Why are youth and high school sports so competitive to get into now?

[Anonymous]

Just trust me you’ll be fine

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WHAT’S the POINT of all this?? Unless you’re truly an exceptional athlete, it will have a minimal impact on college admissions. Meanwhile, if all the travel ball crap hurts your grades, it will be counter productive. So I don’t get it — what’s the objective here?

It depends. D3 full pay athletes can get recruited without being "truly exceptional"
That can literally be the tip that gets you into a reach school.
But yeah, if it negatively impacts your grades then skip it unless you can't live without it.

This. D3 skill is different than D1 skill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WHAT’S the POINT of all this?? Unless you’re truly an exceptional athlete, it will have a minimal impact on college admissions. Meanwhile, if all the travel ball crap hurts your grades, it will be counter productive. So I don’t get it — what’s the objective here?

It depends. D3 full pay athletes can get recruited without being "truly exceptional"
That can literally be the tip that gets you into a reach school.
But yeah, if it negatively impacts your grades then skip it unless you can't live without it.

This. D3 skill is different than D1 skill.

Word?

[Anonymous]

I think the point some are missing here is that all the benefits of playing sports in HS may be cancelled out by the HS coach acting like the sport is the only activity the kid can and should be doing. Why should a high schooler who has zero college prospects give up all other extracurriculars for the sport? That does not serve the kid well at all. This is a separate issue from all that has to be done earlier in life to even have a chance at making the HS team at some large public schools, but sort of related. Kids end up not having time to pursue other things they may like and be very good at, which could be even more beneficial to them on the long run, because of the way adults have ruined sports. It’s really a shame and it didn’t used to be this way. There are only so many hours in a day and a week. Something has to give when coaches are demanding so much of kids’ time. All so they can boast a winning record.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WHAT’S the POINT of all this?? Unless you’re truly an exceptional athlete, it will have a minimal impact on college admissions. Meanwhile, if all the travel ball crap hurts your grades, it will be counter productive. So I don’t get it — what’s the objective here?

I totally agree but also think that's the point of the thread -- the vast majority of high school athletes even on varsity squads at schools with great programs will never play past high school. So they are just playing for the general benefits of sports (which I agree there are many!).

But in order to get that general benefit you have to invest thousands of dollars starting when your kid is in elementary school and treat your kid like they are a future Olympian or likely to get a full ride at a D1 program. Like that's the level of dedication these sports require even from families whose kids will never play past high school (and in many cases don't even want to). The days of playing a few years of rec tennis and liking it and then getting a spot on your high school team and competing a few years before making it a casual hobby as an adult are over.

It used to be that at most schools (excepting situations like the weird Texas football programs that actively recruited athletes to move there to attend and other outliers) even the best sports programs would have a handful of star players who were really intense (either due to their own commitment or parent insistence or in some cases the marriage of the two) but most kids were just content to work hard in practice and try to win and maybe atted a few off-season skills clinics but that's it. Twenty years ago half the kids on a competitive high school soccer team had never played club soccer at all. Half the swimmers on my high school team had only ever competed in a few seasons of summer swim and that was it. And we had a great team! But it was possible to just be a generally strong and fast swimmer and then try out as a freshman and do really well through team development. They were still really looking for raw talent and teachability at the high school level back then -- not finished athletes. Now I just don't think you can swim in high school without having done club and they are looking for an already refined skill set. A significant portion of high school swimmers do not expect to learn anything from their high school coaches because they work with club and private coaches. It's just a very different environment.

Where does this leave middle class families who value athletics generally but do not want or have the ability to spend the time and money to get their kids onto high school teams? In limbo. And that's the frustration. A lot of us used to view high school sports as a valuable experience that builds character and discipline but also a way to make friends and find a sense of belonging. But not something you need to train for from preschool. And we haven't replaced it with anything -- rec programs do not fill this gap for the most part because they are not connected to schools and are less immersive -- fewer practices and competitions and you don't get the same benefits of team cohesion.

