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Should a college prospect play in High School?


K2ruth
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More and more people are asking the question: Should a college prospect play on a high school team? My opinion is no.

 

Volleyball has changed in the past 10 years. Club has exploded to where even a market like Knoxville has multiple clubs. If an player is really good, they can ruin their chances to play in college by playing high school ball. Here is why.

 

First, playing year round can cause burnout. Even professional athletes take extended breaks from the sport.

 

Second, risk of injury. Face it, most high school teams aren't very good. Every day in practice and in matches you run the risk of an unskilled player coming under the net and finishing your career.

 

Third, what do you really get in high school. There are not that many good high school coaches, and many bad ones. Why waste time learning from someone who probably never played, and coaches so their daughter can start, or to get an extra supplement? Is that the best use of your time?

 

Their are exceptions. Webb has a top flight volleyball program, but they are the exception. They are a private school, and can offer a level of coaching that the public schools cannot.

 

If I were seriously wanting to play in college I would steer away from high school and focus on using that time to prepare for club season. When was the last time you saw a college coach come to a high school game?

 

Thoughts?

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Can you name ONE D1 VB player from Knox or the entire state for that matter that did not play in high school?  OK if it makes it easier some D2 or NAIA names would suffice.

 

I agree with almost everything you say above but without proof that club-only works you are taking a risk.  No doubt some college coaches would have some reservations about a player (or their parents) that was not willing to play for their school.

 

Three to four college head VB coaches often attend South's big matches like DB and regionals.  All are local, most are D2/NAIA, and some are also involved with club, but it happens.  My daughter ended up at one mostly due to getting noticed then instead of a club tourney.  Of course if it weren't for club she probably wouldn't have been worth watching.

Edited by sshsvbdad09
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I am big on the no high school train. There are exceptions, but very view. I can't think of more than a handful of quality high school coaches. The risk of injury, and burnout, are both solid points. If you are serious about wanting to play in college I would not play high school and use that time to get some one on one lessons and improve my fundamental skills.

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 Totally disagree,I feel representing your school is a honor for a child,and the memories will last them a lifetime.I have.never seen a kid just play travel and not school in middle Tennessee,just at K2 in Knoxville. Its a shame you don't want to make your school program better. With what you will spend on the money grab that travel has become,you could pay for that collage education twice over,and there are pleanty of bad travel coaches too,the club just doesn't admit their bad until your season is over and they have cashed the check.

We are truly blessed In Williamson/Rutherford counties with great high school sports,,packed football fields,gyms,and great rilveries and competition. Kids here who get burned out quit the travel,not school.

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To clarify, I agree that high school is important, but I was referring only to COLLEGE prospects. It is impossible to get a college scholarship without playing club unless you attend a truly outstanding high school program and there are few of those. My post is directed exclusively to the real college prospect who gets zero from most high school programs. They run the risk of injury, burnout, and bad habits are picked up from the coaches. If the goal is to get a scholarship then why not focus on that? Many baseball and basketball prospects only play on AAU or travel teams. I stand by my post.

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  • 2 weeks later...

No way I would ever have a child not play for their High School... College prospect or not,  playing for one's high school will make life long memories that playing club will not  bring. I have three players with Division 1 conference championship banners hanging in schools but each of mine still cherishes the State High School championship banners the most.

Totally agree club is the venue to get recruited for college but the lessons learned in most quality HS programs extend into the college careers of these girls.

 

Don't know any of the Basketball or Baseball players who don't play for their HS teams.

 

 

Most College coaches I know would tell you not playing HS is totally selfish.

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The answer is with the athlete. Does the athlete want to play or not. Over the summer I have spoken with many of my daughters friends (who go to numerous schools in the county). They all play volleyball. Some are playing high school and some are not. The question I asked to them is why or why not are you playing. The ones that are playing mostly said "because my friends are playing". There were very few that said they were not playing. The ones that said they were not playing ALL said "because my high school coach will not make me better. I will learn more not playing for him". I also asked them if their club coaches (both KVA and K2 players present) told them not to play high school and the unanimous response was "no". With that being said there was no mention of "memories". I know mom and dad think about "memories" but right now these girls don't understand that aspect. Good luck to all the teams this year it should be fun.

Edited by bigbluevolley
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Every kid is a college prospect. If you think college is only Division I or "your" idea of what college should be, that's a mistake. Can't allow elitism to creep into our collective mindset and become infested in us. It's dangerous.

 

Can't think of a single player I've encountered over time who skipped high school ball. I can think of many, many, many kids who gave up another high school sport to focus on volleyball, but not one who skipped entirely.

 

I agree with the selfish comment 100%. Yes, there can be inconsistences between what is taught at club vs high school... and plenty of them at that... but who really benefits from not competitively playing their sport of choice for 6+ months straight?

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I've seen club teams formed to benefit just one player usually the coaches. High school coaches often coach club teams so many times the coaching is exactly the same. With both you have to know what your getting into. Politics can exist in club ball. Say the put together a club team say 14 1s 2s and 3s. They load up one team with girls that will mostly play in high school for one of the coaches. Them get 3 or 4 from 2 other local teams. They let the coaches girls rotate all the way around while only letting the others share time. I've seen it. More than once and guess what the club usually folds in 2 or 3 years. Pros and cons with both. If your good enough to play college the coaches will find you.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I see no downside to playing volleyball for your HS.  Just know that if you are a true D1 prospect and have offers early in your HS career, make sure that you have your credits and are ready to graduate in Dec of your SR year.  The D1 programs are going to want you in the training room and class room in Jan.  Same goes for football.  In TN softball is different.  You might not want to play travel/select your Jr. and Sr. years and join a GA. select team where you'll get more looks.  Just my 2 cents and worth exactly what you paid for it.  TSSAA needs to seriously reconsider its Softball season.

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This has been an interesting thread to read.  I have spoken with quite a few high school coaches as well as club coaches concerning this matter.  And it really got me thinking (surprise there) about the current state of middle/high school age volleyball.  It seems to me that there is a growing push especially for the clubs to play volleyball for the scholarship you “might†earn.  Guess I am old school but what happened to playing this wonderful sport for the love and joy of it?  Is that getting lost?  If it is, that is a shame because a lot of players both male and female are going to be missing out on what this sport is really about.  As a former volleyball coach at various levels, I think this is a sad thing to see.  Maybe this is what the evolution of a growing sport needs to go through!  But I for one, hope not.  One quick thought on not playing high school ball because of poor coaching or risk of injury; what is to keep an elite player from being a leader on their high school team and helping other players develop into better players; as well as helping their coach be a better coach.  Bet college coaches would see that as a very positive thing to add to their programs, an unselfish student/athlete who is actually a real leader by example.  As far as injury goes, that can be another topic for later discussion.


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