The Parents Volleyball Girl Guide

Why don't you write a parents volleyball girl guide?

I've been asked this question repeatedly the last few years.

After...

...writing over 100 volleyball skills and news articles as a volleyball journalist for various online and offline sports publications...

...after documenting European, American and international Olympic volleyball players, many who were my teammates and opponents, for major publications and newspapers as a professional volleyball photographer...

...after having an international indoor and pro beach volleyball career that spanned 25 years, 15 of which I played and worked in Italy and Europe...

...after four years of coaching volleyball to coaches around the country with my regular column "Five Quick Volleyball Tips" in the American Volleyball Coaches Association magazine Coaching Volleyball...

---after 30-some years of being involved with the volleyball game at various levels...

I realized that this ever popular question was one that I had to provide an answer for.

And so I have.

I Love Volleyball

I developed the parents volleyball girl guide because of one simple fact...I love volleyball.

Once I was introduced to the volleyball game as a sophomore at St. Bernard High School, I was hooked.

I immersed myself in the game and everything I could learn about it, from the basic volleyball rules to the famous female volleyball players who excelled at it.

And I still haven't stopped.

In the 10th grade I made three goals for myself:

...the first was to earn a college volleyball scholarship that would pay for my education at a Division I college or university,

...the second was to make the USA Volleyball National team and

...the third was to some how, some way become a professional volleyball player in Italy.

Lofty goals for a sophomore, but that's how I was raised. By two parents, both who were college graduates who taught me the importance of setting short term and long term goals, especially ones that concerned furthering my education.

From the time I set those three goals to the time I accomplished all three...I worked my butt off, I was focused, I was driven and I was disciplined and by being those three things I also got a few lucky breaks which seems to happen when you are so determined to work hard to accomplish your goals.

After years of playing on volleyball teams I've found that these three qualities are common among volleyball players who are college graduates.

Because I was working so hard, to get good grades, to excel in club volleyball, to put in the extra work to increase my vertical jump and to become a faster athlete, there were times where things just seemed to fall into place.

Like meeting the right volleyball coaches at the right time, qualifying for the right volleyball teams, being picked to participate in the right volleyball tournaments...things just seemed to happened that reinforced the fact that I was supposed to ride out this love of volleyball thing for a while.

I was able to surpass my goals and I have been involved in volleyball in some capacity for more than 30 years and I figured it was time to share what I know with volleyball parents needing help explaining how beneficial a college volleyball scholarship can be to a volleyball girl looking to further her education after high school.

What Will You Find In The Parents Volleyball Girl Guide?

My goal for this web site is to share my experiences and knowledge with volleyball parents, older volleyball players and coaches who are looking for answers and ways to motivate the volleyball girl and boy in their household or on their team about

1) how exciting the game is, but even more so

2) how rewarding and beneficial the game can be even if they decide to use this sport as a way to further their education and to possibly earn a college volleyball scholarship.

In this essential Parents Volleyball Girl Guide, you'll find..

• volleyball drills taught by college volleyball coaches

Many college coaches offer their knowledge on youth volleyball drills which are perfect for teaching the beginner player.

But since the key to success is education and the ability to get ahead of your competition, the sooner volleyball parents familiarize themselves with the high school and advanced level volleyball skills being taught by college coaches, the sooner they can share the appropriate information with the aspiring college volleyball players in their household.

• volleyball camp listings organized by college conferences 

To make it easier to find a Division I camp for your volleyball player to attend, I've provided a directory with all the dates and links to college volleyball teams offering summer volleyball camps.

Sending your young volleyball player to a college volleyball camp will allow her to see what it's like to play and practice on a college campus, possibly be seen by a college volleyball coach and to see what a college volleyball team looks like up close.

• volleyball equipment that the serious high school, club, and college volleyball girl should be aware of possibly including among her daily volleyball practice accessories. 

In this section I provide information about the more personal volleyball equipment a female volleyball player will need in her everyday game or volleyball practice day like sports bras, sun block, Gatorade, flip flops and sunglasses. 

• nutrition articles for the mature volleyball girls, volleyball moms and experienced beach volleyball players

I am repeatedly asked by female volleyball players over 30 years old,  especially those who may have one or two children in their household about ways to burn fat and to eat healthy so that they can continue to enjoy playing volleyball at a competitive level.

This section is for the competitive volleyball playing mom and/or older volleyball girl looking for answers to nutritional questions.  

•  volleyball picture section offers opportunities for creative volleyball players and volleyball parents with creative girls who are looking for places to express their off-the-court interests

This section has three components.

First, parents have a place to upload their own volleyball pics and snapshots of their volleyball girls in action.

Second, creative high school volleyball players who are also budding photographers have a place to express their vision and share their personal work with our readers.

Third, club volleyball players have a place where they can share their volleyball team and action photos.

• volleyball tournaments is our listing of annual indoor and beach volleyball tournaments around the country.

If you have a volleyball tournament to tell others about, regardless of the level, you will be able to add it to our directory so our readers will know about it and possibly play in it.

This guide for young female volleyball players and their parents also has information dedicated specifically to volleyball girls, womens volleyball, volleyball gifts, and volleyball travel.

We've also dedicated a section to the great pro beach volleyball player Kerri Walsh, two-time Olympic volleyball gold medalist, and one of the most popular pro beach volleyball players in the world.

Kerri has announced that she and her partner Misty May Treanor will partner together once again in time to qualify for the London 2012 Olympics, in a chance to win an epic third Olympic beach volleyball gold medal.

I encourage volleyball parents to visit my college volleyball section which has information about college volleyball recruiting.

You'll also find information on some of the most popular conferences that offer volleyball scholarships including the Atlantic Coast, Big 12, Big Ten, Big West, Big East, Missouri Valley, Mountain West, Pac 10 (now the Pac 12), the Southeastern, Sun Belt and Western Athletic conferences.

My life is an example of how volleyball girls (of all ages) can use different aspects of the sport of volleyball in the business or creative aspects of their life to make money or to share their passion.

Look, I'm even doing it again by creating this guide for volleyball parents.

I hope you find this guide useful and I encourage you to spread the news about its existence to your friends and family.

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Okay, it's time to let you enjoy the contents of this site. Welcome. volleyball girl and volleyball parents!

Be sure to come back and visit often...