There Is No Golden Ticket

When I was growing up it was "8 Minute Abs". That's all you needed, 8 minutes a day and you could have washboard abs. It's a great idea, but most people still have to give 8 minutes a day to something that they are not necessarily otherwise inclined to do. "You don't need to work out everyday for hours to look and feel your best," the ad said. Unfortunately there is a certain kind of discipline that you need to "look and feel" healthy. We are always, it seems, looking for that one training program, exercise or super-food that will "make it happen" for us. In reality though, only hard work, dedication, discipline and accountability are what gets you looking and "feeling" the way you "want".

Recruiting isn't really all that different, we think. If we could JUST get on that one club team; or if we could JUST go to that one camp; or if I switch schools I'll get a different opportunity; if I can get on a top team that's playing open.

We think, often times, that by just making one small change or moving up the "ladder" in the volleyball world, we will then be granted our wish of that one all-elusive P5 volleyball program.

"8 Minute Abs" has turned into club hopping and the transfer portal.

The grass isn't always greener on the other side. That's true. Sometimes it might be, sure, but it isn't always. We find that even when we think we have the Golden Ticket or that we have solved the volleyball recruiting algorithm we still end up needing something else to get to where we are trying to go. We are forever chasing something we can't always reach.

Top team + playing Open does NOT = Playing in the P5

This is one of the many false premises I find that so many parents are standing on.

Do some thinks HELP in your recruiting process? Sure! But there are very few if any guarantees in this process.

Recruiting is a byproduct of what you do and how you handle your recruiting process.

Winning is a product of training, trusting and being discipline in what your coaches are asking you to do.

Quick fixes, like "8 Minute Abs" are just quick fixes. What's better than the quick fix?

Make new goals

Create more/better discipline

Create patters of behavior that help you meet your goals

Eat different and or better

Train and push yourself

Be a part of a different/better environment or community

Making decisions and changing the way we do things because there is a benefit in the long run is what we are doing here. We are talking about dedicating hours to sending emails over the course of months vs going to a Showcase or some 3rd party camp. We are talking about having actual conversations about what you're looking for and researching different schools at different levels to really figure out where you fit vs just sitting back and hoping college coaches will come to your court and give you a call on June 15th.

There are typically NOT freebies or shortcuts. Don't look for them.

You can get recruited playing for the club team that you are playing for right now. What are you doing to make that happen?