Why Do You Play Volleyball?

Before knowing your what and your how, know your why.

Competitors with enough skill, athleticism, and size can thrive in high school sports. But it is never easy and often not linear as players progress at different rates. 

A finite number of positions and opportunity exist. We know a family in San Diego where the younger daughter couldn't make her powerhouse high school team. And she earned an East Coast D1 college volleyball scholarship from her play on the club circuit. 

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"Success, it's hard." - Derek Jeter

Bill Belichick wrote in The Art of Winning, "After Cleveland, I rejoined my old boss Bill Parcells in New England. He taught me that players lose their starting job, or are replaced or fired, for one of two reasons: “Either you aren’t playing well or someone is playing better.” That’s it. Someone else can do it better, and that someone else is in the building." 

Nine seniors graduated from MVB 24. That doesn't mean that nine openings exist; it means that opportunities exist for competitors with the skill, will, and potential to impact winning and to make the players around them better. 

Part of the 'sustainable competitive advantage' of MVB since 2002 has been contributions from all four classes, including freshmen. Last season three freshmen broke through and it's possible that additional freshmen will contribute in 2025. 

As a basketball coach I know from Maryland says, "There is no seniority system. This is not a union job." 

Players and coaches move into and out of roles. As Belichick wrote, ""The evaluation should be comprehensive to include each player, coach, and support person—identify what they are good at, what they bring to the team, and what they need to change or improve. Communicate your evaluation to each employee."

There's an old joke about knowing precisely how the season is going to go before it even starts. "Everyone is 0-0." 

There are over three months until volleyball tryouts in August. Stay focused on doing what you need to do to succeed and on what you need to avoid not to fail. 

Lagniappe. Setting drills at home