I don't know what the answer is. It's honestly too bad.

They've been replaced by less athletic UMC kids who have hyper focused on a sport. I think you're right about the value of athletics and the part if plays in a high school experience. UMC families realized that and realized that their athletic enough kids could have that experience if they started early, especially in a less popular sport.

Yes. It’s quite sad.

What we have done to combat is encourage kids earlier to try out sports that aren’t as popular. Eg: DD loves soccer but not enough to spend all her time on it. She won’t make her high school team, where 100+ kids try out and travel kids often don’t even make it. We are having her try some other sports before high school that I know aren’t as competitive. The plan is to play rec or low level club soccer and then play other sports for the school team. Those may not be her favorite in terms of the sport but she will get the school team experience. We have done this with our two older kids also, and it is not ideal but works out ok.

DD was in the same situation. She picked up field hockey during summer workouts after 8th grade. Made JV along with every other freshman who tried out in 9th and then Varsity in 10th. Concepts from soccer translate well to other field sports

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WHAT’S the POINT of all this?? Unless you’re truly an exceptional athlete, it will have a minimal impact on college admissions. Meanwhile, if all the travel ball crap hurts your grades, it will be counter productive. So I don’t get it — what’s the objective here?

Our child will not be a college player. Why do we do this (not DC):

1. He’s privileged and academically gifted. Sports are one of the few areas where he really has to work hard to stay in life to stay on the top level team.

2. Kids don’t play outside as much these days. The alternative is probably video games or texting. Practicing 90 minutes three nights a week and playing in tournaments is better use of time.

3. He goes to a small, academically rigorous school that will take him through high school. Half his class would rather be on the robotics team rather than on the basketball court. He’ll have the chance to play as much as he wants in high school. This is part of his skills development. He also gets exposed to kids who he would not necessarily cross paths with.

4. He loves basketball.

Will he have to work hard to stay on the team of will he get as much play time as he wants?
Sounds like he goes to Potomac or someplace like that.

We’re not in DC. He goes to a small school where the average SAT score is 1500+/-. We are in a sports crazy state in perhaps the most youth sports crazy major city in the country.

When the time comes he should make the varsity (perhaps as very early). The HS basketball coaching staff has been aware of him for years and keeps tabs on him as he progresses through middle school. Playing time? Basketball is tough. If you’re projecting it, he should play as much as he wants. But development is never in a straight line so he works at it every day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is not that difficult to be a multi-sports athlete because I did that in 2000 at Langley HS. I was the best player on the varsity golf team in the fall, and the best player on the tennis team in the spring. My DS is also the 2nd best and third-best player in the golf and tennis teams at the same school, respectively. It is not that hard.

Which sport did you play in college?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid started h.s. with no experience in sports. She began running track, then picked up field hockey and lacrosse. The key to all three seems to be the ability to run. I don't think her stick skills are the best (field hockey) but she can run so she made varsity.

I never played field hockey but girls lacrosse is easy to learn. If you’re a fast runner you’re all set.

Out of the three which did she like the best?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Volleyball is very much a sport for kids from families with money. To play high level volleyball (and make the varsity team at a HS with a decent team) players have to play club volleyball, which is a significant investment of time and money. DC high schools are a good example of how this plays out. On the public side, Jackson-Reed is the largest DC HS by far and being in upper NW tends to have kids from families with more resources than other parts of the city. Nearly every player on their varsity team plays volleyball outside of school. The girls volleyball team has won the DCIAA (regular DCPS public school conference) all except one year as far back as anyone can remember. The only other DCPS HS with even a half decent team is School Without Walls which while smaller, tends to also have kids from families with more resources and therefore more club volleyball players. Most of the other other DCPS high schools have no club volleyball players and are not very good. JR wins most DCIAA matches by a huge margin. The charter schools aren't much better. St Johns had historically been the best private school volleyball in DC but GDS has take over that spot for the last few years. Both St Johns and GDS recruit players for volleyball (within whatever rules exist) and virtually every player on those teams plays club volleyball.

