Paid Additional Coach Clinics During Volleyball Season

[Anonymous]

My DD’s club volleyball coach runs separate additional paid clinics during volleyball season. These are “optional” and parents have to pay additional funds for players to participate. This is after spending several thousand to the club for two team practices per week. Does this sound normal to other parents?

[Anonymous]

Yes, that sounds normal.

Your club fee covers court time and coaches' salaries based on a contract with the club for the season. The clinics are on top of that.

[Anonymous]

Some clubs test how much money you are willing to throw at them. The tryout outcome may depend on how much you spend. Perfectly normal, depending on your definition of normal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some clubs test how much money you are willing to throw at them. The tryout outcome may depend on how much you spend. Perfectly normal, depending on your definition of normal.

No club is measuring how much money you spend. Are they paying attention to which kids are in the gym and focused on improving? Yes.
Would you tip the scale at tryouts in favor of someone you know who is putting in extra effort to improve? Also yes.

Is there a cost (clinics, privates) to improve? Yes.
But the "test" is about improving performance, not about how much you spend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some clubs test how much money you are willing to throw at them. The tryout outcome may depend on how much you spend. Perfectly normal, depending on your definition of normal.

No club is measuring how much money you spend. Are they paying attention to which kids are in the gym and focused on improving? Yes.
Would you tip the scale at tryouts in favor of someone you know who is putting in extra effort to improve? Also yes.

Is there a cost (clinics, privates) to improve? Yes.
But the "test" is about improving performance, not about how much you spend.

Ok- so you spend a lot! Got it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some clubs test how much money you are willing to throw at them. The tryout outcome may depend on how much you spend. Perfectly normal, depending on your definition of normal.

No club is measuring how much money you spend. Are they paying attention to which kids are in the gym and focused on improving? Yes.
Would you tip the scale at tryouts in favor of someone you know who is putting in extra effort to improve? Also yes.

Is there a cost (clinics, privates) to improve? Yes.
But the "test" is about improving performance, not about how much you spend.

I am sure there is nothing other than improvement that clubs care about. They don't care about money at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some clubs test how much money you are willing to throw at them. The tryout outcome may depend on how much you spend. Perfectly normal, depending on your definition of normal.

No club is measuring how much money you spend. Are they paying attention to which kids are in the gym and focused on improving? Yes.
Would you tip the scale at tryouts in favor of someone you know who is putting in extra effort to improve? Also yes.

Is there a cost (clinics, privates) to improve? Yes.
But the "test" is about improving performance, not about how much you spend.

Ok- so you spend a lot! Got it.

Nobody said volleyball was cheap, but I also can't think of a sport where the expectation is not additional work (for an additional fee) outside of the gym or off the field.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some clubs test how much money you are willing to throw at them. The tryout outcome may depend on how much you spend. Perfectly normal, depending on your definition of normal.

No club is measuring how much money you spend. Are they paying attention to which kids are in the gym and focused on improving? Yes.
Would you tip the scale at tryouts in favor of someone you know who is putting in extra effort to improve? Also yes.

Is there a cost (clinics, privates) to improve? Yes.
But the "test" is about improving performance, not about how much you spend.

Ok- so you spend a lot! Got it.

Nobody said volleyball was cheap, but I also can't think of a sport where the expectation is not additional work (for an additional fee) outside of the gym or off the field.

And you cannot see how this approach raises ethical concerns. Bless your heart.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DD’s club volleyball coach runs separate additional paid clinics during volleyball season. These are “optional” and parents have to pay additional funds for players to participate. This is after spending several thousand to the club for two team practices per week. Does this sound normal to other parents?

Does the coach contact parents individually or as a group to advertise the clinics?

Does the coach give players who attend the clinics more playing time?

Does the coach single out players who do not attend the clinics?

The USAV Coaches Code of Ethics and Conduct says:
"Recognize the trust placed in, and the unique power of, the coach and athlete relationship. I will not exploit
the dependency of athletes and will avoid dual relationships (e.g., business or close personal
relationships) which could impair my professional judgment, compromise the integrity of the process
and/or take advantage of the relationship for my own gain."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some clubs test how much money you are willing to throw at them. The tryout outcome may depend on how much you spend. Perfectly normal, depending on your definition of normal.

No club is measuring how much money you spend. Are they paying attention to which kids are in the gym and focused on improving? Yes.
Would you tip the scale at tryouts in favor of someone you know who is putting in extra effort to improve? Also yes.

Is there a cost (clinics, privates) to improve? Yes.
But the "test" is about improving performance, not about how much you spend.

I am sure this is true. It must be written in a Bible somewhere.

[Anonymous]

This isn’t an ethics scandal… it’s how youth sports work everywhere, not just volleyball. Is the argument really that coaches’ time and court space should be freely available on demand for extra development? Certainly nobody can argue that. You’re paying more because it’s literally extra... extra reps, extra coaching, extra gym time… so if you don’t want it, don’t buy it, but calling it unethical because others do is just performative outrage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some clubs test how much money you are willing to throw at them. The tryout outcome may depend on how much you spend. Perfectly normal, depending on your definition of normal.

No club is measuring how much money you spend. Are they paying attention to which kids are in the gym and focused on improving? Yes.
Would you tip the scale at tryouts in favor of someone you know who is putting in extra effort to improve? Also yes.

Is there a cost (clinics, privates) to improve? Yes.
But the "test" is about improving performance, not about how much you spend.

I am sure this is true. It must be written in a Bible somewhere.

No Bible required. Coaches can literally see who is in the gym.

[Anonymous]

This should not be a shock or surprise.

Most if not all the parents especially in Travel Clubs spend the extra money for additional reps with coaches (from their club or not) outside of regular practices AND separate conditioning and/or plyometrics workouts with coaches who specialize in it.

Happy Friday, everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This isn’t an ethics scandal… it’s how youth sports work everywhere, not just volleyball. Is the argument really that coaches’ time and court space should be freely available on demand for extra development? Certainly nobody can argue that. You’re paying more because it’s literally extra... extra reps, extra coaching, extra gym time… so if you don’t want it, don’t buy it, but calling it unethical because others do is just performative outrage.

That's not true no matter how forcefully you say it. Coaches making extra money from their players may act to keep that money flowing. You can give that player a spot on your team (or club) because you can milk the family. Then you can pretend you see that player wanted to improve and making the effort. Even if there is no bias, there still perceived bias, which is equally bad.

[Anonymous]

Yes this is normal and no you don’t have to sign up for it. My DD cannot do it because of her schedule but she does extra workouts at home and I made sure to let the coach know how hard she tries.