Smyrna high school volleyball
Player and parent section
Remember, block party contributions go directly towards your player fee.
You can bring Block Party invitations/donations any day before practice. DEADLINE: AUGUST 5, 2019 |
CAR WASH SIGN UPThank you all for making the Car Wash a giant success! We raised just over $1,000 for our team!
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Frequently Asked Questions by Parents
by Andrea Buckner, Team USA Volleyball
February 10, 2013
Why do I disagree with the coach so often?
Your perspective will ALWAYS filter every decision the coach makes as to how it affects YOUR KID, but the coach will ALWAYS filter every decision they make as to how it affects THE TEAM. These are, by nature, opposing views! Finding positive and productive ways to work through those opposing views will benefit your player.
Why does the setter not set my daughter/son (or not set her/him well)?
The reasons could be any of the following: the pass location, the offensive plan of the coach, who has the hot hand, how the hitters match up with blockers, etc. NO setter would purposely set their hitters poorly or THEIR play time would be affected.
Why does the coach not call a timeout?
Calling timeouts is about the ‘feel’ of the game. Two bad points from our own team right away might warrant an early time out. Several great plays by the other team, may not. We don’t always get it right, but it’s not JUST about the score.
Why is my daughter not playing?
The reasons are usually either disciplinary or poor practice performance. An additional reason could be they are third or fourth best in a given position. She needs to get better. Sound harsh? Sorry, but it’s the truth. Sports are about competition…competition first to get on the TEAM, then competition to get on the COURT. Coaches will do their best to get everyone playing time because we WANT everyone to play. However, at older/higher levels, winning is the goal. If the coach feels your daughter can help them achieve this, they WILL be on the court.
Why is my daughter taken out for making errors, but other players aren’t?
Not all errors are equal. Serving and hitting in the net are worse than serving or hitting out. Setting too tight or too far past the pin is worse than setting too far off or inside. Also, after hours and hours of practice, the coach knows who the stronger players are even though they may be in a slump. Subbing players is about more than JUST the one player…it’s about team impact.
What can I do to help the coach and team? What is appropriate parental behavior? What can I do to show support for my daughter/son without disrupting the ‘team’?
Offer to carpool with other parents, offer to organize food at tournaments (or snack bar), help set up fundraisers if needed, AVOID speaking negatively about the coach or other members of the team. Help the coach or club with any administrative stuff if needed. Create a phone tree. Show up at tournaments ready to have a great time! Cheer for ALL the players, not just yours. Don’t try to recruit other parents into your dissatisfaction and frustration. Once you say something, you can’t UN-SAY it.
Other people tell me that my daughter is better than her teammates and should be playing, why doesn’t her coach see that?
GREAT question! You may not like the answer. There are MANY reasons people might contradict what your current coach is saying/doing with your kid: it’s human nature for others to judge your coach as ‘wrong’ when it’s not the same decision they would make. They are trying to sway your opinion of that coach. They are trying to make you feel good by being empathetic. They are trying to join in or instigate your frustration or… they are right. Yep, MAYBE the other person IS right. I once stood behind two recruiters at a Vegas tournament discussing a very talented player. One was saying she was a perfect fit for his system while the other was saying she was totally wrong for his. Same talented player, two differing opinions. It happens. HOWEVER, the honest truth it is usually one of the other reasons I listed (or one I didn’t). Consider the source and potential ulterior motives for their feedback.
Why is the coach playing favorites?
I LOVE this question. EVERY player can be a ‘favorite.’ Show up early, work hard, ask good questions, put team first, be one of the top nine players on the team, help set up and take down equipment, do extra workouts and be encouraging to teammates. Coaches play favorites…they are the kids with the previous listed criteria and any kid can be one. With all due respect, that accusation is often a defense mechanism used by parents struggling to face the reality of the level of their kid’s abilities. Sorry.
Why is the coach trying to hurt my kid? Why is the coach so mean?
PLEASE for the sake of the coach’s reputation; do NOT confuse your personality/style preference with the actual quality of the coach. If you TRULY believe the coach is TRYING to hurt your kid, you should pull your kid from the team. Period. NO adult should be trying to hurt your kid and if you feel that way, you should not allow them in your child’s presence.
You may not agree with every decision, but rather than assuming the worst about a coach, find out what the coach’s philosophies are so at least you understand even if you don’t agree. Understand that being an athlete involves growing pains and there WILL be times your athlete comes home crying or frustrated. Even said in the nicest way, it doesn’t feel good to be told you are performing poorly or not as good as another player, so tears can be a by-product in your athlete. NO coach is TRYING to damage your kids’ psyche, but criticism and correction WILL hurt their feelings. Especially, if they have not experienced it before.
by Andrea Buckner, Team USA Volleyball
February 10, 2013
Why do I disagree with the coach so often?