+1. We are not poor, but not wealthy either. We noticed our bank account taking a hit as soon as our daughter started club volleyball. It is clear though that she would likely not keep a position on a our competitive HS volleyball team with rec skills only.

The money you spend on volleyball is pittance when you compare it to golf or tennis. One of my kids is playing golf at a D1 school this year, and we spent around 45K/yr on golf travel, lessons, tournaments, etc... This is on top of the country club that we're a member. We paid 92K initiation one-time fee and another 15K/year annual fee.

Well, golf has the reputation of being a sport for rich people. 100k for membership in a country club? No, thank you - that's just ridiculous.

So volleyball isn't a rich kid sport because two other sports are more elitist? That's like claiming golf isn't a rich kid sport because Dressage exists and your 45k/yr is a joke in comparison. Volleyball is the only sport we said no to for our DD. Playing club was almost 10x a year more than what we were paying for basketball

According to an article in ESPN

“You go where you see success and where you have access to success," he said. "Basketball is a hard sport to master. Unless you're willing to put in the time and effort and have a certain level of athleticism and hand-eye skills, you will not be successful. You will be pushed out of the sport because of what it demands. In volleyball and lacrosse, those barriers are lower."”

The same article interviewed two female volleyball players who played in college.

Hayley McCorkle, who finished her career on North Carolina's volleyball team last fall said …

@“I wanted to compete against someone, but I didn't want that physical contact," she said. "Volleyball allows you to be a little more of a girl. You get to wear the ribbons, wear pink, wear your hair however you want and still be dainty when you play the sport. That draws a lot of young athletes to the sport."”

Washington's Kara Bajema was one of many volleyball players who echoed that sentiment. She has played basketball but chose volleyball. … she said ….

"Honestly, I just like the volleyball environment better. It's a little more chill," she said. "Basketball is definitely more hard-core, and I like being a girly girl sometimes."

If people don’t believe that girls are drawn to this because they get to be cute they are delusional. Females like these ones, and there are a lot of them, might just set back female sports a few decades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is not that difficult to be a multi-sports athlete because I did that in 2000 at Langley HS. I was the best player on the varsity golf team in the fall, and the best player on the tennis team in the spring. My DS is also the 2nd best and third-best player in the golf and tennis teams at the same school, respectively. It is not that hard.

Which sport did you play in college?

This is that Korean braggart who pops on here about golf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Volleyball is very much a sport for kids from families with money. To play high level volleyball (and make the varsity team at a HS with a decent team) players have to play club volleyball, which is a significant investment of time and money. DC high schools are a good example of how this plays out. On the public side, Jackson-Reed is the largest DC HS by far and being in upper NW tends to have kids from families with more resources than other parts of the city. Nearly every player on their varsity team plays volleyball outside of school. The girls volleyball team has won the DCIAA (regular DCPS public school conference) all except one year as far back as anyone can remember. The only other DCPS HS with even a half decent team is School Without Walls which while smaller, tends to also have kids from families with more resources and therefore more club volleyball players. Most of the other other DCPS high schools have no club volleyball players and are not very good. JR wins most DCIAA matches by a huge margin. The charter schools aren't much better. St Johns had historically been the best private school volleyball in DC but GDS has take over that spot for the last few years. Both St Johns and GDS recruit players for volleyball (within whatever rules exist) and virtually every player on those teams plays club volleyball.

+1. We are not poor, but not wealthy either. We noticed our bank account taking a hit as soon as our daughter started club volleyball. It is clear though that she would likely not keep a position on a our competitive HS volleyball team with rec skills only.

The money you spend on volleyball is pittance when you compare it to golf or tennis. One of my kids is playing golf at a D1 school this year, and we spent around 45K/yr on golf travel, lessons, tournaments, etc... This is on top of the country club that we're a member. We paid 92K initiation one-time fee and another 15K/year annual fee.

Well, golf has the reputation of being a sport for rich people. 100k for membership in a country club? No, thank you - that's just ridiculous.

