"Rara Sunt Cara"*

*All opinions expressed in the blog are solely my own. The blog is not an official product of any City of Melrose Organization. This piece has significant AI contributions. 

"Rare things are dear." The Latin phrase is short. The lesson is not.

In volleyball, the most valuable things are rarely the loudest.

We live in a highlights culture, ESPN top tens. Big swings. Monster blocks. But factors that win consistently - the things that travel in tournament play and hold up in November - are almost always quieter.

They are rare.

I've shared this before. Only eight names show up on the list. 

The Rare Skill

Everyone wants to swing hard. Fewer want to master serve receive.

An outside hitter who can deliver a pass on a tough float serve in the fifth set? Rare.

A middle who closes the block on time instead of chasing stats? Rare.

A libero who communicates early, clearly, and calmly when the gym is loud? Rare.

In recruiting, coaches seek separation. Not “good.” They look for something scarce. Because scarcity change matches. Difference makers are hard to find. Rarer is dearer.

The Rare Habit

Adequate sleep is common knowledge. Film study is available to everyone.
Journaling after matches? Almost extinct. All add value. 

You know this saying, “Every day is player development day.”  Development doesn't inhabit the dramatic moment. It lives in the repeatable one.

A player who stretches without being told.  A player who asks for feedback without defensiveness. nA player who sprints to shag balls when she’s not in the drill.

That athlete becomes valuable not because the behavior is flashy - but because it is scarce.

In economics, scarcity drives price. In sports, scarcity drives trust and trust wins matches.

The Rare Teammate

Talent is distributed widely.

Unselfishness is not.

A teammate who celebrates the assist as much as the kill. A senior who mentors a freshman without insecurity. A captain who is accountable when things go poorly.

Those are rare behaviors.

And they are dear to coaches.

Team-first culture sounds obvious. But ego creeps in quietly. Statistics get compared. Playing time gets monitored. 

Character under pressure? That’s scarce.

Ettore Messina once said, “Character is skill number one.” He understood something essential: skill without character is common. Skill with character is rare. And rare changes programs.

The Rare Decision

In tight matches, outcomes often hinge on restraint.

Not every ball needs to be crushed. Not every error needs a visible reaction.

The rare player can regulate arousal. The rare setter can choose the high-percentage option instead of "hero ball." The rare defender resets after a shank and doesn't let a drop become a river.

Emotional control is invisible — until it isn’t.

The Paradox

The rare qualities in volleyball are not secret. They are neither advanced tactics nor exotic systems. They are ordinary disciplines, repeated -consistency, communication, accountability, effort. They are rare not because of complexity - but because of sustainability.

The ability to maintain competitive character is where separation lives.

A Question for Our Team

If rare is valuable, what do we need it?

Rare in ball control?
Rare in transition defense?
Rare in service pressure?
Rare in composure after errors?

Programs don’t become elite by accident. They become elite by cultivating scarce traits intentionally.

Practice what is uncommon. Because in volleyball - as in life - rare things are dear.

Be rare. Be special. 

Lagniappe. Culture rules.