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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]DD is currently on one of the worst teams in the region. She wants to make a top 50% team next year but doesn’t know how to improve. Does anyone have clinics that helped their kid tremendously?[/quote]

That was us last year. Made a better team this year but it took a lot of time and money. She’s aiming for a better team next year and is still working at it. It’s not just clinics…

I don’t know where you live, how old your kid is or what position they play (or could play) so this a very general roadmap

How badly do they want it? Making a better team is kind of like looking at a promotion, figuring out the job description and seeing what you already have/know how to do, what they can work on and what is simply not fixable. And how much can they (and you devote to it?). It’s a mindset thing first and foremost. Be very realistic about this…top teams will be heavily rostered (12-14 ppl) and you’ll be competing for a spot every practice - and may ride the bench for the entire season. Why do you want a specific team and what are you getting out of it?

For instance, many of the top teams will absolutely look at height. Can’t fix that.

But they will also look at vertical jump (approach/ standing), strength (force of hit if you are a hitter or quick release or ball if you are a setter), speed (how quickly you can get to the ball / adjust in and out of system) and agility (esp for the DS / libero). None of this is worked on at a clinic. This is worked on at a youth sports performance place (strength and agility) and they’re all over the dmv area.

Then there is technique. This is where privates are helpful. My kid was put into a position they didn’t play last year with minimal coaching from the club during practices on how to be successful. Privates taught her the footwork, placement, timing and IQ for the role. Privates won’t be as helpful on the younger side when you don’t specialize, but are needed when you get older and need to play a specific role. Reverse engineer this by asking the clubs that you are targeting if any of their coaches offer privates (try to get coaches who specialize in your role and/or the age group you are going into so that it is developmentally appropriate).

I would then encourage you to get into a league (series of games / scrimmages). If you can’t swing a spring league (there are a few hyper local ones) I would swing a summer one. It forces you to apply what you have learned in the other area you work on through game play with people you don’t know well and work with different coaches. Gold star if you can get into a league run by one of the clubs you are targeting.

Finally, clinics are only helpful when you know what you need to work on. They’re typically broken down into skills or position:

Hitter / blocker vs Setter or 
Serve / serve receive; first touch; blocking; hitting; setting

General clinics are just that. Very general and may not get you what you need. But if you are doing clinics, now is the time to check the websites of the clubs you are targeting, see what they have available and sign up. You’ll get a feel for the coaching and caliber of play.

Good luck!

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