So volleyball isn't a rich kid sport because two other sports are more elitist? That's like claiming golf isn't a rich kid sport because Dressage exists and your 45k/yr is a joke in comparison. Volleyball is the only sport we said no to for our DD. Playing club was almost 10x a year more than what we were paying for basketball

According to an article in ESPN

“You go where you see success and where you have access to success," he said. "Basketball is a hard sport to master. Unless you're willing to put in the time and effort and have a certain level of athleticism and hand-eye skills, you will not be successful. You will be pushed out of the sport because of what it demands. In volleyball and lacrosse, those barriers are lower."”

The same article interviewed two female volleyball players who played in college.

Hayley McCorkle, who finished her career on North Carolina's volleyball team last fall said …

@“I wanted to compete against someone, but I didn't want that physical contact," she said. "Volleyball allows you to be a little more of a girl. You get to wear the ribbons, wear pink, wear your hair however you want and still be dainty when you play the sport. That draws a lot of young athletes to the sport."”

Washington's Kara Bajema was one of many volleyball players who echoed that sentiment. She has played basketball but chose volleyball. … she said ….

"Honestly, I just like the volleyball environment better. It's a little more chill," she said. "Basketball is definitely more hard-core, and I like being a girly girl sometimes."

If people don’t believe that girls are drawn to this because they get to be cute they are delusional. Females like these ones, and there are a lot of them, might just set back female sports a few decades.

You’re saying there’s something wrong with wanting a less competitive environment or wanting to look cute? I don’t see why women have to act like men to be considered real athletes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Volleyball is very much a sport for kids from families with money. To play high level volleyball (and make the varsity team at a HS with a decent team) players have to play club volleyball, which is a significant investment of time and money. DC high schools are a good example of how this plays out. On the public side, Jackson-Reed is the largest DC HS by far and being in upper NW tends to have kids from families with more resources than other parts of the city. Nearly every player on their varsity team plays volleyball outside of school. The girls volleyball team has won the DCIAA (regular DCPS public school conference) all except one year as far back as anyone can remember. The only other DCPS HS with even a half decent team is School Without Walls which while smaller, tends to also have kids from families with more resources and therefore more club volleyball players. Most of the other other DCPS high schools have no club volleyball players and are not very good. JR wins most DCIAA matches by a huge margin. The charter schools aren't much better. St Johns had historically been the best private school volleyball in DC but GDS has take over that spot for the last few years. Both St Johns and GDS recruit players for volleyball (within whatever rules exist) and virtually every player on those teams plays club volleyball.

+1. We are not poor, but not wealthy either. We noticed our bank account taking a hit as soon as our daughter started club volleyball. It is clear though that she would likely not keep a position on a our competitive HS volleyball team with rec skills only.

The money you spend on volleyball is pittance when you compare it to golf or tennis. One of my kids is playing golf at a D1 school this year, and we spent around 45K/yr on golf travel, lessons, tournaments, etc... This is on top of the country club that we're a member. We paid 92K initiation one-time fee and another 15K/year annual fee.

Well, golf has the reputation of being a sport for rich people. 100k for membership in a country club? No, thank you - that's just ridiculous.

So volleyball isn't a rich kid sport because two other sports are more elitist? That's like claiming golf isn't a rich kid sport because Dressage exists and your 45k/yr is a joke in comparison. Volleyball is the only sport we said no to for our DD. Playing club was almost 10x a year more than what we were paying for basketball

According to an article in ESPN

“You go where you see success and where you have access to success," he said. "Basketball is a hard sport to master. Unless you're willing to put in the time and effort and have a certain level of athleticism and hand-eye skills, you will not be successful. You will be pushed out of the sport because of what it demands. In volleyball and lacrosse, those barriers are lower."”

The same article interviewed two female volleyball players who played in college.

