The surge of beach volleyball, one of the fastest growing NCAA sports, is reshaping the collegiate athletic landscape. This exciting trend not only propels the growth of college programs but also casts a ripple effect on the junior-level game. Consequently, a new territory arises for parents and athletes trying to navigate the best path for development; if their desire is to play at the next level.

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In my previous article, "What about the Athlete?", the emphasis was placed on the evolving role of athletes in decision-making processes. It is my strong belief that sooner rather than later, athletes should take the reins in crafting their individual journeys. This mindset requires assuming responsibility for their choices, and preparing themselves for the repercussions that may ensue. It is only logical that the athlete assumes the responsibility, since the outcome directly affects them. However with proper decision making comes educated decision making, and many athletes and parents are wondering "what is expected of me if I choose to pursue a collegiate beach program?”

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Now before I go any further let me note that no college program, or athlete journey is the same. While recruiting athletes, every coach has their own culture, expectation, check-list, and “it” factor they are looking for. In return, every athlete has their own journey and "wants-list" when looking for a college program. There is a innumerable amount of variables to consider when picking a program, and athlete's should know their journey is independently unique. 

 

With this being said I, and other club directors, have had many conversations with college coaches and all began to notice some commonalities when it came to the "expectations" of recruits. However, the problem we ran into when wanting to present this information to athletes and parents is that we didn't have the "hard data." So what we decided to do is create a brief questionnaire on some of the major topics of discussion and sent it to multiple college coaches ranging from NAIA to the D1 level. After polling 24 college coaches, I feel we have a baseline expectation which I would like to share in the rest of this article.

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Quick Data:

In a perfect world, at what point should an athlete specialize/prioritize the sport they want to play in college over the sport they play for fun?

(33%) - Beginning of 9th Grade

(50%) - Beginning of 10th Grade

(13%) - Beginning of 11th Grade

(4%) - Beginning of 12th Grade

 

What is the most important year for an athlete's recruitment process?

(4%) - 9th Grade

(46%) - 10th Grade

(50%) - 11th Grade

(0%) - 12th Grade

 

What is your expectation for a committed athlete when it comes to splitting time between club and high school athletics?

(4%) - High School should be the priority.

(25%) - Club should be the priority.

(4%) - There should be an even split between the two.

(67%) - It would depend on the coaching.

What percentage of athletes do you recruit out of high school beach programs? **Region played a big part in these answers**

(83%) - 0-25%

(13%) - 26-50%

(5%) - 51-75%

(0%) - 76-100%

 

What would you estimate the minimum practice time per week is for a junior athlete between their 6th-8th grade year if they want to play at the next level?

(29%) - 2-4 Hours / Week

(50%) - 4-6 Hours / Week

(21%) - 6-8 Hours / Week

(0%) - 8+ Hours / Week

 

What would you estimate the minimum practice time per week is for a junior athlete between their 9th-12th grade year if they want to play at the next level?

(0%) - 2-4 Hours / Week

(13%) - 4-6 Hours / Week

(58%) - 6-8 Hours / Week

(29%) - 8+ Hours / Week

 

How many tournaments on average should dedicated athletes be playing 6th-8th grade?

**It was noted by numerous coaches that the quality of the tournament should be taken into account.

(62%) - 1 per month

(38%) - 2 per month

(0%) - 3 per month

(0%) - 4 per month

 

How many tournaments on average should dedicated athletes be playing 9th-12th grade?

**It was noted by numerous coaches that the quality of the tournament should be taken into account.

(4%) - 1 per month

(63%) - 2 per month

(33%) - 3 per month

(0%) - 4 per month

 

How often do you stumble upon a prospective athlete you had not heard of, or seen, while spectating another athlete at an event?

(0%) - Never

(46%) - Sometimes

(54%) - All the Time

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How important is seeing film, and consistently getting updated film? (1= Not Important; 5=Extremely Important)

(0%) - 1

(4%) - 2

(13%) - 3

(21%) - 4

(63%) - 5

How important is working with an athlete at a camp or clinic once you've established interest? (1= Not Important; 5=Extremely Important)

(0%) - 1

(8%) - 2

(29%) - 3

(8%) - 4

(54%) - 5

 

How often would you want a prospective student athlete to send updated game film?

(25%) - Every 2-4 Weeks

(58%) - Every 5-8 Weeks

(17%) - Every 9-12 Weeks

(0%) - Every 13-16 Weeks

 

How important is it to be able to play with different partners, regardless of your connection outside of the sport?

(4%) - Not Important

(29%) - Kind of Important

(67%) - Extremely Important

 

Are you worried about the wins and losses, or how the athlete is playing?

(0%) - Wins and Losses

(21%) - Both

(79%) - How the Athlete is Playing

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Short Answers:

At the end of the survey coaches were able to answer a few short answer questions, although I won't be sharing every response, I have summarized the common responses below:

 

What is the biggest adjustment an athlete makes in their Freshman year in college?

- Time Management

- "Realizing that a lot of the things they had control of during juniors is now controlled by their college coaches."

- Strength/Agility programming along with nutrition and hydration

- Being mentally tough

 

In a dual format, how often should a player ask "Who will I play with" or "What spot will I be (Pair 1-5)?"

- The answer to this question was nearly unanimous... Never.

 

What is missing for players coming into college? (Ex. skill, personality, time-management, etc.)

- Confidence in matches, while being able to problem solve.

- Strength and fitness.

- Humility. Shifting from a "me me me" culture to a "we" focused culture. 3 teams need to win, not just 1.

 

Is there anything you would like to add, or feedback for us as club directors to further grow the sport?

- Make sure that athletes dive into the culture of programs during the recruitment process (ie. player relationships, coach relationships, transfer rates, etc.)

- Remind athletes that we are watching their actions and body language as well as their game!

- Building character is just as important, if not more important than teaching the sport.

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As I close I want to reiterate once again, every athletes journey is unique. Following this data to a T does not mean you will get recruited by a college program. What I am trying to do is educate. Educate the players, parents, and club directors on the opinions of college coaches so that they may better equip their daughters/athletes in helping them achieve their goals. I am excited about the future of this sport and look forward to updating this article as I get more feedback.

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This data represents a collaborative effort from collegiate coaches as well as question development between club directors and college coaches. As coaches continue to complete the survey I will update the results. I want to extend my sincere gratitude for the invaluable contributions and unwavering commitment to enhancing the athletic experience for both present and future generations of athletes.