Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Monday Morning and my experienced u15 with two years of club under her belt and who went to 5 tryouts has zero offers. She’s shattered. She isn’t a rec level player. We don’t understand what happened.

I keep telling my DD that it doesn't really matter what you do at practice, what really matters is what you do outside practice. These words of wisdom are not mine: I heard them one way or another from the mouths of experienced coaches. Club experience is irrelevant if all you do is show up at practice and tournaments. There are many players who work hard during practice, then go home and work even harder. The extra hours will eventually pay off because it will show in the way you move on the court. These are the players who really want to play volleyball and they will squeeze out those who simply show up for the social aspect (have fun with friends). All the players who are now left hanging need to understand that it will be even harder to make a team during the next season. My DD seems to have finally realized that this is the case, but I am still not sure if she is willing to put in the effort.

Our experience has been different. DD who is still in HS (also have a vball-playing older sister now in college) doesn't do more outside of practice and games (during high school season) and practice and tournaments (during club season). She really doesn't do anything more, and she's good, she's very good, but to watch from the sidelines at tryouts to me she's not an obvious "OMG she's a superstar!" type. She's good, but so are so many other girls. I really wasn't sure what was going to happen this past weekend because to me she looked good but I wasn't sure she was standing out. But she did get an offer at each tryout (well 2 offers and 1 "We are close to making you an offer but where do we rank in your choices?" which ended that offer because she was honest).

Point being, for both of our DDs (older DD in college now but when she was in middle & high school playing vball), neither of them did much outside of practices and games/tournaments. And both always got an offer, as did many of their "not doing extra" friends. I'm NOT saying "So you must be doing something wrong"; I'm just saying it may be way more of a crap shoot than about extra effort because actually, neither my DD's nor most of their friends do more outside of their school season and club season. They are very serious about playing, but they aren't out doing a million extra practices and clinics and going to pre-tryout clinics for every club they want to try out for. And they both looked good but not great and btw neither are taller than 5'7".

Is this some sort of humble brag trying to make us feel worse? What is the point of this?

No, it's not a humble brag. It's saying our experience was not that only girls who do more outside of practices and tournaments get offers. DD also wasn't pre-selected, didn't go in known.

I said it because it's also important NOT to have a bunch of girls who already do more thinking they still haven't "done enough more". Some of this feels like luck of the draw, and that's what our experience has felt like, so I was just pointing out that it was different and we know others who had similar experiences. We also know many who were shut out, a favorite player from DD's club team last year who is amazing (we watched her at her school this fall) and she was shut out. It sucks completely and we have no idea how that happened. It just seems like more chance than being all about invite-only clinics and practicing every single waking moment.

It was a humble brag: my daughters don’t do any outside training but are so naturally good, so very good, that they get offers. So because of my tall, naturally talented daughters who always have gotten offers you could too!!!!

Your post was awful. Read the room.

I did read the room, and apologized for the way my post sounded. And my daughters are not "naturally talented"- they worked their asses off in practices. My point was that someone made a declaration that didn't apply to many girls we've known: there are girls who didn't do all the extras and got offers, and sometimes we were all really surprised or confused about it. We've known incredible players that didn't get offers, and good but not great ones who did. I may have said it badly or come off badly, but 7 combined years of playing DMV club volleyball means we've seen a lot. You don't have to like this observation, but when one of the best players from DD's team last year didn't get any offers in this round and she is sooooo beyond great, no one understands it. There's a level of random in some of this and it felt important to point that part of our experiences out.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Monday Morning and my experienced u15 with two years of club under her belt and who went to 5 tryouts has zero offers. She’s shattered. She isn’t a rec level player. We don’t understand what happened.

I keep telling my DD that it doesn't really matter what you do at practice, what really matters is what you do outside practice. These words of wisdom are not mine: I heard them one way or another from the mouths of experienced coaches. Club experience is irrelevant if all you do is show up at practice and tournaments. There are many players who work hard during practice, then go home and work even harder. The extra hours will eventually pay off because it will show in the way you move on the court. These are the players who really want to play volleyball and they will squeeze out those who simply show up for the social aspect (have fun with friends). All the players who are now left hanging need to understand that it will be even harder to make a team during the next season. My DD seems to have finally realized that this is the case, but I am still not sure if she is willing to put in the effort.