Hayley McCorkle, who finished her career on North Carolina's volleyball team last fall said …

@“I wanted to compete against someone, but I didn't want that physical contact," she said. "Volleyball allows you to be a little more of a girl. You get to wear the ribbons, wear pink, wear your hair however you want and still be dainty when you play the sport. That draws a lot of young athletes to the sport."”

Washington's Kara Bajema was one of many volleyball players who echoed that sentiment. She has played basketball but chose volleyball. … she said ….

"Honestly, I just like the volleyball environment better. It's a little more chill," she said. "Basketball is definitely more hard-core, and I like being a girly girl sometimes."

If people don’t believe that girls are drawn to this because they get to be cute they are delusional. Females like these ones, and there are a lot of them, might just set back female sports a few decades.

This matches what I have seen in our community. A lot of girls start out playing basketball in elementary school. The more girly ones move over to volleyball by middle school. Both teams and tall and athletic, but there’s a noticeable difference in how they carry themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Volleyball is very much a sport for kids from families with money. To play high level volleyball (and make the varsity team at a HS with a decent team) players have to play club volleyball, which is a significant investment of time and money. DC high schools are a good example of how this plays out. On the public side, Jackson-Reed is the largest DC HS by far and being in upper NW tends to have kids from families with more resources than other parts of the city. Nearly every player on their varsity team plays volleyball outside of school. The girls volleyball team has won the DCIAA (regular DCPS public school conference) all except one year as far back as anyone can remember. The only other DCPS HS with even a half decent team is School Without Walls which while smaller, tends to also have kids from families with more resources and therefore more club volleyball players. Most of the other other DCPS high schools have no club volleyball players and are not very good. JR wins most DCIAA matches by a huge margin. The charter schools aren't much better. St Johns had historically been the best private school volleyball in DC but GDS has take over that spot for the last few years. Both St Johns and GDS recruit players for volleyball (within whatever rules exist) and virtually every player on those teams plays club volleyball.

+1. We are not poor, but not wealthy either. We noticed our bank account taking a hit as soon as our daughter started club volleyball. It is clear though that she would likely not keep a position on a our competitive HS volleyball team with rec skills only.

The money you spend on volleyball is pittance when you compare it to golf or tennis. One of my kids is playing golf at a D1 school this year, and we spent around 45K/yr on golf travel, lessons, tournaments, etc... This is on top of the country club that we're a member. We paid 92K initiation one-time fee and another 15K/year annual fee.

Well, golf has the reputation of being a sport for rich people. 100k for membership in a country club? No, thank you - that's just ridiculous.

So volleyball isn't a rich kid sport because two other sports are more elitist? That's like claiming golf isn't a rich kid sport because Dressage exists and your 45k/yr is a joke in comparison. Volleyball is the only sport we said no to for our DD. Playing club was almost 10x a year more than what we were paying for basketball

According to an article in ESPN

“You go where you see success and where you have access to success," he said. "Basketball is a hard sport to master. Unless you're willing to put in the time and effort and have a certain level of athleticism and hand-eye skills, you will not be successful. You will be pushed out of the sport because of what it demands. In volleyball and lacrosse, those barriers are lower."”

The same article interviewed two female volleyball players who played in college.

Hayley McCorkle, who finished her career on North Carolina's volleyball team last fall said …

@“I wanted to compete against someone, but I didn't want that physical contact," she said. "Volleyball allows you to be a little more of a girl. You get to wear the ribbons, wear pink, wear your hair however you want and still be dainty when you play the sport. That draws a lot of young athletes to the sport."”

Washington's Kara Bajema was one of many volleyball players who echoed that sentiment. She has played basketball but chose volleyball. … she said ….

"Honestly, I just like the volleyball environment better. It's a little more chill," she said. "Basketball is definitely more hard-core, and I like being a girly girl sometimes."

If people don’t believe that girls are drawn to this because they get to be cute they are delusional. Females like these ones, and there are a lot of them, might just set back female sports a few decades.

You’re saying there’s something wrong with wanting a less competitive environment or wanting to look cute? I don’t see why women have to act like men to be considered real athletes.

