MORE THAN A SPORT
common objective. As a top collegiate team, ours is to win the national championship. I knew I would have to come in and work hard to achieve that. My mindset is to stay hungry. The key is to stay positive and stay motivated. Push the starters to be their absolute best. And when your moment comes, be ready. Live for the moment, however long it may be.”
COACH Manage expectations early and often
No matter how petty or self-serving it may seem when a player strolls into your offi ce to complain about playing time, remember this: Desire isn’t a bad thing. You want your players to be competitive and eager (even desper- ate) to contribute on the court. They just need guidance on how and why they should want it. Functioning and contributing in a non-glory role is one of the hardest skills. During my senior year at Iowa State, my coach, Christy Johnson-Lynch, talked about my reserve role regularly. They weren’t easy conversations, and I can’t say I walked out of her offi ce on cloud nine, but I knew where I stood, why I was there and what I had to do.
“Roles need to be explained and revisited with athletes several times throughout the sea- son,” says Johnson-Lynch, who was an AVCA All-American setter at University of Nebraska. “Never assume a player understands why you make the decisions you do. What is obvious to you is not always obvious to your players.
THE SPECIALIST: Reid Dominguez views his role as a serving specialist at UC Irvine as an opportunity to contribute, not complain about playing time. (Photo: UC Irvine)
Even a brief conversation after a practice or match with a player about her role can help relieve her stress and can be a huge help in keeping her focused on the team and how she can contribute.”
Empower team members
If players can function and thrive in their roles, the team is in a better position to succeed. The coach sets the tone when it comes to empowering reserves. Highlight the importance of every role. Non- starters don’t have stat lines or match outcomes as guides, so coaches should give them reference points for improvement and contribution milestones. Remember, you’re asking competitive, driven players to develop a selfl ess, ego-tabling, team-fi rst mindset that many adults
Do your club homework
Players can help minimize confusion about playing time by understanding a club’s philosophy before making a big commit- ment. Parents and players should be direct from the onset with club directors and coaches about what they are seeking from the club volleyball experience. Obviously, everyone should be seeking an opportunity to grow as an athlete, teammate and person, but clubs approach that ultimate goal differently. Some spread playing time around more equally, while other clubs feel a team should only play those who can put them in the best position to win. Discuss the club’s philosophy with the club director beforehand. It’s the only time in the process where parents and players can evalu-
32 | VOLLEYBALLUSA • Digital Issue at
usavolleyball.org/mag
ate the club dispassionately, so it’s critical that communication is clear. Request an email from the club director summarizing your dis- cussion so you’ll have something to refer to if parameters change. In his Growing the Game blog, USA Volleyball’s John Kessel says: “It is not enough to be told your child will get to ‘play a lot’ … you should have some form of written material, which defi nes the club’s mission, philosophy and expectations for parents, players and coaches alike.” Check with players who have gone through the club program to
confi rm that the club philosophy is consistent with what the director is telling you. By doing this upfront work, you’ll be better positioned to have a positive club experience that puts the appropriate focus on becoming a better athlete, teammate and person.
struggle with. Give them tools to suc- ceed and offer praise for their efforts. “In our gym, we make a point to talk about the importance of everyone’s contribution,” says Brian Wagner, assistant boys’ and girls’ coach at Perry High School in Chandler, Ariz., and a former reserve at Pepperdine. “Communication with each athlete is essential, and a little bit of encouragement can go a long way. In a training environment, we like to give specifi c objectives or technical adjustments to a couple of individuals – especially those on the second team – and then make sure to focus on them and offer feedback as they work on those tasks.”
PARENT
Enjoy the movie. Don’t try to script it
I am the oldest of four volleyball- playing kids – two boys, two girls. Collectively, we have taught my dad that reality rarely plays out like we imagine it will. When my siblings and I have been in reserve roles, my parents have encouraged us to keep competing as hard as we could, keep contributing as much as we could and keep as calm as we could. “Like me, I’m guessing many
parents are constantly writing Hollywood screenplays in their heads,” says my dad, Bill Stadick. “We cast our superstar sons and dear daughters in the lead role and conclude each fi lm with credits roll- ing over an obligatory freeze frame of our kid getting swarmed by teammates, coaches and fans after winning the big game. Reality has a more complicated plotline. But often, a more complex story also has a more satisfying ending, even if it’s not the one we would have scripted. Judy [Debbie’s mom] and I try, not always successfully, to enjoy the movie no matter how it plays out.”
Ask proactive, team-centered questions Sports mom Sonya Hodson, whose Stanford University-bound
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