College Coaches Writing Your Narrative

I'm a big fan of honesty. I think it's important. You have to be able to trust people. If you can't trust someone then they can't really help you. That trust goes both ways for athletes and college coaches.

One of the conversations that I have had a lot in the last several months with athletes and families is this very topic. I think our natural inclination is to hold back. We don't always want to tell the whole story. We are naturally afraid to put ourselves out there because in some ways we are scared of the truth. This is true in volleyball recruiting as well.

Think of all the variables that go into the recruiting process:

Position

Grad Year

Can they come watch you play?

How much can they watch?

Who else are you competing against?

Can you attend their camp?

Height

Strength

Speed

Footwork

Skill

Technique

Physicality

Arm Speed

How many different variables need to fall into place for you to get recruited to a school?

How many things have to go your way to get recruited?

Context matters.

While I do think it's important to be honest about your current situation in regards to playing time, your recruiting situation and whatever else you are communicating, you do need to be careful that you are not being negative towards someone else like your teammates or your coaches. Something like that can be a huge red flag for college coaches. Any sort of bashing of your teammates or courts can get you moved down on a list pretty quickly.

But knowledge is power right? Context matters. If college coaches know what's going on and they understand your current situation, that will help right? I think so.

Unfortunately, college coaches in many situations are looking for reasons NOT to recruit you. They want to focus their time and energy on athletes that will help their program and that fit that they NEED to be successful. Something as simple as them not thinking you are as interested as another athlete can move you down a notch. Communication is important. Understanding the situation is important. Context matters.

If you don't give a college coach the context for a specific situation (and the scenarios are too numerous to count) then they will create a narrative for your situation. It will almost never go in your favor. They aren't necessarily going to give you the benefit of the doubt.

Some of these situations are out of your control as an athlete. But that doesn't stop college coaches from asking the questions.

Why isn't she on this team?

Why isn't she starting?

Why isn't she playing in THIS tournament?

Why isn't she playing in this one set that I am here to watch?

Why does she wear a knee thing?

Why isn't she passing?

Why isn't she playing 6 rotations?

Why isn't she in the libero jersey?

Context matters. College coaches will connect the dots for you if you don't help and it will almost never go in your favor. Some ask! I have these kinds of conversations all the time. But I know that not every coach asks.

It's your responsibility to put yourself in the best position possible. That includes being honest about what's going on. Context matters. A shift in context can completely change the narrative that a college coach is seeing with their own eyes.

I'm a college coach and I come and watch you for the first match of a qualifier. If you aren't playing in that one match, what am I supposed to think? That you aren't playing at all? That you aren't a starter?

or

Are you communicating or is someone communicating for you that you guys should be able to win the match and your coach is trying not to wear you out at 8am on day 1? Does your coach typically just rotate through the pin hitters and this isn't your match to play?

Is that something you could put in an email? Can you make sure the highlight that you send me the next week shows a TON of reps so I know that you did end up playing most of the tournament?

Context matters. Make sure that you are giving college coaches the context they need so that they are putting the pieces together in a way that is in your favor.

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