+1

So tired of everything men do being considered the default and then women being forced to act the same way. Women just aren’t smaller, weaker men.

My daughter is incredibly competitive but she is not and will never be comfortable with physical aggression. She plays basketball now but I can see her making the switch to volleyball by high school and I think it’s great that there are sports out there for girls like her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Volleyball is very much a sport for kids from families with money. To play high level volleyball (and make the varsity team at a HS with a decent team) players have to play club volleyball, which is a significant investment of time and money. DC high schools are a good example of how this plays out. On the public side, Jackson-Reed is the largest DC HS by far and being in upper NW tends to have kids from families with more resources than other parts of the city. Nearly every player on their varsity team plays volleyball outside of school. The girls volleyball team has won the DCIAA (regular DCPS public school conference) all except one year as far back as anyone can remember. The only other DCPS HS with even a half decent team is School Without Walls which while smaller, tends to also have kids from families with more resources and therefore more club volleyball players. Most of the other other DCPS high schools have no club volleyball players and are not very good. JR wins most DCIAA matches by a huge margin. The charter schools aren't much better. St Johns had historically been the best private school volleyball in DC but GDS has take over that spot for the last few years. Both St Johns and GDS recruit players for volleyball (within whatever rules exist) and virtually every player on those teams plays club volleyball.

+1. We are not poor, but not wealthy either. We noticed our bank account taking a hit as soon as our daughter started club volleyball. It is clear though that she would likely not keep a position on a our competitive HS volleyball team with rec skills only.

The money you spend on volleyball is pittance when you compare it to golf or tennis. One of my kids is playing golf at a D1 school this year, and we spent around 45K/yr on golf travel, lessons, tournaments, etc... This is on top of the country club that we're a member. We paid 92K initiation one-time fee and another 15K/year annual fee.

Well, golf has the reputation of being a sport for rich people. 100k for membership in a country club? No, thank you - that's just ridiculous.

So volleyball isn't a rich kid sport because two other sports are more elitist? That's like claiming golf isn't a rich kid sport because Dressage exists and your 45k/yr is a joke in comparison. Volleyball is the only sport we said no to for our DD. Playing club was almost 10x a year more than what we were paying for basketball

According to an article in ESPN

“You go where you see success and where you have access to success," he said. "Basketball is a hard sport to master. Unless you're willing to put in the time and effort and have a certain level of athleticism and hand-eye skills, you will not be successful. You will be pushed out of the sport because of what it demands. In volleyball and lacrosse, those barriers are lower."”

The same article interviewed two female volleyball players who played in college.

Hayley McCorkle, who finished her career on North Carolina's volleyball team last fall said …

@“I wanted to compete against someone, but I didn't want that physical contact," she said. "Volleyball allows you to be a little more of a girl. You get to wear the ribbons, wear pink, wear your hair however you want and still be dainty when you play the sport. That draws a lot of young athletes to the sport."”

Washington's Kara Bajema was one of many volleyball players who echoed that sentiment. She has played basketball but chose volleyball. … she said ….

"Honestly, I just like the volleyball environment better. It's a little more chill," she said. "Basketball is definitely more hard-core, and I like being a girly girl sometimes."

If people don’t believe that girls are drawn to this because they get to be cute they are delusional. Females like these ones, and there are a lot of them, might just set back female sports a few decades.

You’re saying there’s something wrong with wanting a less competitive environment or wanting to look cute? I don’t see why women have to act like men to be considered real athletes.