Our experience has been different. DD who is still in HS (also have a vball-playing older sister now in college) doesn't do more outside of practice and games (during high school season) and practice and tournaments (during club season). She really doesn't do anything more, and she's good, she's very good, but to watch from the sidelines at tryouts to me she's not an obvious "OMG she's a superstar!" type. She's good, but so are so many other girls. I really wasn't sure what was going to happen this past weekend because to me she looked good but I wasn't sure she was standing out. But she did get an offer at each tryout (well 2 offers and 1 "We are close to making you an offer but where do we rank in your choices?" which ended that offer because she was honest).

Point being, for both of our DDs (older DD in college now but when she was in middle & high school playing vball), neither of them did much outside of practices and games/tournaments. And both always got an offer, as did many of their "not doing extra" friends. I'm NOT saying "So you must be doing something wrong"; I'm just saying it may be way more of a crap shoot than about extra effort because actually, neither my DD's nor most of their friends do more outside of their school season and club season. They are very serious about playing, but they aren't out doing a million extra practices and clinics and going to pre-tryout clinics for every club they want to try out for. And they both looked good but not great and btw neither are taller than 5'7".

Is this some sort of humble brag trying to make us feel worse? What is the point of this?

No, it's not a humble brag. It's saying our experience was not that only girls who do more outside of practices and tournaments get offers. DD also wasn't pre-selected, didn't go in known.

I said it because it's also important NOT to have a bunch of girls who already do more thinking they still haven't "done enough more". Some of this feels like luck of the draw, and that's what our experience has felt like, so I was just pointing out that it was different and we know others who had similar experiences. We also know many who were shut out, a favorite player from DD's club team last year who is amazing (we watched her at her school this fall) and she was shut out. It sucks completely and we have no idea how that happened. It just seems like more chance than being all about invite-only clinics and practicing every single waking moment.

It was a humble brag: my daughters don’t do any outside training but are so naturally good, so very good, that they get offers. So because of my tall, naturally talented daughters who always have gotten offers you could too!!!!

Your post was awful. Read the room.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Monday Morning and my experienced u15 with two years of club under her belt and who went to 5 tryouts has zero offers. She’s shattered. She isn’t a rec level player. We don’t understand what happened.

I keep telling my DD that it doesn't really matter what you do at practice, what really matters is what you do outside practice. These words of wisdom are not mine: I heard them one way or another from the mouths of experienced coaches. Club experience is irrelevant if all you do is show up at practice and tournaments. There are many players who work hard during practice, then go home and work even harder. The extra hours will eventually pay off because it will show in the way you move on the court. These are the players who really want to play volleyball and they will squeeze out those who simply show up for the social aspect (have fun with friends). All the players who are now left hanging need to understand that it will be even harder to make a team during the next season. My DD seems to have finally realized that this is the case, but I am still not sure if she is willing to put in the effort.

Our experience has been different. DD who is still in HS (also have a vball-playing older sister now in college) doesn't do more outside of practice and games (during high school season) and practice and tournaments (during club season). She really doesn't do anything more, and she's good, she's very good, but to watch from the sidelines at tryouts to me she's not an obvious "OMG she's a superstar!" type. She's good, but so are so many other girls. I really wasn't sure what was going to happen this past weekend because to me she looked good but I wasn't sure she was standing out. But she did get an offer at each tryout (well 2 offers and 1 "We are close to making you an offer but where do we rank in your choices?" which ended that offer because she was honest).

Point being, for both of our DDs (older DD in college now but when she was in middle & high school playing vball), neither of them did much outside of practices and games/tournaments. And both always got an offer, as did many of their "not doing extra" friends. I'm NOT saying "So you must be doing something wrong"; I'm just saying it may be way more of a crap shoot than about extra effort because actually, neither my DD's nor most of their friends do more outside of their school season and club season. They are very serious about playing, but they aren't out doing a million extra practices and clinics and going to pre-tryout clinics for every club they want to try out for. And they both looked good but not great and btw neither are taller than 5'7".

Is this some sort of humble brag trying to make us feel worse? What is the point of this?

No, it's not a humble brag. It's saying our experience was not that only girls who do more outside of practices and tournaments get offers. DD also wasn't pre-selected, didn't go in known.

