Option No.2: The Best She Can Be
Does your daughter want to be as good as she can possibly be?
Does your daughter have an urge to play with the best public and private school kids in her area? Does she want to play against the best from hundreds of miles away? Does she want to be playing at a high level when she's 18, 19, 20?
If the answers to those questions are yes, then she must play junior volleyball. It is not an option. Tell her that she cannot have a career in a sport by just being good enough.
Ok, for her, is being the best player at her school adequate? Then, no, juniors isn't necessary.
The Tough Questions
Does she want to get looked at by the local community college? In many areas, she doesn't need to play junior volleyball at all. Just contact the coach, and show up for tryouts.
On the other hand, does she want to compete for the award that goes to the best player in her conference? Does she want to be known as one of the best in the state?
Does she want to get looks from the D-III coach? By the D-III powerhouse? By the D-II or D-I coach? I would estimate that 99 percent of the members of any decent college team have extensive club experience.
This year, I'm coaching a 16's National team. Our goal is to qualify for the 2011 National Tournament in July in Atlanta. The girls who play on my team will be the girls who want to be really really really good at volleyball.
One girl is home schooled, and in the fall, plays on a team of home school girls. She's already good enough. But she wants more than to just be a starter on that team.
What I'm telling you might not seem fair. My mom doesn't think it's fair that her granddaughter sits the bench a lot on her softball team behind other girls who play travel softball. But it's absolutely fair.
Don't we teach our kids that hard work pays off? Don't we teach them that if you want something badly enough, that you go out and get it? What is not fair is for athletes who play a sport 3 months a year should expect the same reward as girls who play it 8 or 9 or 10 months a year.
You Get Out What You Put Into It
Finally, if your daughter is playing three sports, she can play junior volleyball and improve tremendously at volleyball while being just good enough at the others. My stepdaughter was satisfied with being good enough at track, but wanted to the best at volleyball.
So she skipped every track activity that interfered with her junior volleyball team. Other girls would skip everything that conflicted with track.
Mom, you and your daughter will have to make the decision: Is "good enough" good enough for your daughter?