum (cancels practices, isn't prepared for practices, etc.#, makes her hate the game, etc.

National teams will practice more, practice harder, practice vs. better players #yep, the girls on the other side of net each night make a difference!), play tougher competition, etc.  Here in Roanoke, girls who are on national teams realize that they're getting more of everything, and will improve more, etc.  Well, unless, like I said above, the "N" girls hate their coach, he's lazy, etc.   

If she's "gun-ho" about it, let her do it!  It'll be great for her!  And, if she gets to the point in a few years where she's burned out, let her either not play travel at all, or let her back down to a lower intensity club-level team.  

Have a great weekend!
I leave at 8am tomorrow for Richmond!  I can't WAIT!!!
Tom Houser
Roanoke, va