I said it because it's also important NOT to have a bunch of girls who already do more thinking they still haven't "done enough more". Some of this feels like luck of the draw, and that's what our experience has felt like, so I was just pointing out that it was different and we know others who had similar experiences. We also know many who were shut out, a favorite player from DD's club team last year who is amazing (we watched her at her school this fall) and she was shut out. It sucks completely and we have no idea how that happened. It just seems like more chance than being all about invite-only clinics and practicing every single waking moment.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m sorry, humble brag PP, but 5’7” is tall. If you’re that height it doesn’t take much. When you’re 5’2” you need to be short and nimble and doing somersaults on the floor and super jump setting to get an offer.

Fair enough. And also, I did re-read my original post and it does sound like humble bragging. I apologize. I really just wanted to emphasize the level at which for some of us it's seemed like bizarre chance, for better and for worse. Not that our girls and all other girls didn't work hard - they worked their butts off. But we also know amazing players that struck out, and players we were surprised got offers over others who were in the same tryout.

Anonymous wrote:I’m sorry, humble brag PP, but 5’7” is tall. If you’re that height it doesn’t take much. When you’re 5’2” you need to be short and nimble and doing somersaults on the floor and super jump setting to get an offer.

Anonymous wrote:I’m sorry, humble brag PP, but 5’7” is tall. If you’re that height it doesn’t take much. When you’re 5’2” you need to be short and nimble and doing somersaults on the floor and super jump setting to get an offer.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Monday Morning and my experienced u15 with two years of club under her belt and who went to 5 tryouts has zero offers. She’s shattered. She isn’t a rec level player. We don’t understand what happened.

I keep telling my DD that it doesn't really matter what you do at practice, what really matters is what you do outside practice. These words of wisdom are not mine: I heard them one way or another from the mouths of experienced coaches. Club experience is irrelevant if all you do is show up at practice and tournaments. There are many players who work hard during practice, then go home and work even harder. The extra hours will eventually pay off because it will show in the way you move on the court. These are the players who really want to play volleyball and they will squeeze out those who simply show up for the social aspect (have fun with friends). All the players who are now left hanging need to understand that it will be even harder to make a team during the next season. My DD seems to have finally realized that this is the case, but I am still not sure if she is willing to put in the effort.

Our experience has been different. DD who is still in HS (also have a vball-playing older sister now in college) doesn't do more outside of practice and games (during high school season) and practice and tournaments (during club season). She really doesn't do anything more, and she's good, she's very good, but to watch from the sidelines at tryouts to me she's not an obvious "OMG she's a superstar!" type. She's good, but so are so many other girls. I really wasn't sure what was going to happen this past weekend because to me she looked good but I wasn't sure she was standing out. But she did get an offer at each tryout (well 2 offers and 1 "We are close to making you an offer but where do we rank in your choices?" which ended that offer because she was honest).

Point being, for both of our DDs (older DD in college now but when she was in middle & high school playing vball), neither of them did much outside of practices and games/tournaments. And both always got an offer, as did many of their "not doing extra" friends. I'm NOT saying "So you must be doing something wrong"; I'm just saying it may be way more of a crap shoot than about extra effort because actually, neither my DD's nor most of their friends do more outside of their school season and club season. They are very serious about playing, but they aren't out doing a million extra practices and clinics and going to pre-tryout clinics for every club they want to try out for. And they both looked good but not great and btw neither are taller than 5'7".

Is this some sort of humble brag trying to make us feel worse? What is the point of this?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Monday Morning and my experienced u15 with two years of club under her belt and who went to 5 tryouts has zero offers. She’s shattered. She isn’t a rec level player. We don’t understand what happened.

I keep telling my DD that it doesn't really matter what you do at practice, what really matters is what you do outside practice. These words of wisdom are not mine: I heard them one way or another from the mouths of experienced coaches. Club experience is irrelevant if all you do is show up at practice and tournaments. There are many players who work hard during practice, then go home and work even harder. The extra hours will eventually pay off because it will show in the way you move on the court. These are the players who really want to play volleyball and they will squeeze out those who simply show up for the social aspect (have fun with friends). All the players who are now left hanging need to understand that it will be even harder to make a team during the next season. My DD seems to have finally realized that this is the case, but I am still not sure if she is willing to put in the effort.