I wanted my daughter to pick up volleyball because I used to play (just for fun, I wasn't good enough for a competitive environment) and I was hoping that we would shoot hoops together. She didn't like basketball because she felt like she gets too much into some other people's personal space (and others get too much into her personal space), but she loves volleyball. She plays because she enjoys the game - it's good exercise and a good way to make friends. Other girls who are taller and more athletic will eventually squeeze her out - she is likely not going to play in college mainly because she is not tall enough. However, that comment bothered the heck out of me. Females set back female sports because they look cute while they play the sport they enjoy? Would they be better athletes if they looked ugly? This is one of the most misogynistic comments I've seen around here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Volleyball is very much a sport for kids from families with money. To play high level volleyball (and make the varsity team at a HS with a decent team) players have to play club volleyball, which is a significant investment of time and money. DC high schools are a good example of how this plays out. On the public side, Jackson-Reed is the largest DC HS by far and being in upper NW tends to have kids from families with more resources than other parts of the city. Nearly every player on their varsity team plays volleyball outside of school. The girls volleyball team has won the DCIAA (regular DCPS public school conference) all except one year as far back as anyone can remember. The only other DCPS HS with even a half decent team is School Without Walls which while smaller, tends to also have kids from families with more resources and therefore more club volleyball players. Most of the other other DCPS high schools have no club volleyball players and are not very good. JR wins most DCIAA matches by a huge margin. The charter schools aren't much better. St Johns had historically been the best private school volleyball in DC but GDS has take over that spot for the last few years. Both St Johns and GDS recruit players for volleyball (within whatever rules exist) and virtually every player on those teams plays club volleyball.

+1. We are not poor, but not wealthy either. We noticed our bank account taking a hit as soon as our daughter started club volleyball. It is clear though that she would likely not keep a position on a our competitive HS volleyball team with rec skills only.

The money you spend on volleyball is pittance when you compare it to golf or tennis. One of my kids is playing golf at a D1 school this year, and we spent around 45K/yr on golf travel, lessons, tournaments, etc... This is on top of the country club that we're a member. We paid 92K initiation one-time fee and another 15K/year annual fee.

Well, golf has the reputation of being a sport for rich people. 100k for membership in a country club? No, thank you - that's just ridiculous.

So volleyball isn't a rich kid sport because two other sports are more elitist? That's like claiming golf isn't a rich kid sport because Dressage exists and your 45k/yr is a joke in comparison. Volleyball is the only sport we said no to for our DD. Playing club was almost 10x a year more than what we were paying for basketball

According to an article in ESPN

“You go where you see success and where you have access to success," he said. "Basketball is a hard sport to master. Unless you're willing to put in the time and effort and have a certain level of athleticism and hand-eye skills, you will not be successful. You will be pushed out of the sport because of what it demands. In volleyball and lacrosse, those barriers are lower."”

The same article interviewed two female volleyball players who played in college.

Hayley McCorkle, who finished her career on North Carolina's volleyball team last fall said …

@“I wanted to compete against someone, but I didn't want that physical contact," she said. "Volleyball allows you to be a little more of a girl. You get to wear the ribbons, wear pink, wear your hair however you want and still be dainty when you play the sport. That draws a lot of young athletes to the sport."”

Washington's Kara Bajema was one of many volleyball players who echoed that sentiment. She has played basketball but chose volleyball. … she said ….

"Honestly, I just like the volleyball environment better. It's a little more chill," she said. "Basketball is definitely more hard-core, and I like being a girly girl sometimes."

If people don’t believe that girls are drawn to this because they get to be cute they are delusional. Females like these ones, and there are a lot of them, might just set back female sports a few decades.

You’re saying there’s something wrong with wanting a less competitive environment or wanting to look cute? I don’t see why women have to act like men to be considered real athletes.

+1

So tired of everything men do being considered the default and then women being forced to act the same way. Women just aren’t smaller, weaker men.

My daughter is incredibly competitive but she is not and will never be comfortable with physical aggression. She plays basketball now but I can see her making the switch to volleyball by high school and I think it’s great that there are sports out there for girls like her.

I was like this. Swimming ended up being a great fit for me. It’s funny because before my teen years I didn’t really think of myself as an athlete even though I was quite fast. It felt like only the girls who were aggressive and excelled at the team sports were thought of as athletes at school. Now as an adult working out alongside people who did well at all kinds of sports, I realize I have a lot of natural athleticism on land (haha) that probably was always there. I just didn’t want to use it to fight over a ball.