Your perspective will ALWAYS filter every decision the coach makes as to how it affects YOUR KID, but the coach will ALWAYS filter every decision they make as to how it affects THE TEAM. These are, by nature, opposing views! Finding positive and productive ways to work through those opposing views will benefit your player.
Why does the setter not set my daughter/son (or not set her/him well)?
The reasons could be any of the following: the pass location, the offensive plan of the coach, who has the hot hand, how the hitters match up with blockers, etc. NO setter would purposely set their hitters poorly or THEIR play time would be affected.
Why does the coach not call a timeout?
Calling timeouts is about the ‘feel’ of the game. Two bad points from our own team right away might warrant an early time out. Several great plays by the other team, may not. We don’t always get it right, but it’s not JUST about the score.
Why is my daughter not playing?
The reasons are usually either disciplinary or poor practice performance. An additional reason could be they are third or fourth best in a given position. She needs to get better. Sound harsh? Sorry, but it’s the truth. Sports are about competition…competition first to get on the TEAM, then competition to get on the COURT. Coaches will do their best to get everyone playing time because we WANT everyone to play. However, at older/higher levels, winning is the goal. If the coach feels your daughter can help them achieve this, they WILL be on the court.
Why is my daughter taken out for making errors, but other players aren’t?
Not all errors are equal. Serving and hitting in the net are worse than serving or hitting out. Setting too tight or too far past the pin is worse than setting too far off or inside. Also, after hours and hours of practice, the coach knows who the stronger players are even though they may be in a slump. Subbing players is about more than JUST the one player…it’s about team impact.
What can I do to help the coach and team? What is appropriate parental behavior? What can I do to show support for my daughter/son without disrupting the ‘team’?
Offer to carpool with other parents, offer to organize food at tournaments (or snack bar), help set up fundraisers if needed, AVOID speaking negatively about the coach or other members of the team. Help the coach or club with any administrative stuff if needed. Create a phone tree. Show up at tournaments ready to have a great time! Cheer for ALL the players, not just yours. Don’t try to recruit other parents into your dissatisfaction and frustration. Once you say something, you can’t UN-SAY it.
Other people tell me that my daughter is better than her teammates and should be playing, why doesn’t her coach see that?
GREAT question! You may not like the answer. There are MANY reasons people might contradict what your current coach is saying/doing with your kid: it’s human nature for others to judge your coach as ‘wrong’ when it’s not the same decision they would make. They are trying to sway your opinion of that coach. They are trying to make you feel good by being empathetic. They are trying to join in or instigate your frustration or… they are right. Yep, MAYBE the other person IS right. I once stood behind two recruiters at a Vegas tournament discussing a very talented player. One was saying she was a perfect fit for his system while the other was saying she was totally wrong for his. Same talented player, two differing opinions. It happens. HOWEVER, the honest truth it is usually one of the other reasons I listed (or one I didn’t). Consider the source and potential ulterior motives for their feedback.
Why is the coach playing favorites?
I LOVE this question. EVERY player can be a ‘favorite.’ Show up early, work hard, ask good questions, put team first, be one of the top nine players on the team, help set up and take down equipment, do extra workouts and be encouraging to teammates. Coaches play favorites…they are the kids with the previous listed criteria and any kid can be one. With all due respect, that accusation is often a defense mechanism used by parents struggling to face the reality of the level of their kid’s abilities. Sorry.
Why is the coach trying to hurt my kid? Why is the coach so mean?
PLEASE for the sake of the coach’s reputation; do NOT confuse your personality/style preference with the actual quality of the coach. If you TRULY believe the coach is TRYING to hurt your kid, you should pull your kid from the team. Period. NO adult should be trying to hurt your kid and if you feel that way, you should not allow them in your child’s presence.
You may not agree with every decision, but rather than assuming the worst about a coach, find out what the coach’s philosophies are so at least you understand even if you don’t agree. Understand that being an athlete involves growing pains and there WILL be times your athlete comes home crying or frustrated. Even said in the nicest way, it doesn’t feel good to be told you are performing poorly or not as good as another player, so tears can be a by-product in your athlete. NO coach is TRYING to damage your kids’ psyche, but criticism and correction WILL hurt their feelings. Especially, if they have not experienced it before.