That's the long game for sure but if your DD is still looking for a club as of this morning, there are things that she can do at whatever tryouts she might still have to increase her chances.

Communication, effort, and attitude are all within the player's control and they can choose to change those things now. Does she call for the ball, tell the hitters how many blockers are up or what shot to take? Does she let a ball land on the floor between her and the player next to her without even taking a step for the ball? Does she give up on a ball that is going off the court because successfully bringing it back in play is unlikely or does she run and dive after it anyway? Does she give high fives to other girls that she might not know during drills or competition? Is she attentive and engaged when coaches are giving instruction? What's her body language and facial expression like when she or the girl next to her makes a mistake? Does she shag her ball when it's part of the drill or go shag balls when she's off the court waiting for her turn to go? Does she ask questions or engage in a positive way when she get feedback from a coach?

I coached club for 3 seasons and I can tell you with 100% certainty, that for girls on the bubble skill wise, these are the kinds of things that puts them into the "maybe gets an offer" column instead of the "no offer" column.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Monday Morning and my experienced u15 with two years of club under her belt and who went to 5 tryouts has zero offers. She’s shattered. She isn’t a rec level player. We don’t understand what happened.

I keep telling my DD that it doesn't really matter what you do at practice, what really matters is what you do outside practice. These words of wisdom are not mine: I heard them one way or another from the mouths of experienced coaches. Club experience is irrelevant if all you do is show up at practice and tournaments. There are many players who work hard during practice, then go home and work even harder. The extra hours will eventually pay off because it will show in the way you move on the court. These are the players who really want to play volleyball and they will squeeze out those who simply show up for the social aspect (have fun with friends). All the players who are now left hanging need to understand that it will be even harder to make a team during the next season. My DD seems to have finally realized that this is the case, but I am still not sure if she is willing to put in the effort.

Our experience has been different. DD who is still in HS (also have a vball-playing older sister now in college) doesn't do more outside of practice and games (during high school season) and practice and tournaments (during club season). She really doesn't do anything more, and she's good, she's very good, but to watch from the sidelines at tryouts to me she's not an obvious "OMG she's a superstar!" type. She's good, but so are so many other girls. I really wasn't sure what was going to happen this past weekend because to me she looked good but I wasn't sure she was standing out. But she did get an offer at each tryout (well 2 offers and 1 "We are close to making you an offer but where do we rank in your choices?" which ended that offer because she was honest).

Point being, for both of our DDs (older DD in college now but when she was in middle & high school playing vball), neither of them did much outside of practices and games/tournaments. And both always got an offer, as did many of their "not doing extra" friends. I'm NOT saying "So you must be doing something wrong"; I'm just saying it may be way more of a crap shoot than about extra effort because actually, neither my DD's nor most of their friends do more outside of their school season and club season. They are very serious about playing, but they aren't out doing a million extra practices and clinics and going to pre-tryout clinics for every club they want to try out for. And they both looked good but not great and btw neither are taller than 5'7".

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
What became glaringly obvious this year was that her height will always be a barrier. She can go to as many clinics as possible but the tallest girls will get picked. There are too many trying out and too many that are good.

This is true. No, CHRVA is not D1 college ball, but you have to understand that after around U14 your 5’7 daughter needs to rethink her front row aspirations. When I graduated high school last century, 6’ girls were an oddity. They are now *everywhere* (Thanks improved nutrition?)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Monday Morning and my experienced u15 with two years of club under her belt and who went to 5 tryouts has zero offers. She’s shattered. She isn’t a rec level player. We don’t understand what happened.

I keep telling my DD that it doesn't really matter what you do at practice, what really matters is what you do outside practice. These words of wisdom are not mine: I heard them one way or another from the mouths of experienced coaches. Club experience is irrelevant if all you do is show up at practice and tournaments. There are many players who work hard during practice, then go home and work even harder. The extra hours will eventually pay off because it will show in the way you move on the court. These are the players who really want to play volleyball and they will squeeze out those who simply show up for the social aspect (have fun with friends). All the players who are now left hanging need to understand that it will be even harder to make a team during the next season. My DD seems to have finally realized that this is the case, but I am still not sure if she is willing to put in the effort.

Anonymous wrote:MOCO and Metro aren't forming teams for 17u this year. This may have added to the number of girls that can play down to 16u because of their birthday. Especially if they did make the 18u team.